We need to send a clear message - this will help.
What do ya think the odds are that this has already been posted?
Better than average?
Waqas al-Juwanya, a spokesman for Iraq's joint coordination center in nearby Dowr, said "unknown gunmen exist in this area, killing and kidnapping policemen, soldiers and civilians."
Near the end of the first day of the operation, the military said, "a number of enemy weapons caches have been captured, containing artillery shells, explosives, IED-making materials, and military uniforms."
It said the attack began with soldiers from the Iraqi army's 1st Brigade, 4th Division, the U.S. 101st Airborne Division's 3rd Brigade Combat Team and the 101st Combat Aviation Brigade conducting a combined air and ground assault to isolate the objective area.
Air power backed the operation and delivered troops from the Iraq army's 4th Division, the Rakkasans from 1st and 3rd Battalions, 187th Infantry Regiment and the Hunters from 2nd Squadron, 9th Cavalry Regiment to multiple objectives
Pray for our Air Assault boys.
Screaming Eagle Mom
I like to see our guys IN THE AIR with bombs. It keeps them safe, and they can still fight. Hand-to-hand combat is archaic.
Excellent! GO US Kick some ASS!
It is a key city in Salahuddin province, a major part of the so-called Sunni triangle where insurgents have been active since shortly after the U.S.-led invasion three years ago. Saddam Hussein was captured in the province, not far from its capital and his hometown, Tikrit.
*snip*
The operation, residents said, appeared to be concentrated near four villages — Jillam, Mamlaha, Banat Hassan and Bukaddou — about 20 miles north of Samarra. The villages are near the highway leading from Samarra to the city of Adwar.
Sounds like a Z-man hunt!
Some interesting lead-ups on this: Last week we announced the deployment of a full wing of AC-130 Spectres to Iraq, which were then used in this assault. Then, this week we announced the deployment of a battalion to Kuwait for preventative use during the coming Muslim pilgramage. That battalion freed up the 101st, whom are conducting this raid.
We have had many reports of Zarqawi in Saluh Din province since he was run out of al Anbar in late January by the Shura Council who named al Baghdadi their head instead.
Total blackout by the media, no inbeds, means they have a high value target and are doing a full area-wide cordon. Likely we have blanketed the target area with infra-red tonight to catch the rats making a run for it in the dark, that is Zarqawi's style.
There will be several days of sorting prisoners, getting them to rat out, and then going after new targets. Hunting season for the Screaming Eagles.
20 posted on 03/16/2006 10:44:52 AM PST by gandalftb