Search for Missing Troops

The Washington Times ^ | May 14, 2007 | Ravi Nessman

[kellynla]

BAGHDAD -- An al Qaeda front group said yesterday it had captured American soldiers in a deadly attack the day before, as thousands of U.S. troops searched insurgent areas south of Baghdad for their three missing comrades.

The statement was issued on one of the deadliest days in the country in recent weeks, with at least 126 persons killed or found dead -- including two American soldiers who died in separate bombings. A suicide truck bomb tore through the offices of a Kurdish political party in northern Iraq, killing 50 persons, and a car bombing in a crowded Baghdad market killed 17.

Troops surrounded the town of Youssifiyah and told residents over loudspeakers to stay inside, residents said. They then methodically searched the houses, focusing on possible secret chambers under the floors where the soldiers might be hidden, residents said. The soldiers marked each searched house with a white piece of cloth.

Soldiers also searched cars entering and leaving the town, writing "searched" on the side of each vehicle they had inspected. Several people were arrested, witnesses said.

The terror group, calling itself the Islamic State of Iraq, offered no proof for its claim that it was behind the attack Saturday in Mahmoudiya that killed four U.S. soldiers and an Iraqi translator. But the Sunni area known as the Triangle of Death is a longtime al Qaeda stronghold.

If the claim proves true, it would mark one of the most brazen attacks by the umbrella Sunni insurgent group against U.S. forces here.

Maj. Gen. William Caldwell, spokesman for the U.S. military, said 4,000 U.S. troops backed by aircraft and intelligence units were scouring the farming area as the military made "every effort available to find our missing soldiers."

[kellynla]

Let us all pray that these soldiers will be found before it's too late.

Semper Fi, Kelly

[dellbabe68]

Keep the prayers coming. Also, please remember Keith Matthew Maupin as well.

[AprilfromTexas]

Prayers up for those involved.

[kellynla]

ping

[353FMG]

“If the claim proves true, it would mark one of the most brazen attacks by the umbrella Sunni insurgent group against U.S. forces here.”

I thought that things were getting to look better every day in Iraq, but news like this makes me doubt this assessment. Why not fight a real war like was done in WWII and shoot everyone not in uniform that fires on US soldiers instead of treating this vermin like enemy combattants protected by the Geneva convention? We are wasting precious American lives for something that seems to have no end.

[Eska]

Had a relative grow up during WWII in france. Everyone turned their old junk guns into the germans, hid their nice guns in barn. She said once some drunk German soldiers got outta hand and bar owner shot them. 3 Hours later Germans showed up, shot every male over 15 in that town; like 150 some. After that nobody shot no more germans, for any reason. It ain’t that hard.

[353FMG]

You are insensitive and cruel.

[Waverunner]

I’ve got a better idea - move in at night - round up the whole village - let them carry what they can, and fly them to a place like Zimbabwe or Haiti, and just drop them off.
The word will get around quickly, and we won’t have to kill anyone.

[Alberta's Child]

For all of Syria's faults, the 1982 massacre at the village of Hama ought to be remembered as the most effective "counter-insurgency" tactic in modern history. The attempts by a group called the Muslim Brotherhood to topple the Assad government came to an abrupt end, the leadership of the insurgency fled into exile, and there hasn't been another uprising in Syria in the 25 years since.

For the U.S. to invade a Middle Eastern country like Iraq without having the political will to engage in that kind of brutality (25,000 to 40,000 villagers killed over the course of a couple of days, depending on which source you use) is the height of delusional naivete.

[Eyes Unclouded]

Don't listen to this naysayer! He's downright unpatriotic! Why not only will free elections work like magic, Iraqi oil will pay for the whole darn thing! After 9/11 how can we afford to take the chance?/sarc

Sometimes I wonder where people get these notions about a nice war. Arabs will only follow us when they FEAR us. After we get their obedience we can have calm. We could rule Iraq with no boots on the ground if we just let the flyboys do their damn job.

[SandRat]

FR WAR NEWS!

WAR News at Home and Abroad You'll Hear Nowhere Else!

All the News the MSM refuses to use!

Or if they do report it, without the anti-War Agenda Spin!

[freema]

Thank you for the update, kelly.

[sweetiepiezer]

Prayers up.

[Marine_Uncle]

The TOD continues to be a thorn in the side of the IG and US.
The towns and villages within it's borders are home to a lot of Saddamist, and Baath party officials. It has been a key area for supplying the insurgency, al Qaeda and other Sunni radical groups over the past few years.
It may be the last to fully tame.