First phase of major Iraq campaign almost over, U.S. says

cal04

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Sun Jun-24-07 06:43 AM
Original message

First phase of major Iraq campaign almost over, U.S. says

Source: Reuters

U.S. forces believe the initial combat phase of a major offensive to clear al Qaeda from the Iraqi city of Baquba is nearly complete and any militants left could be confronted in the next 24 hours.

The operation in and around Baquba, capital of volatile Diyala province, is a major part of one of the biggest combined offensives by U.S. and Iraqi forces against the Sunni Islamist group in Iraq since the invasion of the country in 2003.

"We will either make enemy contact quickly, or we won't," Colonel Steve Townsend, commander of the 3rd Stryker Brigade, told Reuters and another news agency late on Saturday.

"My company commanders' gut feel is that there won't be a big fight here," he said after a briefing late on Saturday with combat captains in the bombed-out remains of a building, once used by al Qaeda as a clinic, on Baquba's outskirts.

Read more: http://www.alertnet.org/thenews/newsdesk/COL427002.htm

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rug

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Sun Jun-24-07 06:43 AM
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1. Canute optimistic.

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soothsayer

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Sun Jun-24-07 06:45 AM
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2. Sayyy, the surge must be working! Fantastico! Country's almost all fixed now.

So quit looking.

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glowing

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Sun Jun-24-07 06:50 AM
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3. Sounds to me like the town is holding out and doesn't want to

be occupied... so, they'll call them al quada and bomb the shit out of innocent people. And how many reporters are even near this town to keep the reprots really honest... most are still sitting in the green zone, hoping not to get bombed there.

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rodeodance

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Sun Jun-24-07 07:41 AM
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4. and the military can claim another victory--yet, even they know the 'bad'

guys will regroup and pop up elsewhere.

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Buns_of_Fire

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Sun Jun-24-07 07:44 AM
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5. "We will either make enemy contact quickly, or we won't."

Yeah, I guess that about sums it up..... :shrug:

I hope these guys paid attention when their kids were playing Whack-A-Mole last time they were at Chuck E. Cheese's.

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UpInArms

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Sun Jun-24-07 08:02 AM
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6. ...

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Bonhomme Richard

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Sun Jun-24-07 08:58 AM
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7. Phase One - Call everyone Al Quida. Done. n/t

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Prisoner_Number_Six

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Sun Jun-24-07 10:13 AM
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8. Mission Accomplished.

Riiiiight. We all know how THAT one works.

:shrug:

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Eugene

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Sun Jun-24-07 12:00 PM
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9. US troops battle "minefield" of bombs in Iraq's Baquba

Source: Reuters

US troops battle "minefield" of bombs in Iraq's Baquba
24 Jun 2007 16:49:39 GMT
Source: Reuters

(New throughout with fresh quotes from U.S. military)

By Alister Bull

BAQUBA, Iraq, June 24 (Reuters) - U.S. troops hoping to
directly confront al Qaeda militants in a major offensive in
the Iraqi city of Baquba instead found themselves "swimming
through a minefield", a senior officer said on Sunday.

The operation in and around Baquba, capital of volatile Diyala
province, is in its sixth day and is a major part of one of the
biggest offensives by U.S. and Iraqi forces against the Sunni
Islamist group in Iraq since the March 2003 invasion.

Some U.S. officers said they believed the initial combat phase
of the offensive is nearly complete and any militants left could
be confronted in the next 24 hours. Hundreds of militants were
thought to be still holed up in Baquba's western districts.

But others believe many al Qaeda fighters left Baquba after
getting clear signals from U.S. commanders who have said for
some time that the city was high on their list of priorities.

-snip-

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cal04

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Sun Jun-24-07 12:26 PM
Response to Original message

10. US troops battle "minefield" of bombs in Iraq's Baquba

- U.S. troops hoping to directly confront al Qaeda militants in a major offensive in the Iraqi city of Baquba instead found themselves "swimming through a minefield", a senior officer said on Sunday.

The operation in and around Baquba, capital of volatile Diyala province, is in its sixth day and is a major part of one of the biggest offensives by U.S. and Iraqi forces against the Sunni Islamist group in Iraq since the March 2003 invasion.

Some U.S. officers said they believed the initial combat phase of the offensive is nearly complete and any militants left could be confronted in the next 24 hours. Hundreds of militants were thought to be still holed up in Baquba's western districts.

But others believe many al Qaeda fighters left Baquba after getting clear signals from U.S. commanders who have said for some time that the city was high on their list of priorities.

http://www.alertnet.org/thenews/newsdesk/L24176114.htm

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