According to the Associated Press, fighting between U.S. forces and al-Qaida and allied militants intensified Wednesday in Baghdad and on all four points of the compass around the capital. To the south, suspected Shiite militiamen bombed three Sunni houses of worship in what may presage a war of the mosques.
An Associated Press reporter in Baqouba, the capital of Diyala province to the north and east of Baghdad, reported intense gun battles in the streets and around the main market district as American and Iraqi forces sought to clear the city of al-Qaida fighters.
Gen. Abdul-Karim al-Rubaie, an Iraqi military commander in Diyala, told the AP that security forces had ringed the city and were not letting anyone come or go. He said many al-Qaida fighters had hidden their weapons and were trying to flee Baqouba.
"We fear that the insurgents want to mingle with civilians. ... Citizens have given us the names of hundreds of al-Qaida elements who have quit fighting and are hiding in their houses in Baqouba. These people are going to be arrested after the end of the battles," the general said.
And there are still some Americans who naively believe “We are NOT fighting al-Qaida in Iraq.”
An Associated Press reporter in Baqouba, the capital of Diyala province to the north and east of Baghdad, reported intense gun battles in the streets and around the main market district as American and Iraqi forces sought to clear the city of al-Qaida fighters.
Gen. Abdul-Karim al-Rubaie, an Iraqi military commander in Diyala, told the AP that security forces had ringed the city and were not letting anyone come or go. He said many al-Qaida fighters had hidden their weapons and were trying to flee Baqouba.
"We fear that the insurgents want to mingle with civilians. ... Citizens have given us the names of hundreds of al-Qaida elements who have quit fighting and are hiding in their houses in Baqouba. These people are going to be arrested after the end of the battles," the general said.
And there are still some Americans who naively believe “We are NOT fighting al-Qaida in Iraq.”
And my MSN homepage's headline is that 15 GIs have died in the last three days.
ReplyDeleteNo mention of the fact that the army is undertaking a very risky and dangerous venture.
Jesus, if the media was as wimpy about the casualties during WWII, we never would have made it to Midway, much less D Day.
Somewhere, Elmer Ellsworth, the zouave who rested in state in the WH after being shot in Richmond while taking down a Confederate flag in 1861 is shaking his head.
It is almost as though they're rooting for...you know....those "freedom fighters" (whoever they are), but of course, we're not supposed to notice, or worse still, mention that...it's bad form.
ReplyDeleteStill, there does seem to be some discernable rejoicing when things...(how can I put this delicately?)...go badly, and some palpable angst when things improve or go well.
Hmmmmm, I can't exactly put my finger on why that is.