US forces expand push against insurgents

BAGHDAD - U.S. forces expanded their push against insurgent strongholds outside Baghdad on Wednesday as Iraqi units joined the offensive and took control of several districts in the key city of Baqouba, the military said.

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The commander of U.S. ground forces, Lt. Gen. Raymond Odierno, said the campaign seeks to uproot insurgents â?? including Sunni factions linked to al-Qaida â?? in areas north and east of Baghdad and allow Iraqi forces to take greater control over the four-month-old effort to restore control of the capital.

The offensive, launched Tuesday, "allows us to pressure" militants on the militant bases outside Baghdad, Odierno told CNN.

"More important, I'm hoping it will allow us to maintain it over a long period of time and continue to buy the time and space necessary for the Iraqi security forces to take over" in Baghdad, he said.

The U.S. military said at least 30 al-Qaida fighters were killed and several bombs and weapons caches destroyed as the soldiers fought their way through the streets of Baqouba.

The operation involves some 10,000 American soldiers in Diyala province, an al-Qaida bastion to the north and east of Baghdad. It matched in size the force that American generals sent against the insurgent-held city of Fallujah in 2004. By late Tuesday, the military had reported only one American death, a Task Force Lightning soldier killed by an explosion near his vehicle.

Iraqi Defense Ministry spokesman Mohammed al-Askari said about 5,000 Iraqi soldiers and 2,000 paramilitary police were fighting. Iraqi forces said they took control of neighborhoods in Baqouba and were greeted by cheering people.
US forces expand push against insurgents - Yahoo! News

Give the people what they want.....:thumbsup:

Have a good one!:s4:

I'm pretty sure it's called: Whack-A-Mole.

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Originally Posted by medicinal

I'm pretty sure it's called: Whack-A-Mole.

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LOL....hit that damn mole hard today my friend.

Have a good one!:s4:

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Originally Posted by Psycho4Bud

LOL....hit that damn mole hard today my friend.

Have a good one!:s4:

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I'm Pretty sure the mole struck back. 14 Americans dead in the past 48 Hrs. 150+ Iraqis killed by insurgents or don't they count?

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Originally Posted by medicinal

I'm Pretty sure the mole struck back. 14 Americans dead in the past 48 Hrs. 150+ Iraqis killed by insurgents or don't they count?

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I'm sure that they did kick back as expected and predicted by the commanders on the field. I know there were articles about us popping 30 of theirs in one raid........I wonder how many others bit the dust in the three day time period mentioned.

Have a good one!:s4: