Baghdad sweep meets little resistance

BAGHDAD, Iraq - Thousands of U.S. troops swept house-to-house through mostly Shiite areas virtually unopposed Wednesday in the opening phase of the long-awaited Baghdad security crackdown. But four U.S. soldiers were killed outside of the capital in an area not covered by the operation.

Elsewhere in Baghdad, Iraqi soldiers and police set up new checkpoints across the city of 6 million people, snarling traffic and forcing people to walk across bridges jammed with cars and trucks.

Staff Sgt. Michael James, 32, of Chillicothe, Mo., said the area in northeastern Baghdad had been targeted before but not in such force.

"This is the final clearing. We're trying to hit all the major hotspots. I don't think it has ever been cleared as fully as it will be today," said James, of the 3rd Stryker Brigade, Combat Team, 2nd Infantry Division.

James said he wasn't surprised that the troops did find more as they hunkered down in a so-called Joint Security Station in the area for the night.

"It's never clear. These guys are going to have safe-houses all over the place. Whenever we come into one area, I'm sure they just move on," he said. "Just our presence alone is enough to push the bad guys out. They're not stupid enough to fight an entire battalion, because they will lose."

The increased security measures drew a mixed response from Iraqis â?? some angry over the inconvenience, others embracing any effort to stop the rampant violence.

"My friends and I who are the old women of the neighborhood went to the soldiers and welcomed them and prayed that God would help them to defeat the terrorists," said Um Sabah of the Mashtaal area in eastern Baghdad. "Although, the presence of army and vehicles is not very comfortable, we welcome it because it is for the sake of Iraq."
Baghdad sweep meets little resistance - Yahoo! News

I do believe that sweet old lady said it all right there.......:thumbsup:

Have a good one!:jointsmile:

My friends and I who are the old women of the neighborhood went to the soldiers and welcomed them and prayed that God would help them to defeat the terrorists," said Um Sabah of the Mashtaal area in eastern Baghdad. "Although, the presence of army and vehicles is not very comfortable, we welcome it because it is for the sake of Iraq."
One persons opinion! I'll bet there are a lot more anti-american opinions in Bagdad. Think of it like this: Some foriegn nation bombs the hell out of your city, then sends in tanks and soldiers to patrol your streets, blows to hell most everything that was your town, starts a sectarian war bringing in foriegn terrorists, sets up a puppet government, locks down all access to the oil, tortures prisoners and even kidnaps some and sends them to a foriegn prison with no hope of ever getting out (Guantanamo), posts pictures of naked men prisoners on websites, is going door to door and kicking in your front door and holding your family at gunpoint and taking away anyone they deem persons of interest, yeah that makes me feel like getting all cuddly with them, how about you? If it were the Russians doing that here in your town, tell me you'd like it. And don't come back with they could never do it, that boat won't float. Think about what I've said and tell me you'd be so fucking friendly. I'd be out on a rooftop with my deer rifle shooting them in the fucking head!

Excuse my naivety.... but you seem to be using every left wing talking point to support the idea that this women's opinion is genuine?


I'm so confused now!

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Originally Posted by medicinal

One persons opinion! I'll bet there are a lot more anti-american opinions in Bagdad. Think of it like this: Some foriegn nation bombs the hell out of your city, then sends in tanks and soldiers to patrol your streets, blows to hell most everything that was your town, starts a sectarian war bringing in foriegn terrorists, sets up a puppet government, locks down all access to the oil, tortures prisoners and even kidnaps some and sends them to a foriegn prison with no hope of ever getting out (Guantanamo), posts pictures of naked men prisoners on websites, is going door to door and kicking in your front door and holding your family at gunpoint and taking away anyone they deem persons of interest, yeah that makes me feel like getting all cuddly with them, how about you? If it were the Russians doing that here in your town, tell me you'd like it. And don't come back with they could never do it, that boat won't float. Think about what I've said and tell me you'd be so fucking friendly. I'd be out on a rooftop with my deer rifle shooting them in the fucking head!

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Working on my thread yet? 2 days in no casualties. :D Sounds like some Al-Quada took an ass whoopin' though.

Have a good one!:jointsmile:

Orrrrrr........with so much advance notice of "the surge", they just decided to relocate and lay-low. Time will tell, I guess.

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Originally Posted by Oh F Yeah

Orrrrrr........with so much advance notice of "the surge", they just decided to relocate and lay-low. Time will tell, I guess.

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or they just switched sides for the moment and will be up to their old tricks once the waters have calmed. never can tell, but i'll bet the odds makers are giving huge odds against success.