US Marines defeat Insurgent attack

I've just read the official AP news item about this incident. It states that US troops, on seeing the cars 'speed' towards Government Center 'fired flares' to warn the vehicles to stop. Is this common practice in Iraq as it's the first I've heard of this?

Surely the time it takes to deploy a flare, wait for it to do its thing and then make a decision on whether there is any response to the 'warning' would give the drivers ample time to 'speed' to the end of the street and detonate....

Certainly the impression I get is that the US troops are more inclined to 'shoot first' and ask questions later. IMO the AP article looks liberally sprinkled with propaganda.

I also agree with the earlier point about the cars turning round and speeding away. Doesn't seem likely to me, given they were supposedly on a suicide mission??

Originally posted by WestPoint23

No US Marines were killed in this attack.


[edit on 17-4-2006 by WestPoint23]

Let's just forget that at least 4 US Marines have died and 22 have been injured this month alone, and that around 50 US Soldiers have been killed this month alone, shall we?

I mean, that would really put a cold shower upon your trumpeting of a skirmish after all.

There are those Iraqis who will not accept:

A) The continuing US-led occupation of their country

B) an imposed election system which always guarantees the religious Shia Bloc has a majority over the religious Sunni Bloc, Secular Sunni Bloc, Secular Shia bloc, religious Christian bloc and Secular Christian bloc.

C) The fact that the US and 'Al-Qaeda in Iraq' are using their country as a battlefield

D) The fact they have no jobs, or employed on terrible wages, hardly any electricity and water.

E) That Iraqi money put aside for Iraqi reconstruction has all but dissapeared into the hands of dubious US businessmen for their own greed, and that the US won't pay compensation for this theft.

Understandably, this makes a proportion of Iraqis rather disgruntled and and make them angry enough to up arms.

Originally posted by WestPoint23
I was laughing because of the fact that insurgents were using the Mosque as a firing post. Its a bit of a hot topic around here and I wanted to point out the facts of this attack, which contradict the ever popular theme concerning the US and Mosques.

What about US and Mosques?

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Image links to full sized version.


[Mod Edit: Resized image, please review this thread: ATTN: Image Size Guidelines - Jak]

[edit on 18/4/06 by JAK]

What about it, Souljah?
I would think that RESTING in a Mosque would be quite different then using the Mosque as a fortress to ATTACK FROM, you know, like what your insurgent 'buddies' do?






seekerof

[edit on 18-4-2006 by Seekerof]

Fired FLARES, eh, Sickboy? So rather than thinkig, what's that for? the drivers of the cars will of course think, oh, let's stop, maybe get out, stretch our legs, look at the map, figure out where we took the wrong turning...

Not very persuasive. I'd never heard of it as SOP either.

And steady there Regensturm, you're confusing them with facts. They won't like that. Pro-war people want to believe that the US does good in the world and is NOT, NOT, NOT after controlling the flow of oil. Anything that dents that impression must be ignored.

Oh, anyone remember the days when the US was supposed to be reconstructing and liberating Iraq rather than flattening towns like Fallujah and using chemical weapons on the populace?

Originally posted by MajorCee

I wonder how you would feel if America was invaded and everyone started laughing at you

America was attacked, 3000 killed, Al Jazeera showed people laughing in the street
and celebrating. They aren't lauging now, are they?

I said invaded, not attacked. You have used selective quoting against Code_Burger. The rest of the quote should have read "when you got killed trying to defend your way of life.", but you have not included it. Also, could people stop the tedious attempts to try and link Iraq to the September 11th attacks please? Any involvement Iraq had in those attacks is dwarfed 10 million times over by that of our own respective Governments.

Originally posted by WestPoint23
Aggravation? No sir, I specifically said I wanted to point out the facts of this attack. If those facts “aggravate” some people well its not my problem.

It's just the way you starting laughing about it, and basically the way you presented your information in general. Do you not have the level of understanding required to anticipate that there are members on ATS of such religions that may be deeply offended by you rubbing this in their face in such a manner?

Originally posted by WestPoint23
The war in Iraq is legal according to the US and that's good enough for me and our troops, and no amount of red text is going to change that.

The U.S is the main party involved in the war. Its military Industry benefits the most. America gains several important Geostrategic assets, like large permanent Military bases in Iraq, and a strong foothold in a region that it's obviously going to plunder. What about all that Blackened Gold? Of course the U.S will say the war is legal. The fact remains the war is neither legal, nor necessary. No amount of partially punctuated text is going to change that, Westpoint23.

Originally posted by WestPoint23
Furthermore, I would like to add that the majority of Iraqis voted and elected their present government to office. Those that choose not to recognize it only hurt themselves in the long run.

They may have voted that Government into office, but Just like when President Bush, or our Prime Minister Blair got voted into office, some people disputed those elections. I was one of them. Some Americans (a substantial amount), and some Brits, changed their mind later on after they realised they had made a terrible mistake. Same thing is happening in Iraq, sort of, after the newly "elected" Government (and by quoting elected, I'm not saying it was defiantly rigged) was turning out to be just as bad as the old one. There have been many, many Torture allegations. Iraqi prisoners crammed in vans found dead, Power Drill Torture, all manner of unpleasant things. None of that is Saddam levels of unpleasantry, but they've only been in power for a fraction of the time Hussein had!

Originally posted by WestPoint23
Civil War? I don't think so

I said practically, or basically, a civil war. Haven't you heard the reports that something like 65,000 Iraqi's had to leave their homes to flee sectarian violence recently? There are constant suicide bombings on all different kinds of targets, there is constant guerrilla warfare breaking out onto the streets in a daily basis, in which hundreds and hundreds are dying. There are battles breaking out between Iraqi insurgents and occupying forces, and to top it all off, you have whole religious groups announcing they don't accept the new Prime Minister. They are losing nearly a thousand people a week sometimes, if that's not civil war, then I don't ever want to see a civil war. How long do you think this can realistically continue unless things drastically improve?

Code_Burger

I agree with alot of wut you are saying! and im happy someone finley is seeing this. The war in iraq i dumb!! pointless and your right it not legal!!! and all thi garbage about them haveing to due with 9,11 is crap!

Most of you are to blind to see its your govermint who wa responsabul..ure the hijackers them selfs might have been of middel eastern decent but your govermint could have stoped it long befor it happond but theay let it happon as excuse to go to war and test there new military toys and well there at it oh! look at all the oil just sitting there!!...wow american uses more oil then any country on earth! and now theay have a country with lots under there controll dosent that seem funny how that works??

open your eyes people this war in iraq is dumb! its all a lie for the U.S govermint to get oil and test weapons and all sorts of stuff.Watch when the next terrorist attack happons on american soile....who will theay blame?? iran?...afganstan?? lol russia maybe lol...watch and see my friends your being lied to by the people who controll you!! and the sad thing is most you belive there crap.

onley thing i disagree with Code_Burger..is the part about the iraqis defending and dieing for there way of life.....there way of life is killing people because theay make cartoon comics of people.....there way of life is not right in my eyes.....i oppose there way of life and disagree with it thats just my opinion!! not trying to be mean or get in truble just saying.....

How ever americans have no right to be there.....sure theres terrorists and lot stuf...let them slove there own problems....let them kill eachother off and distroy themsleves....let there way of life emove all of them...you dont have to worry about it..america dont have to care if theay middel east distroy eachother...from wut i see thay dont like them anyway.....thats just my 2 cents tho.... no hard feelings anyone....

sry for bad spelling!

This is interesting.

I was laughing because of the fact that insurgents were using the Mosque as a firing post. Its a bit of a hot topic around here and I wanted to point out the facts of this attack, which contradict the ever popular theme concerning the US and Mosques.

What that they use Mosques in the news both to villify islamics and to stir up tensions in Iraq? Because yes, they do do that. You think they want a Government formed when in Anarchy they can retrieve resources at will? No. Get a brain.

Personally I don't feel anything about these Insurgents that die, as far as I‘m concerned good riddance. They are to quick too kill our troops and destabilize their government.

That's so #ed up it's funny. It's the US GOVERNMENT that is too quick to run in guns blazing and to destabilize governments. What do you think Saddams barge was? He ran schools, kept the electricity flowing, and had brought peace to a vast region, through force of arms true, but they had peace. Again I say, where is your brain.

Their "way of life" is no long optional in the new Iraq, if they want to go back to the days of Saddam well to bad, its not going to happen. If this makes me an inconsiderate bastard so be it.

And it is done, you no longer can consider anything, and your opinion is forfeit in the name of US imperialism and might. May you burn a thousand deaths in your polluted and unnatrual hell, and may your children curse your name and cause you unheard of grief.

Originally posted by rich23
Fired FLARES, eh, Sickboy? So rather than thinkig, what's that for? the drivers of the cars will of course think, oh, let's stop, maybe get out, stretch our legs, look at the map, figure out where we took the wrong turning...

LOL....You never know. They were apparently stupid enough to pull a 'u' turn, drive away and detonate in a place of relative safety...allegedly.

Not very persuasive. I'd never heard of it as SOP either.

Indeed.. Only my opinion, but I reckon it was more likely a bunch of gung-ho US troops, shot up two cars then claimed they were 'suicide bombers' heroically diverted from their mission by their brave actions.

Oh, anyone remember the days when the US was supposed to be reconstructing and liberating Iraq rather than flattening towns like Fallujah and using chemical weapons on the populace?

Oh yeah.....that WAS the story once wasn't it. I think some media outlets are still trying to spin that one.... Mind you, according to the mainstream media, Fallujah was only populated with insurgents (whatever they are/look like) when the pounding began.

It's the simplistic nature of the pro-war side's assurances that the dead guys are 'insurgents' that particularly irks me. Strikes me that you kill a bunch of people, it's going to be damn difficult to pick out the insurgent bits from the civvy bits. Never mind, just call them all insurgents, that'll play well back home.

Originally posted by Seekerof
What about it, Souljah?
I would think that RESTING in a Mosque would be quite different then using the Mosque as a fortress to ATTACK FROM, you know, like what your insurgent 'buddies' do?

There is a Few things here to know:

• US and Coalition Troops ARE on Foreign Territory, which makes them an Occupational Army
  
  
• US and Coalition Troops have shown little or No respect towards the local Religious, Historical and any other Culture
  
  
• When US and Coalition Troops "Relax" inside a Mosque, they make this Mosque a Target of the Insurgent Attacks, doesn't it?

Originally posted by WestPoint23
Well I figure since bad news concerning the US military is oh so quickly posted I might as well post some good news for a change.

Way to go Westpoint.

We need more stories like that. Keep up the good work

Originally posted by WestPoint23
Well I figure since bad news concerning the US military is oh so quickly posted I might as well post some good news for a change.

Yes, it's great news that the country is gripped by one of the most violent and dirty conflicts on the planet. Thumbs up and smiles all round. I was just reading this morning how they had found another 15 bodies blindfolded and with signs that someone had gone to town on them with an electric drill before killing them. Oh how I laughed.

I tell you what would be good news: just for one day the US troops don't kill anyone and no US troops get killed or wounded.

The hours long battle conclude when US Marines opened up with coordinated firing and when an Abrams tank fired on a nearby Mosque being used as a firing post. Shocking!

No US Marines were killed in this attack.

Yes, that is hilarious isn't it.

Can I just ask the mods: why is this on Above Top Secret? There is no conspiricy angle whatsoever. Just some US military propoganda followed by the usual futile arguments. I completely fail to see why it is on these forums.

Originally posted by Code_Burger

Originally posted by WestPoint23
Well I figure since bad news concerning the US military is oh so quickly posted I might as well post some good news for a change.

Early Monday in Ramadi Iraq, which is located in the Anbar province a known Sunni insurgent hot spot US Marines came under fire near their posts which guard key government buildings in the city. The attack was fairly well organized starting out with suicide car bombs followed by RPG attacks which was in turn was followed by heavy machine gun fire. The hours long battle conclude when US Marines opened up with coordinated firing and when an Abrams tank fired on a nearby Mosque being used as a firing post. Shocking!

No US Marines were killed in this attack.

Sorry to piss on your happy time, "Super-Westy", but why are you laughing and joking about an armed conflict which resulted in the death of several people? No matter the side of the dead, are you really that much of an inconsiderate *Mod Edit*? I wonder how you would feel if America was invaded and everyone started laughing at you when you got killed trying to defend your way of life.

Damn. The ignorance and arrogance on this forum absolutely sickens me sometimes...

*any more name calling will get a warn*


[edit on 18-4-2006 by Amuk]

ONE WORD:

HOO-RAH

Originally posted by Souljah

When US and Coalition Troops "Relax" inside a Mosque, they make this Mosque a Target of the Insurgent Attacks, doesn't it?

If I remember correctly, they cleared that mosque of insurgent activity, then they rested and moved on. No point in staying in there since the insurgents fled. And also the U.S. does take care of the significance of historical sites, however if the insurgents and terrorists decided to fire from the mosques because they know Americans would hesitate to fire back because it looks bad in the public, but the rules of engagement has changed to the point where Army and Marine can fire back no matter how historical importance the site is when occupied by the insurgents. To me I dont give a dam, I won't hesitate to shoot back.

Also by the way, the insurgents who are Muslims using mosques as firing positions just makes me shake my head.

[edit on 18-4-2006 by deltaboy]

Originally posted by pcxmac
Its a shame so many people have to die for greed.

Its is, and theres also another couple of groups out there supporting this for religious purposes and even as a matter of enjoyment in the idea of conflict and battle. Greed is just but one of the reasons. Ignorance is another.


Pie

Originally posted by Code_Burger
Also, could people stop the tedious attempts to try and link Iraq to the September 11th attacks please? Any involvement Iraq had in those attacks is dwarfed 10 million times over by that of our own respective Governments.

Thats going to take some time since it was pretty much drilled into peoples heads to get behind this war. They've been brainwashed and even when they admit it was an error, and are presented with proof like tapes and documents from Saddam husseins own hand , they still go on denying it. You will still also find people that actually believe that WMD's are there too which was the first brainwashing that occurred. WMD's, Freedom and democracy.
Lets all hope that China, Russia, and N.Korea don't ever get it in their minds that we may have WMD's that could strike them on their shores , and wish to bring us their idea of freedom someday.

Sickboy -

Indeed.. Only my opinion, but I reckon it was more likely a bunch of gung-ho US troops, shot up two cars then claimed they were 'suicide bombers' heroically diverted from their mission by their brave actions.

My thoughts exactly. And

It's the simplistic nature of the pro-war side's assurances that the dead guys are 'insurgents' that particularly irks me.

Me too. The question that they can never answer - I find it always shuts them up - is WHY IS THE US THERE ANYWAY?

No WMD, no 9/11, no 'liberation'. That leaves OIL plus strategic considerations (in other words, more oil).

And FatherLukeDuke: THANK YOU.

Can I just ask the mods: why is this on Above Top Secret? There is no conspiricy angle whatsoever. Just some US military propoganda followed by the usual futile arguments. I completely fail to see why it is on these forums.

Exactly. It does, however, allow us to ask a few awkward questions of the propagandists, and to post examples of media lies as pcxmac did.

There are orders out to try and put a positive spin on the war. Whether WP23 is part of it or not, he's certainly doing his bit. A true patriot, eh?

But thank you for that post. A nice mix of compassion and sarcasm.

In Baghdad, fighting erupted in Azamiyah before dawn when an Iraqi army patrol came under fire, a U.S. statement said. Four hours later, gunmen attacked a U.S.-Iraqi checkpoint in the area, prompting the command to send American and Iraqi reinforcements. The U.S. statement said clashes continued until early afternoon.

That article is from a mil link If you belive what it says, then I have some really nice, inexpensive land in the Everglades if anyone is interested.



fixed busted link

[edit on 18-4-2006 by desert rat]

Originally posted by WestPoint23

Sorry to piss on your happy time, "Super-Westy", but why are you laughing and joking about an armed conflict which resulted in the death of several people? No matter the side of the dead, are you really that much of an inconsiderate Bastard? I wonder how you would feel if America was invaded and everyone started laughing at you when you got killed trying to defend your way of life.

I was laughing because of the fact that insurgents were using the Mosque as a firing post. Its a bit of a hot topic around here and I wanted to point out the facts of this attack, which contradict the ever popular theme concerning the US and Mosques. Personally I don't feel anything about these Insurgents that die, as far as I‘m concerned good riddance. They are to quick too kill our troops and destabilize their government. Their "way of life" is no long optional in the new Iraq, if they want to go back to the days of Saddam well to bad, its not going to happen. If this makes me an inconsiderate bastard so be it.

[edit on 17-4-2006 by WestPoint23]

Thanks for the positive post. Glad to see the Marines did not hold off firing at a mosque so as not to offend the natives. Good job to the Marines. Semper Fi!