A Soldiers Blog

Spc. William Sturges

Saturday, November 08, 2003

Iraq war updats
Armitage: U.S. walks 'fine line' in Iraq in CNN - War in Iraq

Bomb blast kills two US soldiers in Iraq as insurgents flex muscle: "Two US soldiers died when a bomb ripped their military vehicle, apparently a heavily armored Bradley personnel carrier, as insurgents escalated their attacks on the Americans. (AFP)"

In Yahoo! News: War with Iraq

US Troops Grab Iraq Hotel Attack Suspects in Raids: "U.S. troops in overnight raids captured12 people in Iraq suspected of involvement in a deadly attackon a Baghdad hotel where U.S. Deputy Defense Secretary PaulWolfowitz was staying, a top commander said on Saturday. (Reuters)"

In Yahoo! News: War with Iraq

Syria says Bush sincere at Mideast effort: "Syria does not doubt that President Bush is sincere in his urging a more stable Middle East but believes his policies are spoiling American relations with Arabs and Muslims worldwide, a Syrian Cabinet minister said Saturday."

In Seattle Post-Intelligencer: War on Iraq

posted by Soldiers Angels @ 7:13 PM |

Iraq Today: Retribution, More Dead GIs, Red Cross Pull Out, No Troops from Turkey (8 Nov 03)
In Radio Free USA

posted by Soldiers Angels @ 12:58 PM |

Iraq war news
Attacks continue as U.S. raids Tikrit: "Insurgents kept up attacks on U.S. troops and their allies across Iraq on Saturday despite a show of force in Saddam Hussein's hometown following the crash of a Black Hawk helicopter that apparently was shot down."

In Seattle Post-Intelligencer: War on Iraq

Arafat, prime minister meet over Cabinet: "Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat met Saturday with Prime Minister Ahmed Qureia in an effort to finalize a new Palestinian Cabinet, which has been in limbo for weeks amid a dispute between the two leaders."

In Seattle Post-Intelligencer: War on Iraq

Attacks on Iraqi oil facilities on rise, MEES says, blaming new Baath: "Attacks on Iraq's oil pipelines and installations are on the increase, the Middle East Economic Survey (MEES) reports in its Monday edition, blaming a reorganised Baath party. (AFP)"

In Yahoo! News: War with Iraq

U.S. Warplanes Bomb Targets in Saddam's Hometown: "U.S. warplanes and armoredvehicles battered suspected guerrilla hideouts in SaddamHussein's hometown Saturday after six soldiers were killed whena Black Hawk helicopter was shot down. (Reuters)"

In Yahoo! News: War with Iraq

US military probes Blackhawk crash near Saddam Hussein's hometown: "The US military was probing the crash of a Blackhawk helicopter, which killed six soldiers, as insurgents demonstrated their growing strength seven months after American troops entered Baghdad. (AFP)"

In Yahoo! News: War with Iraq

U.S. hits area of helicopter crash in CNN - War in Iraq

S.Korea Combat Iraq Troops Seen as Still Possible: "The Bush administration hasreaffirmed its interest in having South Korea send combattroops to Iraq and believes Seoul is still actively consideringthe deployment, a senior U.S. official said. (Reuters)"

In Yahoo! News: War with Iraq

Slowdown: " My updates will likely be less frequent than usual for the next few weeks or so; I am doing lots of stuff for school, applying to colleges, etc. Lucky for you, lots of new blogs keep cropping up, and some of them are really good. Two new additions to the blogroll recently: Dohiyi Mir and Mercury23x, both worth bookmarking. And..."

In Catalyzer Newsroom

Copter Crashes Reflect a Growing Threat: "The crash of a copter, coupled with two other attacks in the last two weeks, reflects a growing threat against American aircraft."

In New York Times: World Special

With a U.S. Nod, Turkey Says It Won't Send Force to Iraq: "The decision ended an effort by the Bush administration to solicit large numbers of foreign troops."

In New York Times: World Special

Mideast View: Bush Spoke More to U.S. Than to Us: "Commentators across the Middle East dismissed the speech by President Bush calling for wider democracy in the region."

In New York Times: World Special

U.S. Discussing New International Peacekeeping Force: "The U.S. government has beguninternal discussions about the possible creation of a U.S.-ledinternational force capable of taking on peacekeeping duties inworld hot-spots such as Iraq and Afghanistan, a senior Armyofficer said. (Reuters)"

In Yahoo! News: War with Iraq

"Old Guard" ceremonial unit being deployed to Iraq. in IraqWar.info

Doctors Dismiss Lynch Bio's Rape Claims: "Iraqi doctors who treated former prisoner of war Jessica Lynch dismissed on Friday claims made in her biography that she was raped by her Iraqi captors. (AP)"

In Yahoo! News: War with Iraq

U.S. Retaliates For Latest Deaths: "Six soldiers died when their Black Hawk helicopter crashed, apparently shot down. Hours later, American troops swept through Iraqi neighborhoods, blasting suspected insurgent hideouts. This week's death toll was 32."

In CBS News: Iraq Crisis

Two-star general ahead of Black Hawk crash in CNN - War in Iraq

In Mideast, Reaction to Bush Speech Is Dismissive: "Commentators across the Middle East today labeled the speech something for domestic consumption to justify the war in Iraq rather than signaling a real change in United States policy."

In New York Times: World Special

posted by Soldiers Angels @ 5:43 AM |

Friday, November 07, 2003

Iraq War Updates
Poland's Iraq Doubts Grow After Soldier's Death: "Poland's leaders faced tough questionson the troop deployment in occupied Iraq on Friday from anation preparing to bid a hero's farewell to the first Polishsoldier killed there. (Reuters)"

In Yahoo! News: War with Iraq

Israelis try to block prisoner swap: "The daughter of missing Israeli air force navigator Ron Arad accused Prime Minister Ariel Sharon of abandoning her father as the family made a last-ditch effort to block a prisoner swap with Lebanese guerrillas that does not address Arad's fate."

In Seattle Post-Intelligencer: War on Iraq

Turkey 'will not send Iraq troops' in CNN - War in Iraq

Jordan's Noor says women key to peace: "Queen Noor of Jordan believes women are key to peace-building efforts in the Middle East."

In Seattle Post-Intelligencer: War on Iraq

This is what they did to me (06 Nov 03) in Radio Free USA

When Did "Arab" Become a Dirty Word? Smearing Said and Hanan Ashrawi (4 Nov 03) in Radio Free USA

Saddam 'offered Bush a huge oil deal to avert war' (06 Nov 03) in Radio Free USA

Jessica Lynch Criticizes U.S. Accounts of Her Ordeal: "From the NY Times :

n her first public statements since her rescue in Iraq, Jessica Lynch criticized the military for exaggerating accounts of her rescue and re-casting her ordeal as a patriotic fable.
Asked by the ABC News anchor Diane Sawyer if the military's portrayal of the rescue bothered her, Ms. Lynch said: "Yeah, it does. It does that they used me as a way to symbolize all this stuff. Yeah, it's wrong," according to a partial transcript of the interview to be broadcast on Tuesday.

After months of retreating from the news media, Ms. Lynch will be a ubiquitous presence next week. In addition to her appearance on ABC, she will be on the cover of Time magazine, and NBC will broadcast a movie based on an Iraqi's account of her ordeal. On Tuesday, the book publisher Knopf will release an account of her experience, "I Am a Soldier, Too," written with her cooperation by a former reporter for The New York Times, Rick Bragg.
The book and the movie are unrelated and tell different versions of Ms. Lynch's story, but the publisher has timed the book to capitalize on publicity from the television movie.

Media and entertainment: In what other industries can the public be so easily treated to unrelated and different versions of a particular story, with no apparent self consciousness or shame? Oh yeah, I forgot: Finance and accounting. Oh ? and law. Well ? never mind."

In Command Post: Irak

Bomb Attack on U.S. Convoy in Iraq Kills Soldier: "A U.S. soldier was killed and twowounded Thursday morning in a bomb attack on their convoy on ahighway east of the northern Iraqi city of Mosul, the U.S.military said Friday. (Reuters)"

In Yahoo! News: War with Iraq

posted by Soldiers Angels @ 2:27 PM |

Iraq Updates
Secret Israel missile-test video breached: "In a rare breach of military security, portions of a secret Israeli missile test could be seen on television across the Arab world after the company conducting the exercise apparently failed to encrypt its video transmission."

In Seattle Post-Intelligencer: War on Iraq

A Look at U.S. Daily Deaths in Iraq: "As of Wednesday, Nov. 5, 379 U.S. service members have died since the beginning of military operations in Iraq, according to the Department of Defense. The department did not provide an update Thursday. (AP)"

In Yahoo! News: War with Iraq

Death Toll in Iraq Helicopter Attack Rises to 16: "The U.S. military said the deathtoll of Sunday's downing of an American military Chinookhelicopter in Iraq had risen to 16 after a soldier seriouslywounded in the attack died on Thursday. (Reuters)"

In Yahoo! News: War with Iraq

Army: Helicopter Had Defensive System: "The Army helicopter shot down over Iraq last weekend apparently had a last-second warning of an approaching missile and managed to launch flares designed to draw the heat-seeking missile away, a senior Army official said Thursday. (AP)"

In Yahoo! News: War with Iraq

Bush Asks Lands in Mideast to Try Democratic Ways: "President Bush challenged Iran, Syria and Middle East allies of the U.S. to begin embracing democratic traditions."

In New York Times: World Special

Pentagon Says a Covert Force Hunts Hussein: "A U.S. commander has created a commando force to hunt Saddam Hussein, Osama bin Laden and key terrorists in the Middle East."

In New York Times: World Special

At a Base in Iraq, American Troops Honor Victims of Copter Attack: "The memorial for troops who died after their helicopter was struck came on a day when three allied soldiers died in new attacks."

In New York Times: World Special

Bush Aides Play Down Effort to Avert War at Last Minute: "Officials played down the significance of Iraq's negotiations with Washington in the weeks before the war began in March."

In New York Times: World Special

Jessica Lynch Criticizes U.S. Accounts of Her Ordeal: "In her first public statements since her rescue in Iraq, Jessica Lynch criticized the military for exaggerating accounts of her rescue and re-casting her ordeal as a patriotic fable."

In New York Times: World Special

US says it will cut troop strength in Iraq as two more US soldiers die: "The United States has unveiled plans to cut its troop strength in Iraq next year to about 105,000, as two more US soldiers were reported dead and Polish forces suffered their first fatality. (AFP)"

In Yahoo! News: War with Iraq

Iraq proves no vote-winner in Koizumi's election battle: "Faced with public opposition to his plan to send troops to volatile Iraq, Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi is playing down his controversial foreign policy before Sunday's Japanese general election. (AFP)"

In Yahoo! News: War with Iraq

Troops Gather to Honor Comrades in Iraq: "Fifteen rifles stood in a row with their barrels down, each topped by a U.S. military helmet and framed by an empty pair of combat boots. (AP)"

In Yahoo! News: War with Iraq

Army Dismisses Soldier Cowardice Charge: "The Army dismissed a cowardice charge and filed a lesser count against an Army interrogator who sought counseling after he saw the body of an Iraqi man cut in half by American fire. (AP)"

In Yahoo! News: War with Iraq

Iraq Tried Last-Minute Deal to Avoid War: "Negotiators for Saddam Hussein tried to strike a last-minute deal with the Bush administration to avoid an invasion after realizing "the threat was real," a Lebanese-American businessman who tried to serve as a go-between said Thursday. (AP)"

In Yahoo! News: War with Iraq

US soldiers mourn their brothers-in-arms lost on Iraqi battlefield: "US troops mourned the 153rd Armoured Cavalry Regiment soldiers who died when their Chinook transport helicopter was downed outside Iraq's flashpoint town of Fallujah last weekend. (AFP)"

In Yahoo! News: War with Iraq

posted by Soldiers Angels @ 4:39 AM |

Thursday, November 06, 2003

posted by Soldiers Angels @ 3:05 PM |

Iraq war updates
U.S. Alerting More Troops for Iraq Rotation Duty: "The Pentagon will immediately beginordering thousands of additional active-duty and reserveAmerican troops, including Marines, to prepare to serve in Iraqearly next year, defense officials said on Wednesday. (Reuters)"

In Yahoo! News: War with Iraq

L.A. Times Bans 'Resistance Fighters' in Iraq News: "The Los Angeles Times has orderedits reporters to stop describing anti-American forces in Iraqas "resistance fighters," saying the term romanticizes them andevokes World War II-era heroism. (Reuters)"

In Yahoo! News: War with Iraq

Why America's plutocrats gobble up $1,500 hot dogs (5 Nov 03) in Radio Free USA

Pentagon will call up thousands more troops to go to Iraq (5 Nov 03) in Radio Free USA

Bush in Iraq: A B-School Case Study: " (BusinessWeek Online)"

In Yahoo! News: War with Iraq

posted by Soldiers Angels @ 5:32 AM |

Iraq war news
Syria Blames U.S. 'Terrorism' in Iraq: "The Syrian foreign ministry called on the United States to pull its troops out of Iraq, saying their presence has led to chaos and terrorism, according to remarks published Wednesday. (AP)"

In Yahoo! News: War with Iraq

Annan welcomes Mideast peace plan draft: "U.N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan on Wednesday welcomed an informal Mideast peace plan drafted by prominent Israelis and Palestinians, calling it a "courageous" attempt to break the stalemate on both sides."

In Seattle Post-Intelligencer: War on Iraq

U.S. ponders forming Iraq security force: "The U.S. administrator of Iraq agrees in principle with the idea of creating an Iraqi security force, but doesn't know if Iraqi advocates of the plan will agree to his terms, a coalition spokesman said Wednesday."

In Seattle Post-Intelligencer: War on Iraq

Army eyes replacing Halliburton in Iraq: "The Army said Wednesday it is negotiating to replace Vice President Dick Cheney's former company as an importer of oil products into Iraq, but denied that the talks were related to Democratic allegations of price gouging by Halliburton."

In Seattle Post-Intelligencer: War on Iraq

Rumsfeld signs rotation orders, Marines to go back to Iraq: defense officials: "US Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld signed orders to set in motion a force rotation in Iraq next year that will send back US Marines along with active duty army and national guard and reserve units, a senior defense official said. (AFP)"

In Yahoo! News: War with Iraq

U.S. Plans for Marines to Return to Iraq: "The Marine Corps, which played a central role in toppling Saddam Hussein last spring, will return to Iraq as part of a U.S. troop rotation approved by Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld on Wednesday, officials said. (AP)"

In Yahoo! News: War with Iraq

U.S. to Call Up Thousands of Troops for Iraq Duty: "U.S. defense officials said onWednesday the Pentagon would begin ordering thousands of freshtroops to prepare for service in Iraq, on a day guerrillaslaunched a series of attacks on U.S. troops on northern Iraq. (Reuters)"

In Yahoo! News: War with Iraq

Senator Says Downed Chopper Lacked Protective Gear: "Many U.S. helicopters in Iraq lackroutine anti-missile equipment that might have thwarted lastweekend's attack on a Chinook helicopter that killed 15 U.S.troops, a Democratic senator said on Wednesday. (Reuters)"

In Yahoo! News: War with Iraq

posted by Soldiers Angels @ 3:30 AM |

Wednesday, November 05, 2003

Iraq War News

A Mother's Plea to all Americans
A Mother's Plea to all Americans
To all Americans,

Soldiers are dying and we debate, soldiers are suffering and we throw anti-war protests, soldiers are hungry and we criticize our President. Soldiers are truly enduring the horrible. We must pull together as a country. I ask, you no I get down on my knees and I beg you support a soldier TODAY. Today, contact this site, or contact operationac.com or any adopt-a-soldier program. Write a letter, go to your local veterans association, see if there is a wife with a husband deployed and mow her lawn, watch her children, give her a hug. DO SOMETHING to support these precious heroes. I need you, they need you for this is the type of person a soldier is
"I was with that which others did not want to be,
I went to where others feared to go, and did what others failed to do.
I asked nothing of those who gave nothing,
and reluctantly accepted the thought of eternal loneliness that I feel.
I have seen the face of terror, felt the stinging cold of fear,
And enjoyed the sweet taste of a moments love.
I have cried pain and hope,
But most of all I have lived times others would say were best forgotten.
At least some day I'll be able to say,
That I was proud what I was, A Soldier."
anonymous
If you do not realize it yet let me clue you in. WE ARE AT WAR There is a war effort going on be a part of it's success.
Patti Patton-Bader
A Soldier's Mom
Iraq War News Iraq War News

posted by Soldiers Angels @ 7:00 PM |

posted by Soldiers Angels @ 12:58 PM |

Iraq war news
U.S. Revises Iraq Copter Death Toll to 15: "Fifteen U.S. soldiers were killed in Sunday's Chinook helicopter shoot-down in Iraq, not 16 as widely reported, the Pentagon said Tuesday. (AP)"

In Yahoo! News: War with Iraq

U.S. Faces Troop Pressure As Turkey Balks: "In a major setback to U.S. efforts to attract military help in Iraq, a Turkish official said Tuesday his country won't send peacekeeping troops without a significant change in the situation there. That makes it virtually certain the United States will have to send thousands more U.S. reservists early next year. (AP)"

In Yahoo! News: War with Iraq

Bush: Saddam 'Trying to Stir Up Trouble': "Facing rising casualties in Iraq, President Bush said Tuesday that Saddam Hussein is "trying to stir up trouble" for the American-led occupation but vowed that the United States will track him down. (AP)"

In Yahoo! News: War with Iraq

UN Iraq envoy, security chief put on leave: "The UN's top envoy in Iraq and its global security chief have been relieved of their duties pending a review of security lapses before the August bombing of UN headquarters in Baghdad, a spokesman said. (AFP)"

In Yahoo! News: War with Iraq

Three Killed In Baghdad Attack: "Nov. 4 -Guerrillas fired mortars into the Baghdad neighborhood that houses the U.S.-led occupation headquarters, wounding three people Tuesday."

In War In Iraq from www.FeedRoom.com

Baghdad blasts wound three coalition members: "Three members of the US-led coalition in Iraq, probably Americans, were wounded in three explosions in Baghdad, US Defence Department officials said. (AFP)"

In Yahoo! News: War with Iraq

Egyptian Students Protest Iraq War: "More than 3,000 university students on Tuesday held Egypt's largest protest since the end of major fighting in Iraq, denouncing the U.S. occupation of Iraq and Israeli policies toward the Palestinians. (AP)"

In Yahoo! News: War with Iraq

US vows to improve Iraq security: "The US deputy defence secretary says continuing violence threatens American-led efforts to rebuild Iraq."

In BBC: Conflict with Iraq (UK Edition)

Where The Wounded Go: "Since the war started, a busy military hospital in Germany has treated more than 7,700 U.S. troops wounded in Iraq. And, as CBS News' Mark Phillips reports, the casualty rates haven't fallen off ? they just keep coming."

In CBS News: Iraq Crisis

Marines Win Top Unit Award for Iraq Fight: "The Navy has awarded its highest unit honor to the Marines who invaded Iraq, pushed north to Baghdad and helped Army troops liberate the capital. (AP)"

In Yahoo! News: War with Iraq

Death rate of Iraq mothers triples, UN survey finds: "The number of women in Iraq who die of pregnancy and childbirth has almost tripled since 1989 according to a new survey, the UN Population Fund (UNFPA) said. (AFP)"

In Yahoo! News: War with Iraq

Iraqi judge probing former regime officials killed in Mosul: "A judge investigating members of Saddam Hussein's ousted regime was shot dead in the northern Iraqi city of Mosul, in the second such killing in as many days, police said. (AFP)"

In Yahoo! News: War with Iraq

Another anti-Saddam judge shot dead in Iraq: "An Iraqi judge tasked with investigating officials of the ousted regime of president Saddam Hussein was shot dead in the northern city of Mosul, in the second such killing in 24 hours, Iraqi police said. (AFP)"

In Yahoo! News: War with Iraq

posted by Soldiers Angels @ 5:23 AM |

Tuesday, November 04, 2003

TheSanDiegoChannel.com - News - San Diego Soldier Dies In Iraq Helicopter Crash

San Diego Soldier Dies In Iraq Helicopter Crash
Crash Kills 15 Soldiers, Injures 20

POSTED: 11:15 a.m. PST November 4, 2003

SAN DIEGO -- A San Diego native was among the soldiers killed during Sunday's deadly helicopter attack in Iraq, 10News reported.

Staff Sgt. Paul Velazquez was one of 15 soldiers who died when their Chinook helicopter was shot down by a missile in Fallujah.

In San Diego, Velazquez's father, John D. Velazquez, expressed frustration and grief over the death of his 29-year-old son, who was looking forward to seeing his wife and meeting his 4-month-old daughter for the first time.

"He was anxious to come home and see his baby and family. They were real important to him," Velazquez said.

Velazquez, one of four children, grew up in San Diego's Mira Mesa neighborhood and joined the Army in 1992. He recently re-enlisted for four years and was stationed at Fort Sill, Okla.

The elder Velazquez said his son's death has changed his views about the war.

"Right now they are hunting us down one at a time," he said. "We should get the heck out of there. ... If they want to kill each other, why should we care? They don't want our help. I didn't feel this way before. But now it's different."

The soldiers' remains will be flown home Tuesday.

Twenty other soldiers were wounded in the accident.TheSanDiegoChannel.com - News - San Diego Soldier Dies In Iraq Helicopter Crash

posted by Soldiers Angels @ 11:45 AM |

Iraq war news
Congress passes Iraq budget: "The US Senate approves $87.5bn for Afghanistan and Iraq, as the president pledges America "will never run"."

In BBC: Conflict with Iraq (UK Edition)

Iraqis Seek Justice, or Vengeance, for Victims of the Killing Fields: "Nothing seems to preoccupy Iraqis quite as much as the urge to settle accounts with the old government."

In New York Times: World Special

Severe Copter Injuries Treated in Germany: "Sixteen American soldiers hurt in a deadly attack on their helicopter in Iraq on Sunday are being treated at a military hospital for broken bones, spinal fractures, burns and other injuries."

In New York Times: World Special

'America Will Never Run,' Bush Says of Iraq: "President Bush on Monday vowed again that the United States would stay in Iraq as long as it took to achieve stability."

In New York Times: World Special

Among the Newly Dead, a Soldier Who Was Grieving for His Mother: "Since President Bush declared an end to major combat hostilities on May 1, more than 20 Fort Carson soldiers have died in Iraq."

In New York Times: World Special

In Die-Hard City, G.I.'s Are Enemy: "Loathing for the American occupiers of Iraq looms everywhere in Falluja, where the recent downing of an American helicopter prompted celebrations from many of the locals."

In New York Times: World Special

Saddam 'not organising' Iraqi anti-US resistance (4 Nov 03) in Radio Free USA

Dead Sea drying up, Israeli study warns: "The Dead Sea is dying, and only a major engineering effort can save it, Israel's Minister of the Environment said Monday."

In Seattle Post-Intelligencer: War on Iraq

Great new blog on pre-deployment in IraqWar.info

Congress OKs $87.5B for Iraq, Afghanistan: "Congress voted its final approval Monday for $87.5 billion for U.S. military operations and aid in Iraq and Afghanistan, a day after Americans in Iraq endured their worst casualties since March. (AP)"

In Yahoo! News: War with Iraq

Iranian Filmmakers Return Home From Iraq: "Two Iranian filmmakers received heroes' welcomes on their arrival in Tehran Monday after being held by U.S.-led coalition forces in neighboring Iraq for four months on suspicion of spying. (AP)"

In Yahoo! News: War with Iraq

Troops Heading Home When Attack Struck: "Karina Lau was hoping to surprise her family in California with a two-week furlough from Iraq. Ernest Bucklew was headed home for his mother's funeral in Pennsylvania. (AP)"

In Yahoo! News: War with Iraq

U.S. Soldier Dies in Iraq as Bush Says 'No Retreat': "Faced with a mounting military andcivilian death toll and stiffening guerrilla resistance,President Bush vowed on Monday that the United States would notrun from its "vital" mission in Iraq. (Reuters)"

In Yahoo! News: War with Iraq

posted by Soldiers Angels @ 5:41 AM |

Monday, November 03, 2003

Iraq war news
Judge probing Saddam loyalists assassinated in Iraq: prosecutor: "The judge heading judicial committees to probe former officials of Saddam Hussein's ousted regime in the central city of Najaf was shot dead, a prosecutor who had been kidnapped with him told AFP. (AFP)"

In Yahoo! News: War with Iraq

U.S. Paying for Iraq Intelligence Blunders: "BAGHDAD, Nov 3 (IPS) -- U.S. intelligence-gathering operations are being called into question after the devastating attacks on the weekend and the rocket attacks and suicide bombings rocking Baghdad and other cities almost every day. To many Iraqis in the know, and even among Coalition officials, the answer is clear. (OneWorld.net)"

In Yahoo! News: War with Iraq

Hippercritical's Iraq Report: Nov 3/03: "Welcome! Our goal is to give you one power-packed briefing of insights, news and trends from the global War on Terror that leaves you stimulated, informed, and occasionally amused every Monday & Thursday. Our " Winds of War " coverage of the global War on Terror is a separate briefing today, and both are brought to you by Glenn Halpern of HipperCritical .
TOP TOPICS

A tough week stretched into the next. Iraqis braced for a day of hell and a US military helicopter got shot down over Western Iraq. In response, Defense Secretary Rumsfeld stated that "the people who are firing off these surface-to-air missiles are the same people who are killing Iraqis ... and they're going to be beaten eventually."
Meanwhile, The Daily Star reports that Iraqis are blaming foreigners for the daily carnage, and there certainly appears to be supporting evidence . That's foreign as in "Europe."
Much of the progress so far in Iraq has come via Commanders Emergency Response (CERP) funds used directly by troops on the ground. Like the 101st Airborne , for instance, Now it appears that CERP has been cut off . WTF??? More here from a USMC Lt. Col. . I'm trying to get the full story, but if true this looks like a dumb decision that's wrong on a number of levels.

Other Topics Today Include: Post-war Iraq progress reports from different angles; Powell takes it easy on the Red Cross and UN; Syria's diplomatic blunder; Iraqis continue to settle old scores; Which cards have we captured; Support the Toy Drive; Support the Troops; Wanted: human shields.
read the rest...
"

In Command Post: Irak

U.S. Grounds Daytime Chinook Flights in Iraq: "File this one under "20/20 Hindsight"
[Fox News]

The U.S. military grounded all daytime operations by CH-47 Chinook helicopters Monday after Iraqi insurgents downed one the day before, killing 16 soldiers and wounding 20 others.

Fox News has confirmed that Chinook operations will be limited to night flights only.

Full story..."

In Command Post: Irak

Two militants killed in Mecca shootout: "Police battled militants in the streets of the holy city of Mecca on Monday, killing two of the suspects and uncovering a large cache of weapons, the state news agency reported."

In Seattle Post-Intelligencer: War on Iraq

White House: Resolve in Iraq 'unshakable': "This country's determination to prevail in Iraq is "unshakable" despite the downing of an Army helicopter that killed 16 U.S. soldiers, the White House says. Democrats called the assault a fresh illustration of faulty postwar planning."

In Seattle Post-Intelligencer: War on Iraq

Long queue at drive-in soup kitchen (3 Nov 03) in Radio Free USA

GIs treated after chopper strike kills 16: "Sixteen U.S. soldiers arrived in Germany on Monday for treatment at an American military hospital after being wounded in the downing of a U.S. Army Chinook helicopter, which killed 16 and injured four others."

In Seattle Post-Intelligencer: War on Iraq

Sons, aides of top Iran cleric arrested: "Iranian security agents on Monday arrested two sons and two close aides of Iran's leading dissident cleric, a wife of one of the detainees said."

In Seattle Post-Intelligencer: War on Iraq

Iraqi superstar singer hits Kuwaiti market: "Audiotapes by Iraq's superstar singer Kazem al-Saher have at last reached Kuwait after the government allowed them to go on sale, the information minister confirmed. (AFP)"

In Yahoo! News: War with Iraq

posted by Soldiers Angels @ 4:20 PM |

Iraq war news
Victims Were Heading Home For R&R: "The deadly missile attack on a pair of Chinook helicopters came on the first day of a stepped-up rest and recreation program. Troops from bases in Colorado, Oklahoma, Kentucky and Texas were aboard."

In CBS News: Iraq Crisis

Iraqis practice their own form of mojo and voodoo: "Persecuted under Saddam Hussein, Iraq's fortune tellers and exorcists eke out an existence on the street, helping Iraqis find stolen cars, locate kidnapped relatives, conceive babies and chase away the demons. (AFP)"

In Yahoo! News: War with Iraq

UN inspectors should return quickly to Iraq to "finish the job": ElBaradei: "United Nations weapons inspectors should return to Iraq as quickly as possible to "finish the job," International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) head Mohamed ElBaradei said in a televised interview. (AFP)"

In Yahoo! News: War with Iraq

Syria warns of Golan Heights resistance: "Ordinary Syrians might attack Israeli settlements in the occupied Golan Heights in retaliation for last month's Israeli air raid on a purported militant training camp near Damascus, Syrian officials warned."

In Seattle Post-Intelligencer: War on Iraq

Iraq's neighbors call for border control: "Arab, Iranian and Turkish foreign ministers condemned terrorist bombings in Iraq and called on Iraqi officials to cooperate on border control Sunday after talks on the Iraqi crisis - which Baghdad's interim authority boycotted."

In Seattle Post-Intelligencer: War on Iraq

Coalition steadfast in dangerous Iraq: "They're doing what they can to tighten security - but they're also talking tough and refusing to budge."

In Seattle Post-Intelligencer: War on Iraq

Four US soldiers wounded in roadside bombing west of Baghdad: witnesses: "Four US soldiers were wounded in a roadside bombing in Fallujah hot on the heels of the deadly downing of a US military helicopter on the outskirts of the flashpoint Iraqi town, witnesses said. (AFP)"

In Yahoo! News: War with Iraq

Blast rips through oil pipeline in northern Iraq: official: "An explosion has torn apart an oil pipeline near Kirkuk, 260 kilometers (160 miles) north of Baghdad, a company official told AFP. (AFP)"

In Yahoo! News: War with Iraq

22 Times in Last 2 Weeks, a Grim Knock at the Door: "The steady rhythm of casualties is producing a steady rhythm of grim rituals."

In New York Times: World Special

posted by Soldiers Angels @ 5:12 AM |

Sunday, November 02, 2003

Guardian Unlimited | World Latest | Rumsfeld: Helicopter Downing a Tragedy

Rumsfeld: Helicopter Downing a Tragedy

Sunday November 2, 2003 7:31 PM

By ROBERT BURNS

AP Military Writer

WASHINGTON (AP) - Americans should view the deadly attack on an Army helicopter in Iraq as the tragic but inevitable cost of waging a long war, Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld said Sunday.

The shootdown of the CH-47 Chinook transport helicopter, killing 15 soldiers and injuring 21, underscores the difficulty of the military mission in Iraq but will not erode U.S. resolve, Rumsfeld said.

``It's clearly a tragic day for America,'' the defense chief told ABC's ``This Week.'' He added: ``In a long, hard war, we're going to have tragic days, as this is. But they're necessary. They're part of a war that's difficult and complicated.''

The strike was just south of Fallujah, a center of Sunni Muslim resistance to the U.S. occupation. Officials said the Chinook was carrying soldiers to Baghdad International Airport, where they were scheduled to catch flights out of the country for two weeks of vacation.

Only two days earlier, the U.S. military announced it was expanding its R&R program, increasing from 270 to 479 the number of soldiers flown out of Iraq for rest and recuperation in the United States. The soldiers are flown to Baghdad from numerous collection points inside Iraq.

In political terms, the attack added to pressure on the Bush administration to justify the mounting American death toll and to explain its strategy for getting out of Iraq. President Bush was on his Texas ranch Sunday, out of public sight.

An ABC-Washington Post poll Sunday found that 51 percent of those surveyed now disapprove of the way Bush is handling Iraq, while 47 percent approve. It is the first time in this poll that a majority disapproved.

Militarily, the strike highlighted the vulnerability of helicopters, especially the twin-rotor Chinook, which presents a relatively large target with little means of defense against missiles.

The attack was remarkable in several respects, not least for the fact that it was the single deadliest event of the war for U.S. troops, which began in March and appeared all but over by May 1 when President Bush declared the end to major combat operations.

Since then, at least 238 Americans have been killed in Iraq, mostly in small-scale attacks against troops on the ground.

The deadliest day for American troops in Iraq was March 23 when 28 died in numerous attacks as U.S. forces advanced toward Baghdad.

Sunday's attack was the second time in just over a week that an Army helicopter was downed. A Black Hawk helicopter was hit with ground fire on Oct. 25 near Tikrit, a center of Iraq's anti-U.S. insurgency, but no Americans were killed.

By targeting U.S. aircraft, the insurgents in Iraq stand a greater chance of killing sizable numbers of Americans in a single strike. They also take advantage of what Rumsfeld acknowledged was an enormous uncontrolled supply of surface-to-air missiles throughout the country.

There are ``more than hundreds'' of such missiles, Rumsfeld said. ``There are weapon caches all over that country. They were using schools, hospitals, mosques to hide weapons.'' L. Paul Bremer, the American administrator of Iraq, said the missiles number in the thousands.

Bremer and others have said repeatedly that a key to defeating the Iraqi insurgency is obtaining better, more timely intelligence about threats against American troops and their Iraqi supporters.

Rumsfeld said it remains unclear whether Saddam Hussein, the deposed Iraqi leader, has had a hand in coordinating the resistance to U.S. forces. He acknowledged that as long as Saddam remains at large there will be Iraqis who fear he eventually will be restored to power.

``We will get him,'' Rumsfeld said on ``Fox News Sunday.''

``And I suspect he's still in the country. And I suspect he's having a great deal of difficulty operating. And we'll eventually find him.''

Sen. Pat Roberts, R-Kan., chairman of the Senate Intelligence Committee, said on CNN's ``Late Edition'' that he believes Saddam is ``playing a role'' in the Iraqi insurgency, but he offered no details.

Sen. Joseph Biden, D-Del., said that although expanding the U.S. military presence in Iraq may be ``very, very unpopular'' with the American public, he believes that more U.S. troops may be needed while an Iraqi security force is built up.

``And we have to be prepared to go back to our European friends and say, `We need more help. We're willing to give you more say in the formation of this government. We're willing to give you more impact here,''' Biden said on CBS' ``Face the Nation.''

Rumsfeld said that at this point there is no need for additional U.S. forces. The ultimate aim, he said, is to put the Iraqis in charge of their own security. To that end, about 100,000 Iraqis have been trained for security duties - mainly police - and the goal is to have about 200,000.

Guardian Unlimited | World Latest | Rumsfeld: Helicopter Downing a Tragedy

posted by Soldiers Angels @ 11:58 AM |

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