U.S. slowing flow of foreign fighters into Iraq

[Barrett808]

U.S. slowing flow of foreign fighters into Iraq
By Rick Jervis, USA TODAY

U.S.-led offensives in western Iraq have helped lead to a 50% drop in the number of foreign fighters slipping across the Syrian border, a U.S. general said.

"Clearly, the effect we're most concerned about is foreigners coming and murdering other Iraqis and attacking coalition and Iraqi forces," said Lt. Gen. John Vines, commander of multinational ground forces in Iraq. "Indicators are that a significantly reduced number of them are entering the country."

Over the weekend, 3,500 troops, including 1,000 Iraqi soldiers, launched the latest offensive aimed at disrupting the supply line that brings foreign fighters from the Syrian border along a string of Euphrates River towns into central Iraq.

On Sunday, coalition forces battled insurgents in Husaybah, a town near the border of

Syria, on the second day of the offensive. Several dozen insurgents were killed as Marines pressed into the city. A Marine was killed when he entered a house rigged to explode. (Related story: U.S.-led forces attack al-Qaeda in Iraq)

(more)

http://news.yahoo.com/s/usatoday/20051107/ts_usatoday/usslowingflowofforeignfightersintoiraq

That takes care of 1% of the insurgency...Mission Accomplished!

[HereSince1628]

1. But thanks to Cheney/WHIG/ Libby/Miller , no one believes this

least of all those people recruiting for the insurgents.

[dutchdemocrat]

2. a slaughter of yet more innocent civilians.

U.S.-led offensives in western Iraq have helped lead to a slaughter of yet more innocent civilians.

Right from an Iraqi politician's mouth.

Iraqi politicians have condemned the latest US offensive on villages and towns close to the Syrian border, calling it a killing operation.

The leader of the Iraqi Front for National Dialogue, Salih al-Mutlaq, on Sunday denounced the massive US military offensive - code-named Operation Steel Curtain - being conducted in Husaiba, Karabla and al-Qaim - in western Iraq.

Al-Mutlaq, who is also a member of the committee that drafted the new constitution, accused the Americans and their Iraqi allies of mounting "a destructive and killing operation of secure cities and villages" on the "pretext that they hide and secure terrorists".

In Baghdad, Muhsin Abd al-Hamid, the head of the largest Sunni Arab political party, condemned "all military operations directed against civilian targets" because they "lead to the killing of innocent people and the destruction of towns and cities".

The US military launched the operation in western Iraq to root out what it says are foreign fighters and prevent the flow of men and materiel from Syria.

Some 3500 soldiers and marines, including 1000 Iraqi troops, are involved in the operation.

SNIP

http://english.aljazeera.net/NR/exeres/78AACB8D-FDC2-409D-9E3A-E8034C8BA469.htm

[cleofus1]

3. the flow has slowed

becouse they are already in country...

[0007]

4. At last! We are finally in phase 4.

The last throes of terrorism democracy in Iraq.

[951-Riverside]

5. Why the hell do they have our soliders fighting ghosts....

I'm starting to think maybe these war planners want the "insurgents" to kill the soldiers, from the begining they have first made everyone one might have wanted saddam out and the American presence in either tortured,dead or VERY angry and second after all of this they keep putting these soldiers out of small patrols on roads that are booby trapped or in open spaces where they can be shot by a sniper so what is Rummy and the other arm-chair dolts goals?

[lakeguy]

6. so what are they going to do with the 95% that come from within

Iraq?