A Combat Leader Gives The Inside Skinny Of The Biggest Battle Since The Wa

The convoy which was attacked while driving through Samara was not a supply convoy as reported, but was carrying large amounts of new Iraqi currency to stock local Iraqi banks and US greenbacks used to pay for goods and services the US forces need to accomplish their missions in Iraq. This convoy was heavily guarded by Abrams Tanks and Bradley Fighting Vehicles. It was akin to a huge Brinks Truck delivery.

The reports of 54 enemy killed will sound great on the home front, but the greater story is much more disturbing and needs to be told to the American Public.

When we received the first incoming rounds, all I could think of was how the hell did the Iraqis (most of these attackers being criminals, not insurgents) find out about this shipment? This was not broadcast on the local news, but Iraqi police knew about it. Bing, Bing Bing, You do the math.

Of greater importance in the scale of the attack and the coordination of the two operations. Iraqi Rebel Guerilla Units elements still retain the ability to conduct synchronized operations despite the massive overwhelming firepower "Iron Hammer" offensive this month.

Hack, most of the casualties were civilians, not insurgents or criminals as being reported. During the ambushes the tanks, brads and armored HUMVEES hosed down houses, buildings, and cars while using reflexive fire against the attackers. One of the precepts of "Iron Hammer" is to use an Iron Fist when dealing with the insurgents. As the division spokesman is telling the press, we are responding with overwhelming firepower and are taking the fight to the enemy. The response to these well coordinated ambushes was as a one would expect. The convoy continued to move, shooting at ANY target that appeared to be a threat. RPG fire from a house, the tank destroys the house with main gun fire and hoses the area down with 7.62 and 50cal MG fire. Rifle fire from an alley, the brads fire up the alley and fire up the surrounding buildings with 7.62mm and 25mm HE rounds. This was actually a rolling firefight through the entire town.

http://www.sftt.org/cgi-bin/csNews/csNews.cgi?database=Special%20Reports%20Hack.db&command=viewone&op=t&id=92&rnd=470.3448129124487

thanks for posting

they are tuning the regular iraqis against them, even if they
wanted them, we are acting like the Secret Police but in the
open.

"As one would expect from using our overwhelming firepower, much of Samarra is fairly well shot up. The tanks and brads rolled over parked cars and fired up buildings where we believed the enemy was. ... Not all the people in this town were hostile, but we did see many people firing from rooftops or alleys that looked like average civilians, not the Feddayeen reported in the press. I even saw Iraqi people throwing stones at us, I told my soldiers to hold their fire unless they could indentfy a real weapon, but I still can't understand why somebody would throw a stone at a tank, in the middle of a firefight.

Since we did not stick around to find out, I am very concerned in the coming days we will find we killed many civilians as well as Iraqi irregular fighters. I would feel great if all the people we killed were all enemy guerrillas, but I can't say that. We are probably turning many Iraqi against us and I am afraid instead of climbing out of the hole, we are digging ourselves in deeper."


Feet first into the Big Muddy . . . er, Big Sandy.

:nuke:

Consider: overwhelming rage, the lack of an effective weapon, the need to do something in the context that one is unlikely to survive the indiscriminate firing anyway.

iraq will NEVER be pacified and safe for 'democracy'.

eventually the resistance will kick the occupiers out.

That SHOULD HAVE been learned in Viet Nam. Actually, it was -- but the Bushistas have explicitly intended to discard the lessons of Viet Nam.

What this report makes clear (as if it were not already) is that the entire 'Iron Hammer' policy is a war crime.

Like:
1) Image is everything. Who cares how things are really going, just make sure Americans think things are going well.
2) Never report friendly casualties unless absolutely necessary.
3) It's easier to shoot journalists, than be interviewed by them
4) Get on the whole 'criticism == treason' meme right away. No reason to wait a few years.
5) No matter what happens, we meant to do that. It's always part of the plan (see lesson #1).

good luck to him/her. we can guess that the wrong tactics are being used, but to hear it from someone at the "front" is heartbreaking.

if someone was rolling through my neighborhood blowing holes in houses, i'd hate them right quick. and i wouldn't stop.

from "Soldiers for the Truth"
http://www.sftt.org/index.html

That site and:
http://www.hackworth.com/defendamerica.html

are must reads if you want to get a firsthand report of
our soldiers trials and triumphs. Col. Hackworth is one
of our military personal's greatest advocate!

Left and Right.

Thanks for posting.

I hope they didn't take it down already? All I get is "Error. No Record Found!"

One made at DU many a time.....

<The belief in superior firepower as a counter-insurgency tactic is then extended down to the average Iraqi, with the hope that the Iraqis will not support the guerillas and turn them in to coalition forces, knowing we will blow the hell out of their homes or towns if they don't. Of course in too many cases, if the insurgents bait us and goad us into leveling buildings and homes, the people inside will then hate us (even if they did not before) and we have created more recruits for the guerillas.>

The cabal had their window, but now its closed. The G-War is on.

We now must live with the broken remains of their delusions.