Soldiers Maintain Security and Win Over Residents on the Streets of Samarr

Soldiers Maintain Security and Win Over Residents on the Streets of Samarra



http://www.cjtf7.com/media-information/October%202004/041013a.htm



Samarra, Iraq – Soldiers with B Company, 1st Battalion, 14th Infantry walk through the streets, accompanied by two gun trucks. During the mission, time is made to speak with members of a youth soccer team and buy ice cream cones for grateful children.

Company leaders speak with merchants offering everything from watermelon to hubcaps. Virtually every resident stops and stares at the passing throng, most of them smiling and waving. After an hour on patrol, the Soldiers turn and head back to their forward operating base.

Sgt. Anthony San Luis, a B 1-14 team leader from Dededo, Guam, noted that barely a week prior to this patrol, Samarra residents were in fear of the Soldiers. “When we were going into their houses, they thought we were going to kill everybody,” San Luis said.
And now, the Soldiers are welcomed. “We patrol, keep security, and we make sure any problems the civilians want to address, we solve or point them in the right direction,” San Luis said. “You see a big difference. They’re happy, giving us the thumbs-up, like in other places where we’ve established ourselves. It makes me really happy that I can help these people. This is a big step in changing how things are in Iraq.”

Local contractors are now bringing electricity and water to Samarra, providing supplies to schools and hospitals, and cleaning up streets, mosques, and playgrounds. With projects on tap for schools, hospitals, roads, and mosques, about the only thing not seen in Samarra these days are the insurgents

ON EDIT: This is the Official Military news release from this area of IRAQ. It differs greatly from all the other NEWS

This is the Good word the Bush Criminals are spreading about their success in the NEW CRUSADE.

is great. Someone will probably start throwing flowers at the troops any day not (which is a good idea - bring them home now and throw flowers at them). I wonder why the people in the administration couldn't write fiction for a living.

This is the Official Military news release from this area of IRAQ. It differs greatly from all the other NEWS

Had it not been for the logo I wouldn't have noticed. The story read like a Fox News story.

doesn't the thumbs-up = middle finger in their culture?

Flowers and cakewalks. Ice cream and gratitude. Call in Halliburton to fix what we've broken. Time to come home, all is well.


October 1, 2004
SAMARRA, Iraq (CNN) -- At least 109 insurgents and one American soldier were killed overnight in a major offensive launched by U.S. and Iraqi forces in the city of Samarra, U.S. military officials said Friday.

In the largest operation seen in Iraq's Sunni Triangle city in months, an estimated 3,000 U.S. troops moved into Samarra late Thursday. It was a response to what the United States called "repeated and unprovoked attacks by anti-Iraqi forces."

"This, they say, is the definitive battle for Samarra," CNN correspondent Jane Arraf said amid heavy fire Friday morning as she traveled with the U.S. Army's 1st Infantry Division.

Dr. Khalid Ahmed said at least 80 bodies and more than 100 wounded were brought to Samarra General Hospital, but it was not immediately clear how many were insurgents. The hospital was running out of supplies, Ahmed said.
http://www.cnn.com/2004/WORLD/meast/10/01/iraq.main/


Sun Oct 3, 7:31 PM ET

By ZIDAN KHALAF, Associated Press Writer

SAMARRA, Iraq - Bloodied by weeks of suicide bombings and assassinations, Iraqi security forces emerged Sunday to patrol Samarra after a morale-boosting victory in this Sunni Triangle city, and U.S. commanders praised their performance.

American and Iraqi commanders have declared the operation in Samarra, 60 miles northwest of Baghdad, a successful first step in a major push to wrest key areas of Iraq (news - web sites) from insurgents before January elections.

But locals were angered by the civilian death toll.

Of the 70 dead brought to Samarra General Hospital since fighting erupted, 23 were children and 18 were women, hospital official Abdul-Nasser Hamed Yassin said. Another 160 wounded people also were treated.

"The people who were hurt most are normal people who have nothing to do with anything," said Abdel Latif Hadi, 45.
http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story2&u=/ap/20041003/ap_on_re_mi_ea/iraq


Disregard all naysayers.


October 6, 2004

Against a Countrywide Rebellion, the Capture of Samarra is a Bloody, But Useless, Gesture

By PATRICK COCKBURN

American generals in Iraq triumphantly announced at the weekend that they had successfully taken over Samarra and killed 125 insurgents. They failed to mention that this is the third time they have captured this particular city on the Tigris river north of Baghdad in the past 18 months.

The campaign to eliminate the no-go areas under rebel control in Iraq is getting into full swing. Fallujah is being bombed every night and may soon be subjected to ground assault. Najaf was recaptured from Shia militiamen in August and much of the city is in ruins.

The current US military campaign is very much geared to getting President George Bush reelected to the White House in November. The aim of the bombing is to prove to American voters that their army is on the offensive, but without substantially increasing US casualties.

The situation on the ground in Iraq is far worse than what is portrayed by the media. Ironically, this is because it is now so dangerous for journalists and television crews to leave their heavily guarded hotels in Baghdad that they cannot refute claims by the American and British governments that much of Iraq is safe.
http://www.counterpunch.org/patrick10062004.html

This military propaganda is better than any work that Josef Goebbels ever did.

Yeah The US is Winning!!! :puke:

The arrow is going straight through the lion. It looks like an intentional insult to the history of the Iraqi people.

Thanks for the laugh, saigon.

HAHAHAHAHAHA.

I was laughing at this for being ridiculous propaganda, then that idiot pipes up:--a thumbs-up is basically the "fuck you" gesture of choice in those parts, and this sahib thinks he has a fan club.