Operation Matador ends with 9 U.S. Marines dead

[BamaLefty]

BAGHDAD, Iraq (CNN) -- More than 125 insurgents and nine U.S. Marines were killed in Operation Matador, a weeklong U.S.-led hunt for insurgents along the Syrian border that ended Saturday, the U.S. military said.

http://www.cnn.com/2005/WORLD/meast/05/14/iraq.main/index.html

[BlueManDude]

1. Ole'

what a waste.

[izzybeans]

2. And Fox News was there to film them shooting into an empty desert

and breaking into vacant homes. "Resounding success." says traitor Ollie North-embedded with them, suppposedly, and no were near Arizona whatsoever .;-)I really looked hard to see some actual enemy combatents in their footage. Not a single one.

I think the traitor even said "We brought law to a lawless land." Or something. Fox News was working overtime to spin the war this morning. It was nearly comical.

[Must_B_Free]

3. 40 wounded

[TahitiNut]

4. "Operation Matador: Putting the Bull in Bullshit, One Life At A Time"

It ain't no fun unless people die. :puke:

[K8-EEE]

5. Oh Are Major Combat Operations Over Yet?

Let's ask Bush, he's probably out riding his tricycle though.

[hadrons]

6. Paula Zahn was saying how that wiped-out Ohio squard should be proud of

them knocking out 100 insurgents ... yeah Bitch, go to the VA hospital and say that

[mtnester]

17. 3 young men that all lived and grew up within 20 miles of each other

all dead here in Central Ohio, all the same age, one died on his birthday. Kids that probably played against each other in football or some other sport because their schools are in the same High School division, or knew some of the same people. The one young man from our community was also a volunteer firefighter...his funeral is Monday, and all of our departments will be participating.

I hope that this young man, who is the first from our town, gets some people thinking in the heavily Republican city of ours.

Dublin, Gahanna and Pickerington Ohio, all lost young men during this offensive. Gahanna is about 8 crow miles from Pickerington, and about the same from Dublin. Call it the Outerbelt massacre.

[Tandalayo_Scheisskopf]

7. A criminal enterprise...

Reported to you by a criminal.

Delightful symmetry.

[aneerkoinos]

8. More

At least 14 fatalities, probably closer to 20, according to http://www.icasualties.org/oif/

[BamaLefty]

11. It Is All So Sad

death, for no reason. :cry:

[Scurrilous]

9. U.S. Calls Iraq Border Operation a Success

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20050514/ap_on_re_mi_ea/iraq

<snip>

"The U.S. military wrapped up a major offensive in a remote desert region near the Syrian border Saturday, saying it had cleaned out the insurgent haven and killed more than 125 militants during the weeklong campaign against followers of Iraq's most wanted terrorist Abu Musab al-Zarqawi.

Nine U.S. Marines were killed and 40 injured during Operation Matador — one of the largest American campaigns since militants were driven from Fallujah six months ago. The number of civilian casualties was not immediately known."

<snip>

"The U.S. military said the seven-day operation "neutralized" an insurgent sanctuary. But in Qaim, the town where the campaign began, masked fighters armed with machine guns and rocket-propelled grenades remained in plain sight Friday, setting up checkpoints and vowing to defend the town if U.S. forces return.

The U.S. assault came amid a surge of militant attacks that have killed at least 440 people in just over two weeks since Iraq's first democratically elected government was announced."

[WannaJumpMyScooter]

10. sounds like we declared victory and then went home to me

so there are no more insurgents?

[Roland99]

12. U.S. forces wrap up major offensive near Syrian border pronouncing success

http://www.boston.com/dailynews/134/world/U_S_forces_wrap_up_major_offen:.shtml

OBEIDI, Iraq (AP) The U.S. military declared Saturday that its weeklong offensive near the Syrian border had ''neutralized'' an insurgent sanctuary there. But less than 24 hours earlier, fighters armed with machine guns and rocket-propelled grenades swaggered through the desert town where the campaign began.

U.S. forces killed more than 125 insurgents, injured many more and detained 39 ''of intelligence value'' during the campaign aimed at followers of Iraq's most wanted terrorist Abu Musab al-Zarqawi, the military said in a statement.

Nine U.S. Marines were killed and 40 injured during the offensive known as Operation Matador one of the largest American campaigns since militants were driven from Fallujah six months ago. The number of civilian casualties was not immediately known.

American troops, backed by warplanes and helicopter gunships, swept through desert outposts along ancient smuggling routes, believed to be staging areas for foreign fighters who slip over the border and collect weapons to launch deadly attacks in Iraq's major cities.

Any more successes like that and we won't have much left to fight with ourselves.


Geez...I can't believe the Globe had the gall to print that POS of a headline.

[chelsea0011]

13. And how many civilians were killed?

Or are they all just deadenders?

[Darranar]

14. Yeah, sure, marvelous success...

Just like Falluja, Najaf, Samarra....

They are incompetent and ineffective, and this slaughter is just another disgusting attempt at hiding it.

[xray s]

15. Rob Rogers knows about missions accomplished

[acmejack]

16. I can't stand this

I wonder how many of the "insurgents" were ordinary people caught in the wrong place at the wrong time. God, this is so reminiscent of another time when we were providing "body counts" after every action.

[doubleplusgood]

54. dead = insurgents

The corporate media is lacking any semblance of journalistic integrity on this type of reporting. They don't say "suspected" insurgents or "alleged" insurgents...they just repeat what the military tells them, no questions asked.

[hector459]

18. Same kind of "victory" as Fallujah. That's why we are still dropping bombs

on Fallujah. We won, but the insurgents are still there.

[Xipe Totec]

19. Operation Matamoros would have been a more appropriate name

Matamoros = Moor slayer

Will this crusade ever end?

[rainbow4321]

20. 25 US deaths in 1 week--deadliest since 2003

Crap..25 dead and according to this article the troops have yet to even enter the city???


http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/default.asp?page=story_15-5-2005_pg7_1


US marines said they had now lost nine men in a week-old sweep for insurgents in the west of the country, their largest operation since a spectacular assault on the rebel enclave of Fallujah last November.

Four marines wounded earlier this week died of their wounds, the military said. The deaths brought US losses for the week to 25, making it one of the deadliest periods for US troops in Iraq since the 2003 invasion. “Operation Matador” was launched on May 7 in the Al-Qaim area near the Syrian border, across which US commanders charge much of the insurgents’ weaponry and foreign volunteers are smuggled in.

The area was described as a stronghold of Abu Musab al-Zarqawi, the Al Qaeda leader who has claimed some of the bloodiest attacks in Iraq. An Iraqi defence official said on Saturday that US forces had not entered the town itself where insurgents were active.

Instead, US forces have taken up position in a number of villages surrounding Al-Qaim, the official added. United States forces for their part reported fighting in the town on Saturday, but said they were not involved and that the clashes involved rival local groups. agencies

[teryang]

21. Tears as 4,300 GA guard deploy

http://www.wsbtv.com/news/4489734/detail.html

Tears As Ga. Guard Deploys To Iraq
4,300 Leaving Sunday After Ft. Stewart Send-off

POSTED: 8:47 p.m. EDT May 14, 2005


FORT STEWART -- Family members gave a tearful send-off Saturday to 4,300 citizen soldiers who start leaving for Iraq on Sunday in the biggest wartime deployment of the Georgia National Guard since World War II.

"Today's ceremony is not about saying goodbye," Gov. Sonny Perdue told the soldiers and their loved ones at Fort Stewart. "It's about celebrating the courage and the heart that each of you display and remembering the sacrifice that each of you endure."


Karmen Callaway of McDonough in Henry County said goodbye to two sons in the 48th Infantry Brigade. They and their fellow soldiers are due to spend at least a year in Iraq.

"They're good kids, and they've got the Lord," Callaway said. "We're going to all be praying for them and we're all ready for them to get back."

[Olive]

22. Four Marines Killed in Operation Matador

BAGHDAD, Iraq - Four U.S. Marines have been killed in fighting in western Iraq, the American military said Saturday, taking the number of U.S. personnel killed during a weeklong operation against insurgents to nine.

The four were killed Wednesday when their troop transporter was struck by a bomb near Karabilah, a village close to the Syrian border, during Operation Matador, the Marines said in a statement.

http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/ap/20050514/ap_on_re_mi_ea/iraq_marines_killed&cid=540&ncid=1473

[Skittles]

23. I feel so badly for these guys

I just don't understand why the American public is not OUTRAGED about the lack of planning and the poor decision-making concerning this piece of shit war.

[lebkuchen]

25. I feel sick that the US is about to level another Iraqi town, Qaim

Those poor people. And who are we after? "militants"

Being "militant" is guaranteed by our Constitution!

[pie]

48. Sadly, a great number of Americans suck. Sadder is that

at this point we seem unable to stop them.
I believe a great number of Americans would
still support the slaughter of innocent Iraqis even if they knew exactly what is happening.
This seems to be part of what being a neo-republican is all about.

[hadrons]

24. this makes a total of 5 soldiers today ....

nice work Bushbots

[Ian David]

26. See related threads: Military Operations Near the Syrian Border

Matador
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.
<snip>
A matador ("killer") is the main performer in bullfighting events in Spain and other Spanish-speaking coutries. Also known as the torero (roughly "bull handler"), he or she is the person who TAUNTS and finally kills the bull.

More:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Matador



Military Operations Near the Syrian Border
Topic started by paparush on May-13-05 11:08 AM (6 replies)
Last modified by NCevilDUer on May-13-05 02:41 PM
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=104&topic_id=3650811

U.S. Offensive Intensifies at Syrian Border
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=102&topic_id=1468621

U.S.-Iraq Battle Touches on Syria Border
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=132&topic_id=1779923

Will Bush even seek a Warpower Resolution if he decides to invade Syria
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=104&topic_id=3650004

[NNN0LHI]

27. Nine U.S. troops,100 rebels killed in Iraq assault

http://www.swissinfo.org/sen/swissinfo.html?siteSect=143&sid=5783745&cKey=1116064240000

BAGHDAD (Reuters) - Nine American troops have been killed in an offensive against insurgents and militants in Iraq's most rebellious province, the U.S. military said on Saturday.

Four of those were killed on Wednesday when their assault amphibian vehicle hit an explosive device, the military said.

Backed by aircraft, U.S. Marines, sailors and soldiers launched Operation Matador one week ago in a bid to root out insurgents and militants from the western Anbar province.

The U.S. military estimated about 100 guerrillas were killed in the assault.

[pf99]

28. It make me so sick to read these headline every day

[zippy890]

46. Shades Of Vietnam

The weekly headlines, the body counts, always hundreds more of 'the enemy' killed than Americans.

the difference is there's no press left in Iraq - who knows what's really going on? There's no coverage. Out of site out of mind of the american people.

very scary situation, it seems like civil way by the sound of the info we do get

[TomClash]

29. But we're winning!

Look at the scoreboard! It's 100 to 9. Go! Team America! Go!


:sarcasm: :crazy:

[leftchick]

30. These guys don't look like "rebels"...

http://us.news3.yimg.com/img.news.yahoo.com/util/anysize/380,http%3A%2F%2Fus.news2.yimg.com%2Fus.yimg.com%2Fp%2Fap%2F20050513%2Fcapt.bag10705131807.iraq_bag107.jpg

Injured Iraqis are attended to at a makeshift clinic in al-Qaim, 320 kilometers (200 miles) west of Baghdad, Iraq, Friday, May 13, 2005, where American forces have been in engaged in an offensive near the Syrian border. Residents claim two men were killed and six injured when US forces attacked a group of young men gathered at the main entrance to the city. (AP Photo/Bilal Hussein)


It sounds like they are making shit up as they go along. As well as blowing a lot of innocent people up along the way.

[NNN0LHI]

31. The deaths brought US losses for the week to 25

http://www.khaleejtimes.com/DisplayArticle.asp?xfile=data/focusoniraq/2005/May/focusoniraq_May95.xml§ion=focusoniraq

Iraq insurgents press bombing campaign as US counterattack rages on

<snip>Four marines wounded earlier this week died of their wounds, the military said.

The deaths brought US losses for the week to 25, making it one of the deadliest periods for US troops in Iraq since the 2003 invasion.

[0007]

34. What's the death toll now Don? 1628?

[NNN0LHI]

36. If you watch the news the total US death toll now is umm...2 n/t

[0007]

38. Christopher Dickey of Newsweek sez things are indeed tough

and dangerous in Baghdad these days. Of course he, Mr. Dickey, was reporting from Paris so what does he know?

It would be great if junior took a bicycle ride on his next trip to Baghdad to show us Americans that the Iraqis are indeed grateful for all the freedom he has brought them.

[DemonFighterLives]

32. Wasn't this the same push

Where 60% of the platoon from Ohio were decimated. Dubby's war is just sick sh*t.

[Roland99]

45. Ayup...two years after the "end of major combat operations"...

an entire US Marine Company was decimated.

[DemonFighterLives]

49. I haven't seen this posted here

Lima Co.
http://www.onnnews.com/Global/story.asp?S=3335629&nav=LQlCZmf4

clip..
Marine unit has suffered casualties after the latest attacks in Iraq, and the news is hitting central Ohio hard.

Marines are fighting a tough battle that began on Mother's Day in the northwest area of Iraq. An article in the Washington Post said seven marines were killed so far in the operation, and six of them came from Lima Company based out of Columbus.

[Roland99]

50. Some excellent articles in the WaPo re:Lima Company

'They Came Here to Die'
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/05/10/AR2005051000221.html?nav=hcmodule


Demise of a Hard-Fighting Squad
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/05/11/AR2005051101737.html

[DemonFighterLives]

53. Thanks Roland99

I never did see a thread about this although there must have been one.

[ixion]

33. and yet the chimpenator keeps on biking, as our republic burns

because it's hard work bein' preznit.

Every day, I weep for our once great republic. :cry:

[DrDebug]

35. Good morning IraqNam

"Most rebellious province" is a nice twist. When are we going to read that all provinces are rebellious...

Total 1621 (US) 1801 (Total)

I said yesterday that we were going to pass the 1800 mark either tomorrow (=today) or the day after. I guess we passed it within 12 hours of making the post.

God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen

[lebkuchen]

39. It should come as a surprise to Americans that "militancy" is now outlawed

Where would our country be without "militants?"

[oblivious]

51. Look at this map of attacks in September alone. Incredible.

http://service.spiegel.de/cache/international/0,1518,grossbild-394373-320586,00.html

If you scroll down this page a bit, you get basically the same thing in table form.

http://belmontclub.blogspot.com/2004/09/fog-of-war-new-york-times-reports-that.html

[UpInArms]

37. the "really good progress" depresses me

so - I am so sorry that our country is ruled by madmen :cry:

Period	US	UK	Other*	Total	Avg	Days	
4 	185	2	7	194	1.87	104	
3 	579	26	27	632	2.93	216	
2 	718	27	58	803	1.89	424	
1 	140	33	0	173	4.02	43	
Total	1622	88	92	1802	2.29	787

[lebkuchen]

40. Another analysis, posted when we hit 1500 dead, was interesting

I think LynntheDem had posted it. I was trying to figure out where we stood as we near the 2000 coalition dead milestone.

It took 295 days to reach the benchmark of 500 U.S. dead soldiers from Iraq.

Date 1/9/2004
Total 500
Interval in days 295

242 days would pass before the next 500 death milestone would be reached, the interval in days reduced by 53.

Date 9/7/2004
Total 1000
Interval in days 242

It's now 177 days since we reached the next 500 death benchmark - 1500. The interval in days reduced by 65 from the previous benchmark and by 118 from the first 500.

Date 2/3/2005
Total 1500
Interval in days 177

http://icasualties.org/oif /

***********

If the 2/3/2005 date is February (in Europe, dates are read differently), about 100 days have passed with 122 dead. Our military is trending toward increased violence in Iraq. We just might "achieve" another 378 coalition dead in the next 77 days.

[UpInArms]

43. or perhaps we could have "really really good progress"

and that number could be "achieved" sooner.

:(

[UpInArms]

41. interesting that the WP noted a discrepancy in the number

of US soldiers killed - from the official military and an imbedded reporter - in this article:

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/05/14/AR2005051400295.html

excerpt (near bottom of the page):

The U.S. military has confirmed five Marine deaths so far and says about 100 insurgents have been killed in the operation.

But a Washington Post reporter embedded with U.S. forces put the American death toll Thursday at seven _ six of them from one squad.

...more...

[spotbird]

44. The number of enemy dead is also reported.

Interesting new similarity to Vietnam. Until now only the number US fallen were released, now a justification of the US deaths with a report that we got more of them than they got of ours.

[UpInArms]

52. seems like the most popular ratio is 10 to one

:(

I guess they figure that makes it "even"

[Botany]

42. "Iraq's most rebellious province"

So after this operation then the country will be stable and our
troops will quit dying?

When will the lies stop?
When will I read about another
death and not feel the shock?

Someplace in America a mother
makes the coffee and starts to cry ....
..... my baby
..... my son
Oh good God!
Why? Why? Why?

bin Laden still walks free
and all these needless deaths
how can this be?

A dad walks by a swing set
and now feels 100
years old.
"Push me higher Daddy ...."
his little angle was always
brave & bold. :cry:

A thousand curses on * & his gang of crooks who wanted, planned,
lied, and manipulated a national day of tragedy so as to have years of
tragedy. Blessings and prayers to all who have lost so much in this
insane war. Which I think should be called "bush's war to create
terrorists"

[Dyedinthewoolliberal]

47. We all know what we have to do to stop this.

The question is, will we? Do we have the collective fortitude to get out of our homes, and into the streets? There is no other way.............

[hippiechick]

55. And the headline at Yahoo News calls it 'successful'

Disgusting. :mad: