'Significant number' of Marines killed near Fallujah and Ramadi

[NNN0LHI]

http://www.csmonitor.com/newsinbrief/brieflies.html#WORLD16:31:49

Insurgents and rebellious Shiites mounted a string of attacks across Iraq's south and US Marines launched a major assault on the turbulent city of Fallujah on Tuesday. Up to a dozen Marines, two more coalition soldiers and at least 66 Iraqis were reported killed.

Reports from the city of Ramadi, near Fallujah, said dozens of Iraqis attacked a Marine position near the governor's palace, a senior defense official said from Washington. "A significant number" of Marines were killed, and initial reports indicate it may be up to a dozen, said the official, speaking on condition of anonymity.

US authorities also launched a crackdown on radical Shiite cleric Muqtada al-Sadr al-Sadr and his militia after a series of weekend uprisings in Baghdad and cities and towns to the south that took a heavy toll in both American and Iraqi lives. The fighting marks the first major outbreak of violence between the US-led occupation force and the Shiites since Baghdad fell a year ago.

Two more coalition soldiers - an American in Baghdad and a Ukrainian in Kut - were killed in fighting. The deaths brought the three-day total to up to about 30 Americans and 136 Iraqis killed in the worst fighting since the war that toppled Saddam Hussein.

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[Walt Starr]

1. 'One a day' is swiftly becoming 'Ten a day'

If something doesn't give soon, we'll be at 'A hundred a day' by the time the Mission Accomplished anniversary hits.

[RandomKoolzip]

2. Jesus, this is fucking sad.

I hate to speak for everyone who protested the war when I say, "I told you so...." but it turned out exactly how we expected it, if not worse.


Senseless wastes of human potential, unwilling martyrs for an administration closeted in mendacity and forced forfeiture....


RIP

[drscm]

3. I consider one death "significant."

However, I am sure *Bush considers all these deaths as mere fodder.

[glarius]

4. Bush "appreciates" their sacrifice

That word...."appreciate"....has become amost a dirty word to me since he uses it so much....It's his favourite word...The awful thing is that he shows absolutely no remorse or sadness at the death of all these young Americans or the Iraqis....I guess God must have told him not to worry about it...(sarcasm)

[peekaloo]

5. and the best the 'Chickenshit in Charge' can say

is a Poopy retread, "we'll stay the course".

So sad......."significant number" is that the new Pentagonspeak? Rather ended his newcast stating at least 12 dead and over twenty injured.

[FlemingsGhost]

6. A 5:1 kill ratio... Guess who will blink first?

Bush is fucked.

[Devil Dog Dem]

7. This is tragic.

I have friends now doing their second tour in Iraq.