Commander: Mosul Now Biggest Challenge

[unhappycamper]

Commander: Mosul Now Biggest Challenge
Dallas Morning News | January 24, 2008

WASHINGTON - U.S. and Iraqi forces mounting a nationwide offensive against al-Qaida have yet to tackle the insurgent group's hub for money and foreign fighters in the city of Mosul but have pushed them out of many other parts of the country, officials said Jan. 23.

Navy Rear Adm. Greg Smith, a spokesman for Multinational Forces in Baghdad, said in a phone interview that the offensive dubbed Phantom Phoenix was still in its early phases. Twelve U.S. Soldiers have been killed since the offensive began earlier this month, Smith said. U.S. and Iraqi forces have reported 121 insurgents killed, along with 1,023 suspects captured.

Army Maj. Gen. Mark P. Hertling, the U.S. commander for northern Iraq, said Tuesday that "Mosul will be the biggest challenge."

Mosul is Iraq's second-largest city, with a population estimated at 1.7 million. About a third of the city lies on the east bank of the Tigris River, and most of its minority Kurd population has moved there during the war. Nearly all of those living on the west bank are Arabs who are Sunni Muslims, Iraqi officials say.

Eighteen U.S. battalions - 15,000-18,000 troops - and tens of thousands of Iraqi army soldiers, police officers and local militia are attacking al-Qaida in the offensive, which began Jan. 8.


Rest of article at: http://www.military.com/NewsContent/0,13319,160642,00.html



uhc comment: I sure hope someone sent Gen. Lutz a memo or something --> http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=389&topic_id=2697894

[thunder rising]

1. Mosul? Again?

[Name removed]

2. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[TahitiNut]

3. "121 insurgents killed, along with 1,023 suspects captured."???

It's strange that 100% of those killed are deemed "insurgents." It's convenient - since they can no longer defend themselves. How many are younger than 12 years old? How many are elderly women? I'd bet a dollar against a moldy old horse turd that, out of those 121, there are more than a couple who couldn't possibly be regarded as "insurgents."

:eyes: