Captured Terrorist May Help U.S. Thwart Biggest Threat To Troops In Iraq
CAMP LIBERTY, Iraq — U.S. forces have captured a man who may help unravel an elite, highly skilled insurgent group whose rocket-propelled bombs have emerged as the biggest threat to U.S. troops, the top commander of U.S. forces in Baghdad said Friday.
Army Maj. Gen. Jeffery Hammond, speaking in his office at this U.S. military compound west of the capital, said the shadowy group is small and has demonstrated an unusual degree of military skill and cunning.
“It’s the greatest threat right now that we face,” Hammond said, adding that the threat is less significant for the Iraqi population because the bombs are targeting only U.S. and Iraqi security forces.
At least two U.S. troops have been killed this year by the weapon. Hammond said he did not know whether it is linked to Iran, although some have speculated on a connection because the 107mm rockets used were made in Iran and because the group seems to be part of a Shiite militia.
The U.S. military has dubbed the weapon an “improvised rocket-assisted mortar.” The Iraqis call it a “lob bomb” because it essentially is a rocket-fired mortar that is lobbed — several in one firing — a short distance from the back of a truck. It is detonated in some cases by a signal from a cell phone.
It’s sort of an airborne IED, the roadside bombs that during the course of the war have been the biggest killer of U.S. troops.
Hammond, who spent part of his day Friday discussing the problem with troops at a remote outpost in the rural outskirts of southwest Baghdad, said later that it has been particularly difficult to figure out who is behind the bomb group.
U.S. forces on Thursday snatched a person who may help unlock the mystery, Hammond said.
“We think we might have picked up a guy that could lead us — could be a big lead in this,” he said.
Hammond said he has told his subordinate commanders that the group is “sort of the Delta Force” of the broader insurgency, alluding to the highly secretive force in the U.S. military that is trained to conduct counterterrorism missions and in some cases fight without revealing a U.S. government link.
(AP)
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I bet money it is Hizbollah and Iran
July 11th, 2008 at 10:50 amSOC
ill place my bet along with yours
July 11th, 2008 at 11:02 amIf it isn’t Iran, it must be Nancy Pelosi and her FARC friends.
July 11th, 2008 at 11:28 amI hope they get them and take them out.
July 11th, 2008 at 11:58 amI’d take out thier families too
July 11th, 2008 at 4:15 pmWhat if their only hope is in the jidahi family member being killed.
I do not pretend to have the answers to these hard questions but I have to think there are family members who go along with jihad for the purpose of surviving as a woman and a mother of her children. I can imagine a women having no choice but to go along with her jihadi husband for fear of having her eyes gouged out and nose cute off or caught on fire, but more importantly having their child indoctrinated into the Jihadi mindset.
Some women may not know better because they’ve been indoctrinated. But if it were me, “I’d hope someone would tell me the truth instead of suspect me to be a jihadi. I have learned that some women are hard core mean,but I can’t imagine because I’ve not met one like that. But to those women - that are hard core mean…I say “off with their heads.”
This is a hard thought. If I thought a women were going to kill my children or any other child because of islamic teachings than I say kill her and her offspring, but that is a reason my family members (troops) thought it would be best for me to not be in the Armed Forces.
They fought hard for me to not enlist and I appreciate their wisdom in this regard. Second guessing gets our troops killed.
July 11th, 2008 at 11:39 pmSounds like Al Quds. Wonder what kind of “interrogation” went on to get that information. Hope Al Quds had a bad day.
July 12th, 2008 at 1:27 amwater + board
July 12th, 2008 at 6:12 amI learned a lesson: Never write comments for posting after several glasses of wine.
July 12th, 2008 at 12:19 pmFind them and KILL THEM. I agree, kill their families too!!!
July 12th, 2008 at 5:04 pm