Disguised as Americans, they blew our men away
From the Washington Post:
Disguises Used in Attack on Troops
Gunmen Infiltrated Secured Iraqi Site, Killing 5 Americans
Disguises Used in Attack on Troops
Gunmen Infiltrated Secured Iraqi Site, Killing 5 Americans
BAGHDAD, Jan. 21 -- The armored sport-utility vehicles whisked into a government compound in the city of Karbala with speed and urgency, the way most Americans and foreign dignitaries travel along Iraq's treacherous roads these days.
Iraqi guards at checkpoints waved them through Saturday afternoon because the men wore what appeared to be legitimate U.S. military uniforms and badges, and drove cars commonly used by foreigners, the provincial governor said.
Once inside, however, the men unleashed one of the deadliest and most brazen attacks on U.S. forces in a secure area. Five American service members were killed in a hail of grenades and gunfire in a breach of security that Iraqi officials called unprecedented.
The attack, which lasted roughly 20 minutes, came on a day when the United States lost at least 20 other troops, including a dozen in a helicopter crash, making it the third most lethal day for American forces in Iraq.[..]
So who sent this message? Al-Qaeda? The Mahdi Army? The Revolutionary Guards?
Someone on the inside is definitely helping the insurgents. The uniforms and money spent indicates someone with time to spare .. if the Mahdi Army is this slick, Heaven help our vulnerable troops. Bush's latest escalation is going to play right into the insurgents' hands .. leaving many more of our kids shredded in the streets.
The story the local officials told was that a convoy of SUVs with tinted windows and passengers dressed as US and Iraqi soldiers, who spoke some English, passed through checkpoints. Now I just don’t buy this.
Even if they spoke some English and they fooled one checkpoint or two .. how could they fool all the checkpoints all the way to the provincial headquarters?
Even stranger, no one chased the attackers. When asked why, the Iraqi police said they thought it was American-on-American violence and wanted to stay out of it. How lame is that excuse!
It's interesting that no Iraqi soldiers, policemen or officials were hurt in the attack.
Also, the Pentagon now admits that a shoulder-fired surface-to-air rocket is what brought down the Black Hawk helicopter last Saturday .. which killed 12.
Then there was another helicopter shot down. Two in three days .. very scary. There are lots of helicopters flying around Baghdad and the whole of Iraq. If the insurgents get this technology in any numbers, Heaven help our troops. That was a key reason the Russians took such heavy losses in Afghanistan.
No matter how long we stay, Iraq is their country and 70 per cent of them don't want us there .. all they have to do is wait us out. Because no matter what the policy is, who the president or prime minister is .. they know that some day we are going to leave.
Aren't we?
