U.S. Troops Battle Iraqi Police, Gunmen

[wordsmythe]

iWon News - U.S. Troops Battle Iraqi Police, Gunmen

Jul 13, 10:21 AM (ET)

By LEE KEATH

BAGHDAD (AP) - U.S. forces battled Iraqi police and gunmen Friday, killing six policemen, after an American raid captured a police lieutenant accused of leading an Iranian-backed militia cell, the military said.

Seven gunmen also died in the fight, a rare open street battle between American troops and policemen. Washington has demanded the government purge its police force of militants, and U.S. and Iraqi authorities have arrested officers in the past for militia links. But the Bush administration said in an assessment Thursday that progress on that front was "unsatisfactory."

The lieutenant was captured before dawn in eastern Baghdad, but the soldiers came under "heavy and accurate fire" from a nearby Iraqi police checkpoint, as well as intense fire from rooftops and a church, the military said in a statement.

As the Americans fired back, U.S. warplanes struck in front of the police position, without hitting it directly, "to prevent further escalation" of the battle, it said. There were no casualties among the U.S. troops, but seven gunmen and six of the policemen firing on the Americans were killed, the statement said.


The captured lieutenant was a "high-ranking" leader of a cell suspected of helping coordinate Iranian support for Shiite extremists in Iraq as well as carrying out roadside bombings against mortar attacks on U.S. and Iraqi forces, the military said. The lieutenant is believed to be linked to the Quds Force, a branch of Iran's elite Revolutionary Guards, it said.

[Highwayman]

What a bummer. I’m glad to see it said this sort of thing is rare. I did see this at the end of the article.

President Jalal Talabani said there were "positive developments on the political level," particularly in the effort to reshape the Cabinet to establish "a front of moderate forces committed to the politial process and democracy in Iraq."

He also said the military offensives being waged by U.S. troops in and around Baghdad were making progress. "A successful campaign is on to eliminate terrorists and so far large areas of Diyala and Anbar have been cleared," Talabani said Thursday evening, referring to provinces north and west of the capital.

Speaking of the Anbar Province, things look a lot different over there.

US and Iraqis celebrating victory إنتصار الانبار على القاعد

YouTube Video

If you go to the youtube page there’s a couple of interesting comments by someone calling himself iraqtube.

I hope every American read this message. More than 25 millions Iraqi welcome American to librate Iraq from the worst dictator history ever made. Syria, Iran, Arab Petro dollar, and Saudi Cleric who issued religious decree allowing Alqaeda to kill Iraqi and American. All these spolied the party.

I think Mr. Bush is the only one on planet earth who really knows how dangerous is AlQaeda and we Iraqis are hand in hand with him and American Army fighting the thugs criminals Alqaeda. Democrats are wrong they are using 2008 race to the white house to destroy America. American withdrawel from Iraq gives thugs and puch of criminals a victory that they do not deserve.

YouTube - US and Iraqis celebrating victory إنتصار الانبار على القاعد

[lurker]

Good Post Highway....


.....................~Waiting for weirdy and out-of-touch' comments~......

[SGT T.]

So those are rare gun battles, US vs. Iraqi police huh? Hmmm, how interesting. I wonder what constitutes rare?

[wordsmythe]

I thought it was relevant since Sgt T mentioned that was one of the things that is pissing him off. But you guys just go on and dismiss that problem too.