Dozens Killed In Intense Iraqi Fighting
National Security Forces Stepping Up Fight With Insurgents
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Play CBS Video Video Some Encourging News In Iraq A top U.S. commander says violence in Iraq has lessened. Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld says he's not satisfied with Iraqi forces' progress and plans to hike their budget. Aleen Sirgany reports.
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Video Fear And Loss Americans sometimes need reminders that the casualties in Iraq are real people, not just numbers. National correspondent Byron Pitts spent the day with one grieving family.
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Video Protesters Denounce Iraq PM Iraq's Prime Minister faces opposition inside his own country after a U.S. military incursion in Sadr City. Chief foreign correspondent Lara Logan has more.
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Members of a Shiite family that was attacked by unknown gunmen arrive at hospital in Baqouba, 35 miles northeast of Baghdad, Friday Oct. 27, 2006. (AP Photo)
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Members of a Shiite family attacked by gunmen receive treatment in a Baqouba hospital, Friday Oct. 27, 2006. (AP Photo)
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Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld gestures during a media briefing at the Pentagon concerning the war in Iraq, Thursday, Oct. 26, 2006. (AP Photo)
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Relatives cry by the body of a policeman in Baqouba, 35 miles northeast of Baghdad, Oct. 26, 2006. The policeman was one of five killed in clashes pitting Iraqi security forces against gunmen of the Mahdi Army militia, who are loyal to fiery anti-American Shiite cleric Muqtada al-Sadr. (AP)
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A man waits for his car to be inspected at a checkpoint, manned by the172nd Stryker Brigade Combat Team, entering Baghdad's Shiite enclave of Sadr City, Oct. 26, 2006. (AP Photo/Samir Mizban)
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Interactive Battle For Iraq The government, the insurgency, key players, background and photos.
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Who's Who Iraq Insurgency More on the militant groups behind the insurgency in Iraq and their motivations.
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Interactive Attacks Map Details on the insurgency and terrorism that has continued to take lives since the fall of Saddam.
An unknown number of “anti-Iraqi forces” ambushed a police unit based in Baqouba, 35 miles northeast of Baghdad on Thursday morning the military said, using its standard term for Sunni insurgents.
Police fought back and U.S. troops nearby were diverted from another mission, assisted by air cover. One Iraqi civilian was also killed, eight insurgents wounded, and 27 others captured, the military said.
The attack marked some of the heaviest fighting in recent days between insurgents and Iraqi security forces, who U.S. commanders have been pressing to take over more responsibility for security, thereby allowing them to begin contemplating U.S. troop withdrawls.
With rising U.S. casualties adding to growing anti-war sentiment, U.S. leaders are eager to show that the Iraqi forces are rising to the challenge by controlling territory and inflicting casualties on their enemies.
Iraq's Interior Ministry, which commands the police, gave a slightly different versions of the clash and said those killed included Khan Bani Saad's police chief, Brig. Abbas Al-Ameri, and his brother.
A ministry spokesman, Brig. Abdel-Karim Khalaf, said forces moved into the area after learning of the presence of insurgents who were behind the ambush on Monday of a convoy of buses carrying police recruits in which at least 15 were killed 25 wounded.
“After we received information that these criminals had a presence... we mobilized our forces and attacked the area,” Khalf said. “We cannot tolerate this and that is the reason why we took action yesterday,” he said.
Khalf denied police had been surprised and put the death toll among officers at 12, with 19 insurgents killed and 28 captured. He described the enemy fighters as hardcore remnants of Saddam Hussein's former Baathist regime joined by “Takfiri elements” a term for Islamic radicals that include groups such as al Qaeda in Iraq.
The area around Baqouba has seen heavy fighting in recent weeks between armed Shiite and Sunni groups carrying out brutal revenge killings. A Shiite militia went on a rampage in the nearby city of Balad last week, killing scores of Sunnis and forcing others to flee their homes.
In other developments:
they did.
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Best-selling author Mitch Albom on his first nonfiction work since "Tuesdays with Morrie."
Even Joe Biden... bold though he is to suggest setting tough milestones... his comments are bound in rhetoric that is more harmful than helpful... dictating terms to Iraqi only underlines the fact that it is not a sovereign government.
Guys.. we are no longer in a position to dictate to anyone... perhaps the administration has finally understood this... although, if it does, it has no clue what to do about it.. except to "stay the course."
For Iraq to move forward three things must happen... First, the insurgency must be de-fanged... however, we have been unable to do this so far & are unlikely to anytime soon... it is too disparate, too well financed and seemingly too resolute.
Second, the militias must be disarmed... no-can-do... Al-Maliki will not disarm the shia militias because he relies on their political fathers for patronage... indeed he can no more disarm the mehdi army than Fouad Siniora, prime minister of Lebanon, can disarm Hezboallah.
Third, the administration needs to widen the regional dialogue & talk to Syria & Iran, which it will not do.
We are a hostage to events rather than a shaper of them... the humiliation that will be heaped upon this administration, if it withdraws, will ensure that our troops remain in Iraq, in existing numbers, for the forseeable future.
This is our bed & we will be lying in it for many years to come.
The military leaders, who, in fear of their jobs and rank, are equally guilty.
This war, this administration, is a tragedy perpetrated onto the American people.
Please vote on November 7th.
Vote out the incumbents, Dems and Repubs.
Vote for term limits when possible.
However, it does say a lot about the mentality of the administration... specifically that they have no answers and no clues..
For a public official to make such a statement when 2,800 US troops have lost their lives at an average of nearly 60 per month suggest either indifference or madness... HELLO00... WE ARE PAYING FOR THIS WAR REMEMBER!!! Could a US defence secretary rehearsed such a statement before March 2003?
However, Rummy is nothing if not cunning... he knows that the Iraq war has now conditioned and hardened the American people... so much so that whatever sense of outrage there might be to his comments on the war.... it will be fleeting...
Now anything goes ... no matter how ridiculous or outrageous... if we tolerate this, what will be next?
Bush asks Chaney to go out and pick a vice-president and he says, "How about me, little boy?" Then Bush asks Chaney who should be Defense Secretary and
Chaney says, "Rummy" (see State of Denial). Chaney just took advantage of Bush's low IQ.
I agree! Add Cheney to the list of madmen. In fact, he should go @ the top of the list since he is "the hand behind the throne".
I hope & pray Democrats can win control of @ least the House Nov. 7th. Then we can begin to pressure our Congressmen to begin impeachment proceedings against Bush & Cheney. And hopefully, start to withdraw US troops from Iraq & Afganistan. There have been enough lives wasted in both these wars. Why was the Iraq war started? Follow the money.
STAY FOCUSED AMERICA IT IS ABOUT TO GET TOUGH. WE HAVE A FEW MORE DAYS OF INTENSE ATTACK ADS, SMOKE SCREENS, DIVISION OF ELECTORATE, DECEPTION, MISREPRESENTATION, AND LIES, TO ENDURE BEFORE WE CAN UNCOVER THE ELECTION FRAUD, RECOUNT THE VOTE, AND THROW THESE CRIMINALS OUT OF OFFICE. THEN WE CAN START HEALING AMERICA.
Meanwhile Rumsfeld, securely inside the Bush bubble, plays tough guy. Papa Bush didn't like Rumsfeld because he was arrogant and self-important (see Woodward's State of Denial), while baby Bush warmed up to the jerk to prove daddy wrong. Now Bush won't let go of this pompous old fool.
Congressioanl gridlock is looking mighty good these days. Bush and Rumsfeld are dangerous madmen. I recall in the book, Berlin, that Hitler at the end of his reign wanted to destroy the vital bridges to all the cities in Germany. His final wish was to destroy his own country and his people. The generals disobeyed him.
American generals now in America are speaking out on behalf of our military and our people. They are truly heroic. These madmen must be stopped.
- by observantx October 27, 2006 12:59 PM EDT
- Reply to this comment
See all 12 Comments# U.S. Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld said anybody demanding deadlines for progress in Iraq should "just back off," because it is too difficult to predict when Iraqis will be able to take control of their country.
So Herr Rumsfeld wants me to "Back off"?
Rummy: You clueless dolt! You can take your "Back off" and stick it where the sun doesn't shine. YOU are supposed to be working for ME. And as far as I can see you have totally mucked up the entire job. You are responsible for thousands of needless American deaths and loss of limbs, eyes, and scorched skin because of your total incompetence, lack of coherent planning and arrogance.
I'll back off, maybe, after you do the right thing and resign.