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| Iraq |
| U.S. Seals Off Saddam’s Home Village |
| 2003-10-31 |
| EFL: American soldiers on Friday sealed off the village where Saddam Hussein was born and ordered adults to register for identity cards that will allow them to move in and out of the community. "This is an effort to protect the majority of the population, the people who want to get on with their lives," said Lt. Col. Steve Russell, a battalion commander in the 4th Infantry Division. Russell said he did not know whether Saddam was directing parts of the insurgency, but the village is the family home of many former Baathist regime members. It’s the root of the infection. "There are ties leading to this village, to the funding and planning of attacks against U.S. soldiers," Russell said. The operation would provide "controlled access" to Uja, Russell said. Starting around midnight Thursday, U.S. soldiers, Iraqi police and civil defense forces moved into this small dusty village about six miles southeast of Tikrit. Soldiers erected a fence of barbed wire, stretched over wooden poles, and laid spirals of concertina wire around the perimeter of the village. Local Iraqi workmen were hired to help erect the fence. Meanwhile, groups of soldiers were positioned in dugout holes at strategic points surrounding the village and Bradley armored vehicles provided security. "Welcome to Uja Prison, git your hands up!" The soldiers also established checkpoints on the road leading in and out of this village of about 3,500 residents. All cars were stopped and searched and people on the road were questioned about their identity. The area around Tikrit, 120 miles north of Baghdad, is considered a hotbed of resistance to coalition troops. Everybody more than 18 years old would have to register with the coalition forces and receive identity cards that will allow them to move in and out of the village, U.S. officers said. Expect howls of outrage to break out before the end of the day. By morning, dozens of men from Uja had lined up outside the local police station, waiting to give personal information and have their picture taken for a computer-made ID card. The rest of Uja appeared calm. From the minaret of the village’s modern mosque came calls for the midday prayer. Most of the villagers were from the al-Naseri clan and related to Saddam. "We are not really afraid, but what choice do I have," said Ali Sherif al-Naseri, who said he was a cousin of Saddam’s. "It may not be totally fair but it’s a good idea." Works for me The Uja chief of police, Ahmed Hamza al-Naseri, said the military operation took him by surprise. Good "I didn’t know what was going on until I received a call in the middle of the night," he said. "This is all new to the people of Uja, they may be afraid at first, but they will accept it." As an example to others, the police chief said he was first to get an ID card. |
| Posted by:Steve |
| #11 Cyber Sarge, nope, I was a 30475. |
| Posted by: Steve 2003-10-31 1:18:25 PM |
| #10 Go easy on the officer bit, huh Chuck? Some of us don't have to work for a living. |
| Posted by: Jarhead 2003-10-31 12:55:26 PM |
| #9 Which rantburger was it a few months back who called for Sunniland "nothing in nothing out". |
| Posted by: Lucky 2003-10-31 12:46:42 PM |
| #8 I have bee calling for this from the get go! Anyone wanna bet that the attacks go way down after this? BTW Steve you wouldn't happened to be an Air Force 208 MSgt? |
| Posted by: Cyber Sarge (VRWC CA Chapter) 2003-10-31 12:39:05 PM |
| #7 Time for a house to house search. Maybe Sadaam is hiding inside Uja? Hell, his sons were that stupid and they got their genes from him. |
| Posted by: Charles 2003-10-31 12:13:46 PM |
| #6 Sorry Sarge... I meant the OTHER Steve: "Lt. Col. Steve Russell, a battalion commander in the 4th Infantry Division" One of the drawbacks of the "Army of Steve", don'tcha know... |
| Posted by: mojo 2003-10-31 12:00:12 PM |
| #5 Oh, Lord! You accused him of being an officer. The only thing worse would have been if you suggested he was in the Navy. |
| Posted by: Chuck Simmins 2003-10-31 11:44:32 AM |
| #4 That's MSgt Steve, dammit. |
| Posted by: Steve 2003-10-31 11:08:10 AM |
| #3 About goddamn time, Col. Steve! |
| Posted by: mojo 2003-10-31 10:47:02 AM |
| #2 Here it is. Don't know why it didn't work. |
| Posted by: Steve 2003-10-31 9:32:12 AM |
| #1 A bit over due, but it's a start. Wonder how much concertina wire it would take to encircle Falluja and Tikrit? BTW Steve, what's the source of this. The link didn't work. Thanks for all your posts. |
| Posted by: Gasse Katze 2003-10-31 9:22:38 AM |