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| Iraq | |
| US warplanes bomb targets in Saddam's hometown | |
| 2003-11-08 | |
| US warplanes and armoured vehicles have battered suspected guerrilla hideouts in Saddam Hussein's hometown after six soldiers were killed when a Black Hawk helicopter was shot down earlier this week. F-16 fighter planes dropped bombs on targets near Tikrit, 175 kilometres north of Baghdad, and troops backed by Abrams tanks and Bradley fighting vehicles destroyed several houses which the US military believed had been used by insurgents. Lieutenant-Colonel Steve Russell of the 4th Infantry Division based in Tikrit confirmed the Black Hawk that crashed on Friday had been brought down by guerrillas. "We do believe it was brought down by ground fire," he said. Soldiers said the Black Hawk was probably hit by a rocket-propelled grenade. It was the third US helicopter to be shot down in Iraq in the last two weeks. The US response was swift. After dark on Friday, warplanes swooped over Tikrit, dropping several 500-pound bombs near the helicopter crash site. Then raids were launched around the town — a hotbed of resistance to the US-led occupation. "We are targeting those areas where we have had attacks on coalition forces," Lieutenant-Colonel Russell said. "We want to eliminate those threats."
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| Posted by:Fred Pruitt |
| #6 Steven seems to be getting alot of action and attention. A future general perhaps? |
| Posted by: Charles 2003-11-8 12:56:56 PM |
| #5 "no better friend, no worse enemy" |
| Posted by: Jarhead 2003-11-8 11:09:16 AM |
| #4 This was for us as much as for them... still an excellent idea. Bring back the assault gun and make many friends. |
| Posted by: Shipman 2003-11-8 10:37:03 AM |
| #3 More: After midnight, Russell's convoy of Humvees and Bradley fighting vehicles, their headlights turned off, set out across the town toward three building that insurgents were suspected of using. Shoulder-fired rockets, a missile, and heavy machine gun fire slammed into the abandoned warehouse. Soldiers yelled, "knock, knock" and "good morning" in celebration as the structure crumbled amid plumes of dust and smoke. |
| Posted by: Frank G 2003-11-8 9:17:15 AM |
| #2 "We want to remind this town that we have teeth and claws and we will use them," said Lt. Col. Steven Russell of the 4th Infantry Division who led raid. Russell's a quote machine! I love him! |
| Posted by: Frank G 2003-11-8 9:15:22 AM |
| #1 Yes! Bombs! Break out the Rockeyes. |
| Posted by: Shipman 2003-11-8 8:05:27 AM |