AP Update On Syrian Border Fighting

There were several clashes with suspected insurgents on Saturday in and around Sadah, approximately 8 miles east of the Syrian border, the military said Sunday in its first full report on the fighting.

Insurgents drove two vehicles toward one U.S. Marine position, dismounted and began to attack with small-arms fire, the military said. One of the vehicles was found to be rigged with explosives. The gun battle left four insurgents dead, the military said. A fifth surrendered.

Elsewhere, Marines discovered and destroyed a roadside bomb on the outskirts of Sadah. Shortly afterward, a U.S. tank destroyed a vehicle carrying a bomb southwest of the village, the military said. North of Sadah, U.S. forces killed three insurgents from the Al-Qaida in Iraq militant group after they attacked a U.S. checkpoint with small-arms fire.

Another insurgent was killed when a U.S. Cobra helicopter destroyed a vehicle after its driver fired on a Marine position with a rocket-propelled grenade, the military said. Another vehicle believed to be carrying grenades was destroyed by missile fire from the Cobra, but its drive and passenger escaped.

No Marine casualties have been reported yet.

Comments

[GrannyToad]

Syria's Damascus airport maybe needs to be closed since it seems they aren't planning to do anything about their open-door policy.

Or maybe some place/s along the Euphrates will do. http://www.lib.utexas.edu/maps/atlas_middle_east/syria_map.jpg

Of these http://www.lib.utexas.edu/maps/iraq.html
I like this best but it takes a while to load. http://www.lib.utexas.edu/maps/atlas_middle_east/iraq.jpg

This isn't bad of Baghdad but the airports not been renamed. http://www.lib.utexas.edu/maps/middle_east_and_asia/baghdad_inset_2003.jpg

mapaholic

[GrannyToad]

You know how many times I crave for a breakfast taco! Please send a couple over and include the salsa.
Posted by: sensible | Oct 2, 2005 11:36:08 AM

Hope you don't mind I grow my own salsa - tomatoes grown for flavor, chiles same, cilantro's redundant - mild sweet onions I cheat & buy.

[Sgt. York]

MEANWHILE, BACK IN FALLUJA:

When we reached Falluja, the area was scary. No police, no army and no Americans at all. Just them [the armed men] driving their cars freely... We did not stop until we reached Rawa...I asked a man wearing a dishdasha what is the OPEL man doing here? He said 'don't worry he is checking the road for his men who are planting an IED on the road.' I was shocked. He said that as if it is something normal... "No American state, no Jafari state.. only Islamic state," read one of the banners at the entrance of Rawa which is absolutely run by the armed men, not by the Americans nor the Iraqi government now. "It was signed by Al-Qaeda in Iraq," S. told me. "There were many banners like this one, in addition to the statements that were posted on the walls and the mosques everywhere," he said.

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[Sgt. York]

Nice links mapaholic [shows the border issue],
http://www.lib.utexas.edu/maps/atlas_middle_east/syria_map.jpg

But seriously, the US wants the Syrian-Iraq border secured. So why is that Syria's job? If the US wants it sealed, the military should station a few hundred thousand US soldiers along the border and seal it on the Iraqi side. The US owns that side of the border so it's their job.

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[usmcmom]

If the US wants it sealed, the military should station a few hundred thousand US soldiers along the border and seal it on the Iraqi side. The US owns that side of the border so it's their job.

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Posted by: Sgt. York | Oct 2, 2005 3:06:47 PM

Amen to that !!! But one disclaimer... they better let the boys take their safety's off, b/c if one American Marine/Soldier is killed b/c of political correctness.... I want them all out.