The New York Times is playing up American losses - nine, unfortunately. But that's not all the news. Forty-thousand pounds of bombs in ten minutes, that'll get your attention.
(CBS/AP) U.S. bombers and jet fighters unleashed 40,000 pounds of explosives during a 10-minute airstrike Thursday morning, flattening what the military called al Qaeda in Iraq safehavens on the southern outskirts of the capital.
A military statement said two B-1 bombers and four F-16 fighters dropped the explosives on Arab Jabour in 10 strikes on 40 targets.
The massive attack was part of Operation Phantom Phoenix, a nationwide campaign launched Tuesday against al Qaeda in Iraq.
"Thirty-eight bombs were dropped within the first 10 minutes, with a total tonnage of 40,000 pounds," the statement said.
Six of the nine were killed by a booby-trapped house.
Forward Operating Base Normandy, Iraq — A house booby-trapped with explosives killed six American soldiers on Wednesday during an offensive against Sunni insurgents in Diyala province, making it the deadliest day for U.S. troops in Iraq since November.
The blast, which also killed an Iraqi translator and injured four U.S. soldiers, took place on the second day of an unusually large campaign in Diyala against the insurgent group al-Qaida in Iraq. The explosion came one day after three American troops were shot to death in the neighboring northern province of Salahuddin.
OK, we bombed the crap out of these irregulars. But go to this link to see how one of our potential (or present, take your choice) enemies have mastered the art of ocean camouflage. After all thanks to Crayolas we all know that water is blue.
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/01/10/world/middleeast/10iran.html?ex=1357621200&en=38ce68fa767918d4&ei=5090&pa
Posted by: Fred Beloit | Thursday, January 10, 2008 at 09:22 AM