Iraq Update

1. The Washington Post reports that the truce in Fallujah has been broken. And the New York Times tells us that the situation has officially entered the David v. Goliath stage:
   That same day, Brent Bourgeois, a 20-year-old lance corporal from Kenner, La., said he had seen an American helicopter fire a missile at a man with a slingshot. "Crazy, huh?" the corporal said.

2. At least 82 US troops have been killed and 560 wounded so far in of April, giving us the deadliest month since American boots hit the ground in Iraq.
   

3. US troops prepare to mount an assault on the "Shiite Vatican":
   
   NAJAF, Iraq - A 2,500-strong U.S. force, backed by
   tanks and artillery, pushed to the outskirts of the Shiite holy city of
   Najaf on Tuesday for a showdown with a radical cleric...
   The top U.S. commander in Iraq, Lt. Gen. Ricardo Sanchez, said their
   mission was to "capture or kill" radical Shiite cleric Muqtada al-Sadr.
   American units set up a cordon on approaches to the city, barring
   militiamen from leaving.
   Some 2,500 U.S. troops were massed outside of the city and commanders
   met Tuesday to review battle plans.
   "We have consolidated north of Najaf and are preparing for combat
   operations," said Maj. Gen. John R. S. Batiste, commander of the 1st
   Infantry Division.

4. And finally, remember this "hearts and minds" photo? Well, it looks like it's under investigation by the Pentagon.

Posted by flow Frazao on April 14, 2004 at 08:55 AM | Permalink