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04/18/2004 Archived Entry: "Eleven more killed today."
Eleven more killed today.
In an ambush on the Syrian border. Never mind the Iraq comparisons, this is starting to smell like friggin' Cambodia.
U.S. troop deaths in Iraq reached 700, with 504 killed in combat, as the military on Sunday added 11 American casualties to the war's mounting death toll.Spanish Prime Minister Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero, meanwhile, on Sunday said he will withdraw Spanish troops from Iraq "in the shortest time possible."
Zapatero, who was sworn into office Saturday, had previously vowed to bring home Spain's 1,300 troops if the United Nations did not have "political and military control" in Iraq by June 30.
The U.S. casualties announced Sunday included five Marines who were killed in fierce fighting near Iraq's border with Syria.
The Marines were killed Saturday when a patrol reported coming under attack by insurgents with machine guns and rocket-propelled grenades near the town of Husaybah, the Marines said.
Reinforcements, backed by helicopter support, also came under fire by insurgents operating from near Husaybah's former Ba'ath Party headquarters, the military said.
Spain is pulling out ASAP, and tyhe UK is sounding like they have doubts. This war will be Bush's alone by June 30 - at which point we may never get out. Way to go, you idiots.
Replies: somebody speaks up.
Having their doubts is putting it mildly, editor. From Juan Cole, via our mutual good friend atrios:
'During an interview in Basra last week Brig Carter acknowledged that the Coalition's presence in southern Iraq was entirely dependent on the goodwill of the local Shia Muslim leader, Sayid Ali al-Safi al-Musawi. He represents Ayatollah Sistani, Iraq's leading Shia cleric. "The moment that Sayid Ali says, 'We don't want the Coalition here', we might as well go home," Brig Carter said.'
Later.
Posted by Daddy-O @ 04/18/2004 07:53 PM NY
