MORE HEADACHES FOR OBAMA: IRAQ IS UNRAVELING---NEW YORK TIMES

March 16, 2009
With Local Control, New Troubles in Iraq

By ROD NORDLAND
THE NEW YORK TIMES
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/03/16/world/middleeast/16iraq.html?ref=worldspecial

BAGHDAD — Iraqis are in many ways taking to heart the adage that all politics is local, as Americans hand over to them ever greater control of affairs in the provinces. That local control, however, has brought more horror stories than successes in the past few days.

In Anbar Province, six former Camp Bucca detainees were on their way home on Friday when local police officers abducted and killed them in revenge for their days as insurgents, according to relatives of the victims.

In Wasit Province, a hard-line new police chief appointed by the prime minister has been transferring corrupt policemen out of the area, but local political opponents say that is the reason the local murder rate seems to have doubled.

And in a remote part of northern Diyala Province, Iraqi soldiers surrounded a refugee camp for Iranian dissidents, Camp Ashraf, blockading food and water to the roughly 3,500 residents there. A spokesman for the dissidents’ group, the People’s Mujahedeen Organization of Iran, said Sunday that only the presence of Americans had prevented an attack on them.

Continue reading: http://www.nytimes.com/2009/03/16/world/middleeast/16iraq.html?ref=worldspecial

FOUR U.S. SOLDIERS KILLED IN AFGHANISTAN--NEW YORK TIMES

March 16, 2009
4 U.S. Soldiers Killed in Afghanistan

By SANGAR RAHIMI and CARLOTTA GALL
THE NEW YORK TIMES
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/03/16/world/asia/16afghan.html?_r=1&ref=worldspecial

KABUL, Afghanistan — Four American soldiers were killed in eastern Afghanistan in a roadside explosion on Sunday, the United States military said, in the worst of several attacks by insurgents around the country.

The Taliban claimed responsibility for the attack, a spokesman, Zabiullah Mujahid, said.
The Taliban have been threatening to increase attacks on foreign and Afghan forces in Afghanistan to counter the increase in American troops arriving in the country over the coming months.

Military officials have been predicting an increase in violence this year.

In a separate attack on Sunday, a suicide bomber blew himself up on a main road south of Kabul, killing two Afghan civilians and wounding nine others. The bomber was standing outside a high school and may have been planning to attack members of an Afghan intelligence security force that passed by just minutes later, said Gen. Sayed Abdul Ghafar, the head of police criminal investigations in Kabul.

The wounded were shopkeepers working in nearby stores and people in passing cars, bystanders said. “It was 12 o’clock, I was washing my hands to get ready for lunch and suddenly I heard a loud explosion followed by smoke and dust,” said a 21-year-old shopkeeper, Hejratullah. “When the smoke cleared, I saw my father, my brother and my uncle were lying on the ground and blood was pouring from their bodies.”

Read more here: http://www.nytimes.com/2009/03/16/world/asia/16afghan.html?_r=1&ref=worldspecial

AMERICAN SOLDIERS DISH IT OUT DURING FIREFIGHT IN SANGIN, AFGHANISTAN (ONE OF THE BEST VIDEOS YOU'LL EVER SEE)

This video starts out rather slow, but in a matter of seconds you see American GIs in a fierce firefight with the Taliban in Sangin, Afghanistan. The combat action is intense and violent. Great music accompaniment for this not to be missed video.

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WATCH VIDEO HERE:

http://www.youtube.com/v/nhLn1gR92pk&hl=en&fs=1

CLICK ON DIAMOND-SHAPED ARROW TO PLAY VIDEO

APACHE HELICOPTER USES HELLFIRE MISSILE TO BLOW UP BUILDING IN IRAQ HOUSING SNIPERS (GREAT LAND TO AIR VIDEO)

An Apache helicopter uses a Hellfire missile to wipe out a building housing snipers in Iraq.

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http://www.youtube.com/v/CuI-mhczQRw&hl=en&fs=1

CLICK ON DIAMOND-SHAPED ARROW TO PLAY VIDEO

MARINES TAKE SNIPER FIRE IN IRAQ (WARNING: EXPLICIT LANGUAGE)

U.S. Marines are shown taking sniper fire in this video. WARNING: Explicit language.

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http://www.youtube.com/v/IcPtuFhYmpA&hl=en&fs=1

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BRUTAL VIDEO OF U.S. SPECIAL FORCES IN NIGHT FIGHT WITH INSURGENTS (LIVE ACTION)

This video shows U.S. Special Forces engaged in a night fight at an undisclosed location in Iraq with enemy insurgents. The fighting is intense and violent.

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http://www.youtube.com/v/a-AJgtceVMg&hl=en&fs=1

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U.S. MARINES CAUGHT IN VIOLENT AND INTENSE COMBAT IN IRAQ (DON'T MISS THIS VIDEO)

The action in this video is non-stop as U.S. Marines are caught in various stages of violent and intense combat in Iraq.

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WATCH VIDEO HERE:

http://www.youtube.com/v/M-cnzcymq8k&hl=en&fs=1

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ROCKIN' VIDEO OF U.S. MARINES IN IRAQ FIREFIGHTS (BRILLIANT VIDEO)

This video is compilation of U.S. Marines in various stages of firefights with insurgents in Iraq. There are also some aerial bombings of enemy positions and the music holds it all together in one brilliant piece of video footage.

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WATCH VIDEO HERE:

http://www.youtube.com/v/9UjXDffmn-4&hl=en&fs=1

CLICK ON DIAMOND-SHAPED ARROW TO PLAY VIDEO