More information on the current US offensive in Northwest Iraq, and what the enemy is claiming.
Thus far the US seems to be passing out "body count" bullshit, followed by the gradual slow admission of high US casualties.
Jihad Unspun is carrying the Al Qaida and Jaish Ansar Asunnah accounts of the recent battles, quoted in part below. Let me say that I in no way endorse or empirically give any credit to these accounts, nor do I support those who wrote them. My primary intention is to determine the truth about what is going on in Iraq and, and to see who is telling us the truth about it. That will best serve our troops who have already given so much, and been put in harm's way by deception. Having said that, I have also included other material which I have deemed interesting, though the reader should be aware of its propaganda uses.
More below the jump
The first account is of the battle in Al-Qaim, May 8-9. The Al Qaida statement is preceded by an editoral comment by Jihad Unspun, which seems to mock early US reports that the fighters were better prepared than expected, and showed signs of being "foreign fighters." Certain offensive and/or religious comments have been removed.
Jihad Unspun's editorial comments:
"After weeks in one of the fiercest battles in Iraq yet, the Mujahideen, well prepared and steadfast, pulled out all the stops taking out 40 Americans in 48 hours by the grace of Allah, and have declared a decisive victory in Al-Qaim.
While mainstream news reports started preparing the public for the worst a few days ago, elevating the level of preparedness of the "insurgents" they used to refer to as inept disorganized "rebels" by writing articles about their "strength and ingenuity", the Mujahideen were busy carrying out their plans, with Allah firmly in their hearts. And what Allah commands, no man can defeat.
Here are exerpts of the lengthy translated Al Qaida statement:
... American casualties, in the last two days alone, has exceeded 40 dead and many more wounded. Many of their armored and mechanized vehicles were destroyed, by the Grace of Allah. Ten or more of your brothers have been martyred...
The enemies of Allah claimed to have lost 3 soldiers only. Do they mean that their losses, after the martyrdom operations and numerous attacks, were only three soldiers?
The enemies of Allah say that rebellious foreigners are responsible for the attacks on American and Iraqi forces. Let it be known to everyone: A rebel is the one who disobeys Allah and rejects faith.
O you cross worshippers! Who do you consider a foreigner? Those who reject faith in Allah and were brought by you from every corner of the world, driven by materialistic gains? Or those Muslims who sacrifice everything, their homes, their families, and their jobs to answer the call of Allah, to come and defend Allah's religion, seeking nothing in return except from Allah?
O you cross worshippers; you are full of hate... you demolish houses on top of helpless women and children. ...The Americans have opened up a hell fire for themselves; they will not be able to put it out, even if they want to....
The statement that 40 Americans were killed seems inflated, but is at least less so than the bulletin from Al Qaida on the previous day, which claimed 100 Americans killed. The Department of Defense suggested that perhaps 4 were killed in this action, but embedded reporters told that 7 had died. In the afternoon of May 14, ABC reports the Defense Department raised their total to 9.
"U.S. Calls Iraq Border Operation a Success
Updated 4:55 PM ET May 14, 2005
The U.S. military pronounced its weeklong offensive near the Syrian border over Saturday, saying it had successfully "neutralized" an insurgent sanctuary and killed more than 125 militants.
During the weeklong operation, many more suspected insurgents were injured and 39 with "intelligence value" were captured, the military said in a statement. It provided no details about the detainees.
Nine U.S. Marines were killed and 40 injured during the campaign known as Operation Matador, during which American forces searched the Euphrates River villages of Karabilah, Rommana and Obeidi for followers of Iraq's most-wanted militant, Abu Musab al-Zarqawi.
While the information from Al Qaida admits to the death of 10 of their fighters, the
US "body count" is ten times that; the US has apparently plopped another 25 kills on top of the "buried under rubble" 100 previously claimed. The latter, at least, is clearly bogus.
A second battle is also described. This has not yet appeared in Defense Department releases or news stories, as far as I have been able to discover.
Here are exerpts of the Jihad Unspun editorial comments:
The largest US base in western al-Anbar Province, Ein Al-Asad or The Lions Eye, came under attack yesterday in what appears to be a reciprocal attack against the US tactic of cutting off the power and water to towns they deem require to be bought under "control"
....There were also reports that rocket fire hit the central communications center, cutting off all communications capability between the base and some units deployed in Al-Anbar where heavy fighting has been underway however these reports could not be confirmed.
While US sources acknowledge the attack, it was downplayed saying only four American technicians were killed and that they were having "difficulties" in communicating.
Here are exerpts from the Jaish Ansar Asunnah
statement claiming responsibility for the attack:
Your Mujahideen brothers are constantly surprising the enemies of Allah with new weapons and new ways to attack them. This morning, your brothers launched a major assault of the water and power stations supplying the American base in Ein Al-Asad with water and electricity. Ein Al-Asad is the base from which all reinforcement are sent to the cross worshippers in Al-Qaim.
I have not yet been able to find any US acknowledgment of this attack. It will be interesting to follow the US version, if it ever becomes public.
In summary, thus far it would appear that both sides are engaging in the expected inflation of enemy casualties. However, it is still a bit too early to call bullshit on the enemy figures.