This Would Be Great

[Annie]

I hope it's true:
http://www.news.com.au/common/printpage/0,6093,8189683,00.html

Iraqi resistance leader 'surrenders'
By Peter Wilson in Baghdad and agencies
17Dec03

THE reputed head of the Iraqi insurgency surrendered to US forces at dawn yesterday, Al-Arabiya television reported last night.

The reported surrender of Izzat Ibrahim al-Douri, the highest ranking member of the former regime still at large, follows the arrest at the weekend of two leaders of the insurgency along with Saddam Hussein.

 

[jimnyc]

If this turns out to be true, that would be outstanding news! I'll have to monitor various news sources now.

 

[jimnyc]

Still not sure if it was him, but it appears a major bust has in fact been made. 74 more down the tubes!!

Coalition officials say operation nets 74 Iraqis in Samarra

TIKRIT, Iraq (CNN) -- U.S. troops captured what the military calls a "high-value target" and 73 other Iraqis during a massive raid early Tuesday in the north-central Iraqi town of Samarra, coalition officials said.

Officials said the high-value target was captured at his home, where he was apparently having a meeting. All 74 Iraqis were captured at the house in Samarra, about 25 miles (40 kilometers) south of Tikrit, officials said. The suspects were young men of military age, and no women were present, officials said.

Coalition officials described the top man as a midlevel official, a member of the paramilitary group Fedayeen Saddam and a financier of attacks on coalition troops. Officials said they believe he can lead them to some insurgents involved in the attacks.

Coalition officials also said they found 135 pounds of explosives, several mortar rounds, 15 AK-47s, 200 blasting caps and other ammunition and paraphernalia similar to those used in attacks against coalition troops.

U.S. troops have fought off ambushes in Samarra twice this month -- on December 1, when the military said troops killed 54 Iraqis, and Monday, when they killed 11 attackers.

Brig. Gen. Martin Dempsey, commander of the 1st Armored Division in Baghdad, said that Saddam Hussein's arrest Saturday could help U.S. forces search for Iraqi insurgents.

Dempsey said that while Saddam apparently was not directing the attacks on coalition forces, some insurgents did report to him "on the chance that some day he might be able to once again be their patron."

Documents found with Saddam already have provided useful information, officials in Washington said. Dempsey said that within 24 hours of the capture, troops had arrested "some high-level former Baath leaders" connected with financing the insurgency, based on names found in the documents.

http://www.cnn.com/2003/WORLD/meast/12/16/sprj.irq.main/index.html

 

[spillmind]

i really REALLY don't mean to be a naysayer, but i really don't see the violence going away anytime soon.

i can only wish that people stop dying, but i see palestine and israel, and i look at the 'rogue' neighboring nations to iraq, and i can't help but think many more people are going to have to die... and i can see no end in the violence in sight.

what if it continues/gets worse? then what do we do?

 

[nbdysfu]

I have never seen the beginning of violence, and I think it will go on wether we want it to or not. The past proves that. It's only a matter of wether the democratic government or the totalitarian regime and madman decide when and who.