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Politics : Stockman Scott's Political Debate Porch -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: Wharf Rat who wrote (30985)	11/3/2003 8:42:29 PM
From: Rick Faurot	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 89467

U.S. Soldier Dies in Iraq as Bush Says 'No Retreat' Mon November 3, 2003 06:33 PM ET By Dean Yates BAGHDAD (Reuters) - Faced with a mounting military and civilian death toll and stiffening guerrilla resistance, President Bush vowed on Monday that the United States would not run from its "vital" mission in Iraq. Hours after Bush's pledge in a speech in Alabama, a U.S. soldier was killed and one wounded by a home-made bomb near Saddam Hussein's hometown of Tikrit, the U.S. military said. This brought to at least 252 the number of U.S. soldiers killed by hostile fire since the U.S.-led invasion on March 20. The number of Iraqis killed is in the thousands and steadily climbing. In Baghdad, an explosion echoed across the city after dark, followed by three mortar blasts near the headquarters of the U.S.-led administration in Iraq. U.S. officials said there were no reports of casualties. The president's comments were his first since 16 American soldiers were killed when guerrillas shot down their CH-47 Chinook helicopter on Sunday in the worst single attack since the U.S. invasion. "The enemy in Iraq believes America will run. That's why they're willing to kill innocent civilians, relief workers, coalition troops. America will never run," Bush said, despite falling approval ratings in the United States over the war. "The mission in Iraq is vital," Bush added. But he did not refer to the downing of the helicopter or three other deaths which made Sunday the second worst day overall for the Americans of the conflict. At least 20 U.S. soldiers were wounded. At least three people were killed when a bomb exploded on Monday outside a hotel used by Iranian pilgrims in the holy Shi'ite city of Kerbala, 56 miles south of Baghdad, Shi'ite officials said. GUERRILLA RESISTANCE STIFFENS Guerrilla resistance has stiffened, in contrast to the crushing of Iraq's regular army seven months ago -- a rout partly caused by Saddam's delusion the invasion was only a feint, his former deputy prime minister was quoted as saying. Bush blamed the series of attacks on Saddam holdouts and "foreign terrorists" for the series of attacks. n Washington, the Senate gave final congressional approval to the biggest emergency spending bill in history: $64.7 billion for U.S. troops in Iraq and Afghanistan and $18.6 billion to rebuild Iraq. As U.S. troops and Humvees guarded the wreckage from Sunday's helicopter crash near the flashpoint town of Falluja, west of the capital, gleeful villagers from old men to children celebrated the attack. They called it the perfect present to mark the Muslim holy month of Ramadan. The "Sunni triangle" region, where the helicopter was downed, is a hotbed of anti-U.S. anger. "We usually celebrate Ramadan at the end of the month. Now we are celebrating in the beginning after these infidel Americans were shot down," said taxi driver Abdullah Hissein. The triumphal postwar glow in which Bush taunted Iraqi militants with the challenge "bring them on" has faded to a grim determination against an ever more lethal resistance which has forced most foreign aid workers to leave. U.S. TROOPS SHOOT UP PICKUP TRUCK On Sunday night near Balad, north of Baghdad, U.S. forces fired on a pickup truck, killing six Iraqis, residents said. U.S. soldiers said the vehicle was suspected of carrying insurgents and that the incident was being investigated. Locals said the group had been returning from prayers. On Monday morning in Baquba, northeast of Baghdad, an Iraqi was killed and seven Iraqis were wounded by a roadside bomb. (Additional reporting by Michael Georgy in Baisa, Fadil Badran in Falluja, Adnan Hadi in Kirkuk, and Anna Willard in Birmingham, Alabama)

To: Wharf Rat who wrote (30985)	11/4/2003 10:58:52 AM
From: Jim Willie CB	Read Replies (3) \| Respond to of 89467

Iraq parallels to VietNam are growing by the week Ramaddan attacks just like TET offensives nonsense proclamations by clownish govt officials bravado, pounding of chests, while soldiers' chests are blown apart no way will we leave its oil and airbases were our temptation they will keep us there, too valuable it is hard to make simple conclusions that the attacks are all being made by terrorists, insurgents, and Baath loyalists that is so shallow maybe they are patriots who object to occupation under the guise of reconstruction this war will divide the USA just like VietNam did plenty of good intentions some progress to be sure but impossible victory and so many deaths what for? airbases and oil so far not a sign of democracy or weapons of mass destruction / jim