Iraq: Day Eleven of Operation “Charge of the Knights”

Day Eleven of Operation...
“Charge of the Knights”
Friday, April 04, 2008

Col. Oliver North, host of “War Stories” on the Fox News Channel, brings us this great news report today and he starts it off like this... In the midst of last week's meaningless Arab League Summit in Damascus, Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki boldly launched his government's first major offensive against renegade Shiite militias... Ranging from Baghdad's suburbs south to Basra — the country's oil port and second most populous city — Saulat al-Fursan (Charge of the Horsemen) is the largest and most complex operation undertaken by the Iraqi military since 2003. The effectiveness of Iraq's soldiers, police and Special Operations forces in this bloody fight will be an important factor during Tuesday's congressional appearances for General David Petraeus and Ambassador Ryan Crocker...
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Basra: Fact and Fiction

* Reuters.com has this report out today... A U.S. helicopter fired on militants at the request of Iraqi forces in the southern city of Basra on Friday, a British military spokesman said... Major Tom Holloway, spokesman for British troops in southern Iraq, was not able to give details of casualties in the strike in the Hayaniya neighborhood, an area that has seen fighting between government troops and Shi'ite militants... Eyewitnesses said there were casualties at the scene, where several houses were damaged...
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U.S. helicopter strikes militants in Iraq's Basra

* MWCNews.com reports... Iraq's prime minister has called for a nationwide security crackdown against suspected Shia Muslim fighters to be held back so that those targeted can give up their weapons... A statement issued by Nuri al-Maliki's office on Friday read: "Raids and arrests should stop to give a chance for those who want to repent to lay down their weapons."...
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Iraq PM pauses security crackdown