The Holy Hand-Grenade of Fallujah

In addition to being a neat on-the-scene report of an Iraqi firefight, this dispatch seems to offer independent verification that insurgents use mosques as cover during attacks on U.S. forces.

And the people did rejoice and did feast upon the lambs, and toads, and tree-sloths, and fruit-bats, and orangutans, and breakfast cereals…

Comments

[MALAK]

And, having reached the count of three, thou shalt fling the Holy Hand Grenade towards thine enemy who, being unclean in the eyes of the Lord, shall snuff it . . .

[MALAK]

Okay, so not a direct quote but you get the gist . . .

[Mo]

1 ... 2 ... 5

[MALAK]

No, no, no, . . . three!

[John Hensley]

That title is just sick.

[dot]

"It seemed like an eternity but was probably no more than five minutes" Hey - didn't he check his watch just a few paragraphs before this? Don't trust a word. He's an idiot or a storyteller.

[SteveInClearwater]

"It's just a BUNNY!"

"You tit, I've soiled me armor!!"

[Jason Bigaldo]

I don't know how common the use of mosques as firing positions is, but if it is quite common, the US needs to blow one or two up. Sure the PR would be bad at first, but this will pass. What will stick around is the lesson to the Imams, police them yourself, don't let people use them as cover, or we will blow them the fuck up. Each of these guys has their own little protection force, their mosque isn't being used without their permission. Try and pick one without any extra people in it (I don't know if this is possible) and then pay for a new one afterward with a sorry, sorry, sorry.

IF this is a common problem, and is getting US troops killed, it would be worth it.

[nobody]

Plenty of religious sites were bombed and destroyed during the Second World War. The Christians got over it. I think Muslims have longer memories.

[joe]

I can see your point, Jason, but in case you haven't noticed, the "hearts and minds"/nation building/stabilization element of the mission is a lot more important than the combat side right now. Gaining a minor tactical advantage over an enemy that our forces already dominate is not worth the price of having the whole country turn against us.

[Russ D]

Some Python link. They left out the best part!

"And the Lord did grin."

[Mo]

nobody,
Of course, WWII wasn't percieved as a religious crusade by either side. Like joe said, military objectives are less important than winning hearts and minds. That is not to say that Jason doesn't bring up a good point. If this happens a lot, we should do it to one or two mosques used as cover as a shot across the bow. Rebuild them after the message is recieved loud and clear. Though, we should try to avoid the older, more historical ones.

[anon]

"this dispatch seems to offer independent verification that insurgents use mosques as cover during attacks on U.S. forces"

How is a journalist travelling with "a senior [US] military officer or senior Pentagon civilian" is considered independent?

[thoreau]

Who, being naughty in my sight, shall snuff it

Thou shalt not butcher Python quotes!

[MALAK]

Breathe thoreau, just breathe . . .