Samarra ambush backfires on Saddamites

Washington Times:

"Fierce fighting between U.S. soldiers and Iraqi militants in Samarra Sunday left 46 rebels dead and at least 18 wounded.

..."The rebels were wearing the uniforms of the pro-Saddam Hussein Fedayeen, MacDonald said."

While the Iraqi Saddamites may have had some intelligence about the convoy, it was clearly not enough. The convoy was escorted by M-1 Abrams tanks and Bradley fighting vehicles as well as attack helicopters. A platoon size force attacking such a convoy is badly outmatched. Anytime the Saddites have attempted to attack in units that large the consquences for them have been disasterous for them.

It could have been desperation driving the futile ambush. The convoy is reported by Fox News to have been carrying the new Iraqi currency. Captured Iraqis could give valuable clues to their command structure.

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