Insurgents killed during failed attacks TIKRIT, Iraq – Four insurgent gunmen were killed and another wounded after two failed attacks against Iraqi and Task Force Band of Brothers Soldiers near Balad April 1. Three gunmen attacked an Iraqi Army unit east of Balad the morning of April 1. The Iraqi Soldiers returned fire, breaking up the attack and trapping the gunmen in a nearby house. A patrol from the 3rd Heavy Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division arrived and came under fire as they approached the house. The Soldiers returned fire, killing the three gunmen in the house. Three AK-47 assault rifles and several hand grenades were discovered in the building. In an afternoon attack south of Balad, a second group of gunmen attacked Soldiers from the 3rd HBCT with sustained small arms fire. The Soldier’s return fire killed one gunman and wounded another as coalition aircraft and additional ground forces converged on the area. Four suspects were captured in addition to the two insurgent casualties. No Iraqi or coalition troops were injured in either confrontation. Release A060402d Soldiers discover weapons cache near Tal Afar TIKRIT, Iraq – Soldiers from 1st Brigade Combat Team, 1st Armored Division, discovered a weapons cache near Tal Afar April 1. After spotting three males loading what appeared to be mortar rounds in their car, the Soldiers engaged the men who fled the scene. The Soldiers secured the site and discovered weapons and ordnance in the car and bunker consisting of 17 mortar rounds, two AK-47 assault rifles, and two artillery rounds. All of the items were destroyed by Explosive Ordnance Disposal Soldiers. Release A060402e Operation Red Light II nets detainees and caches TIKRIT, Iraq – Iraqi Army and U.S. Soldiers detained 17 anti-Iraqi forces personnel and discovered four weapons caches during Operation Red Light II in Salah Ad Din province March 31. Soldiers from 1st Battalion, 1st Brigade, 4th Iraqi Army Division, teamed with Rakkasans from 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 101st Airborne Division in a combined air and ground assault on suspected terrorist cells. The four weapons caches consisted of an assortment of IED making material, as well as 27,060 rounds of ammunition, 118 artillery rounds, 102 artillery projectile charges, 31 rockets, 19 rocket-propelled grenades, four surface-to-air missiles, 87 mines, 45 hand grenades, three mortar rounds, one mortar site, and one explosive stick of PE4. The 17 detainees were taken into custody by Iraqi Army Soldiers for further questioning. Release A060402h Iraqi, Coalition Soldiers find weapons cache BAGHDAD, Iraq – In a combined raid March 30, Soldiers from 2nd Battalion, 1st Brigade, 8th Iraqi Army Division, and 3rd Battalion, 16th Field Artillery Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division, located a large weapons cache in south Babil province. The cache consisted of 99 rocket-propelled grenade launchers. Release A060403a Bastogne Soldiers kill and capture insurgents KIRKUK, Iraq – Bastogne Soldiers of the 101st Airborne Division killed two insurgents and detained eight suspected insurgents April 1 after they spotted six of the terrorists emplacing an improvised explosive device near a road the Soldiers frequently travel. Soldiers initially spotted eight men exit a suspicious truck stopped alongside the road. The men quickly dropped several artillery rounds before driving to a nearby village, where about 10 more men gathered around the truck. Within minutes, the truck drove off, and four insurgents started walking toward the IED. The four terrorists split into two teams. One team positioned themselves off the road where they could observe traffic and the IED, while the other team began laying wire through a field to the IED and then completed building the pressure-switch bomb. The insurgents then found a place where they too could watch the explosion. Leaders of 1st Battalion, 327th Infantry Regiment called in air support from 2nd Squadron, 17th Cavalry Regiment. With assistance from the Soldiers who observed the emplacement of the IED, the OH-58 Kiowa helicopters were able to identify and engage two of the insurgents in the field with machine gun fire and rockets. The helicopters were unable to spot the other two insurgents hiding in the field, so the 1st Battalion leaders ordered their men to fire 120mm artillery rounds at the targets. Upon impact of the artillery rounds, one of the suspects began moving back to the village. Bastogne Soldiers drove to the village to conduct a cordon and search for the suspects. The Soldiers searched 10 different structures, detaining eight suspected insurgents for questioning; three of the detainees tested positive for explosive residue. While the Soldiers conducted the cordon and search, another element from 1st Battalion secured the IED site until the explosive ordinance disposal unit could arrive. While EOD examined the IED, Soldiers from 1st Battalion searched the field, confirming two of the terrorists had been killed. Upon arrival, the EOD unit found two 130mm artillery rounds as part of an IED designed harm innocent civilians, Iraqi security forces or Coalition Forces. After confirmation, the unit disposed of the IED with an on-site controlled blast. Release A060403d Two suspected insurgents captured during joint raid BALAD, Iraq - Two suspected insurgents were captured during a synchronized joint raid led by the Iraqi Army, April 2. Assisting the IA were Soldiers with the 1-8th Combined Arms Battalion, 3rd Heavy Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division, Task Force Band of Brothers. The raid’s objective was to capture insurgents known to be living in the area, prevent them from conducting further attacks on IA and Coalition Forces, as well as to gather intelligence. One IA Soldier sustained a minor injury during the mission. The suspected insurgents were taken to a secured location for further questioning and processing.
Release A060402c 
You just know that when he was in school Jack was the weedy little kid that never joined in and who everyone hated, the boy who would run to tell the teacher about everyone else in order to make himself feel important.
Now as a Nu Labour minister we can see that over the years nothing has changed. Yes out of all the corrupt and inept politicos Jack Straw has to be the worst of them all. Jack at his best.
Just read one of those amusing silly stories on Iain Dales site about Norfolk Police, seems that the boys in "blue" have been spending many a man hour indulging themselves in onanism (probably) viewing porn instead of catching criminals. 70 Were investigated, 4 resigned - wonder if the reason was "repetitive strain injurys"? Another 21 had formal warnings and 38 were "referred for advice" - Guess you can now refer to Norfuck, sorry Norfolk police as wankers....
Oh and talking about wankers, check this out on the wankers that run the country. The Bloggerheads site is urging people not to vote Labour. I know I will not be voting for them, after all both my Nu Labour MP's in Newport voted for the ID cards. http://www.backingblair.co.uk/labour/