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American Sniper - Boekje Pienter

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Tony shot the driver in the head. The vehicle veered off and<br />

crashed into another building nearby. A helo came in a short while<br />

later and blew up the truck. A Hellfire missile whooshed in, and the<br />

dump truck erupted: it had been filled with explosives.<br />

FINALLY, A PLAN<br />

By early June, the Army had come up with a plan to take Ramadi<br />

back from the insurgents. In Fallujah, the Marines had worked systematically<br />

through the city, chasing and then pushing the insurgents<br />

out. Here, the insurgents were going to come to us.<br />

The city itself was wedged between waterways and swampland.<br />

There was limited access by road. The Euphrates and the Habbaniyah<br />

canal bounded the city on the north and west; there was one bridge on<br />

either side near the northwestern tip. To the south and east, a lake,<br />

swamps, and a seasonal drainage canal helped form a natural barrier<br />

to the countryside.<br />

The U.S. forces would come in from the perimeters of the city, the<br />

Marines from up north, and the Army on the other three sides. We<br />

would establish strongholds in various parts of the city, demonstrating<br />

that we were in control—and essentially daring the enemy to attack.<br />

When they did attack, we would fight back with everything we had.<br />

We’d set up more and more footholds, gradually extending control<br />

over the entire city.<br />

The place was a mess. There was no functioning government, and<br />

it was beyond lawless. Foreigners entering the city were instant targets<br />

for killing or kidnapping, even if they were in armored convoys. But<br />

the place was a worse hell for ordinary Iraqis. Reports have estimated

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