U.S. Forces Hold 70% of Fallujah

[Jeff in Cincinnati]

They're fighting a guerilla war, but counting the factional portions of a city that they "control" -- We control Bagdhad, but that doesn't stop the daily car bombings and mortar attacks, does it? I wonder how long it's going to take before the Pentagon figures out that we're not liberating Paris?

http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story2&u=/ap/20041110/ap_on_re_mi_ea/iraq

I know that some of you are real keen on relgion these days, but this article made me think of this quote from the Book of Proverbs:

11:25 The liberal soul shall be made fat: and he that watereth
shall be watered also himself.
11:26 He that withholdeth corn, the people shall curse him: but
blessing upon the head of him that selleth .
11:27 He that diligently seeketh good procureth favor: but he
that seeketh mischief, it shall come to him.
11:28 He that trusteth in his riches shall fall: but the
righteous shall flourish as a branch.
11:29 He that troubleth his own house shall inherit the wind…

[Teaser]

1. The pentagon understands this...

I'm sure the brass knows the guerrillas just decided they'd do better to have the American's roll quickly in and then roll quickly out. This is all for the benefit of the press and those of us at home. 70% is an impressive number, if you don't know guerrilla warfare.

[prayin4rain]

8. I know, don't the Americans always "win" the quicker the better

so the real fighting can begin? I thought that has been the theme of the entire war.

[maddezmom]

2. and wnen if ever will the "rebuilding" begin??

thought that was part of the master plan to win the hearts and minds :eyes:

[Armand04]

3. Grozny Redux

This is Grozny II, you know those barbaric russian soldiers ... Destroying a city in order to save it ...

Proud member of the Spanish Workers Socialist Party (PSOE)

[Jeff in Cincinnati]

4. Grozny II? I thought this was Guernica II!

It's getting so you can't keep track of the historical atrocities without a scorecard.

[Zynx]

5. Nah, pick a village in Vietnam

Hey, where the fuck did the Cong go?! Ah fuck it, waste the women and children, I need to go toke.

[htuttle]

6. And how do they KNOW they hold 70% of the city?

Given that it's a guerilla war, all they can reasonably say is that US troops are spread out across 70% of the city, not that they 'hold' it.

[Jeff in Cincinnati]

7. What we control...

We control those parts of Iraq when are troops are currently standing. The minute they move, we don't control it anymore.

[cubsfan forever]

9. Indeed!

We "control" 70% because the bulk of the "insurgents" have already relocated to other spots, and are regrouping. What a bunch of Nazi propaganda! And proudly brought to our living rooms by Pravda (FAUX), Cable Nazi News, and MSRNC: "News" from the Fascists, delivered by idiots, for the benefit of morons, all wrapped up in the American flag. Despicable. :puke:

Professor 2

[mcg]

13. Pravda's take on Fallujah and the fixed election

http://english.pravda.ru/

'US War Crimes in Fallujah'
http://english.pravda.ru/mailbox/22/101/399/14549_Fallujah.html

'Bush's butchers blast limbs off baby. PRAVDA.Ru presents letter from the people of Fallujah - the side of the story that George Bush forgot to tell his people'

'Did Bush fix the elections?'
http://english.pravda.ru/mailbox/22/101/399/14556_ballots.html

[cubsfan forever]

14. Thanks!

Seems as though the real Pravda is more honest than the American(Faux) one.

Professor 2

[0007]

10. ....which way did they go?

[lebkuchen]

11. And the rebels hold Allawi's relatives

Very clever.

The Bushies wouldn't negotiate for your family member or mine, but what if the twins were captured?

Bush is now under the gun, or knife, so to speak, to save Allawi's extended family. Bush won't lift a finger. Allawi's family members will be toast, and his allegiance to Bush will be shredded.

Or, if Bush intercedes, he opens himself up to obvious conflicts of interest and accusations of gross hypocrisy, not that Bush cares, post election.

[daleo]

20. I wonder if Allawi cares either

It seems doubtful to me that he would get too excited about a first cousin and a sister-in-law. But, I am just surmising.

[drdtroit]

12. "Come right on in" ...

said the spider to the fly!

[Jeff in Cincinnati]

17. Been trying to find a cartoon...

If anybody has seen this, please provide a link. I think it's a Vietnam-vintage editorial cartoon that shows a GI walking into a large cave opening labeled "Vietnam" but he's casting a worried look down by his feet where there's this tiny little hole labeled "Exit."

Or something like that -- but it was a point that should have been taken at the time.

[TahitiNut]

15. The whole 'amount of territory' thing ...

... is based in agricultural society thinking, as well as the 'conventional' warfare in such contexts. So, it's doubly ridiculous propaganda in the Middle East, where the culture is still predominantly nomadic/tribal and the socioeconomic system is almost entirely based on subterranean resources: water and (now) oil.

[lebkuchen]

16. Our soldiers didn't learn any basic Middle Eastern mores

such as the taboo about not touching the women. To expect them to understand concepts re: nomadic/tribal socioeconomic systems is simply too much to ask.

They understand "shoot and ask questions later," nothing more.

[maddezmom]

18. super, while the rest of Iraq spins out of control

At least 21 die in north Iraq clashes, curfews on flashpoint cities



http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/afp/20041110/wl_mideast_afp/iraq_clashes&cid=1514&ncid=1480

[maddezmom]

19. super, while the rest of Iraq spins out of control

At least 21 die in north Iraq clashes, curfews on flashpoint cities



http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/afp/20041110/wl_mideast_afp/iraq_clashes&cid=1514&ncid=1480

[uppityperson]

21. I recently re-read 1984 and am already cynical of the news

I find the mediaspin, particularily of Fallujah, very interesting. I find myself wondering (loudly, sometimes loudly in my head) how the heck can they know any of this and do they even realize how 1984ish this sounds? It's going faster than planned.... Give us a break.

[Jeff in Cincinnati]

23. It's the troops from Oceania...

[Javaman]

22. Big deal 70%...

Anyone in the military knows, when you are fighting an insurgency, it's always the last 20-25% that is the hardest to take. They call it the cornered rat syndrome. Unless the rebels fall apart, be prepared for heavy casualties.

[VegasWolf]

24. I heard that it was actually 68.935678912 % n/t

[louis-t]

25. Allawi said it was "half"

so now "half" is 70%?

[uppityperson]

26. It's the bigger half.