U.S. Forces Take Action in Areas Dominated by Iraqi Insurgents

[Rose Siding]

BAGHDAD, Iraq, Sept. 9 — American troops today entered the city of Samarra for the first time in months, marking what appears to be a small but significant step in their effort to regain control of the contested Sunni Triangle.

American commanders said their troops, accompanied by Iraqi police and national guard soldiers, drove into the city this morning after gaining assurances from local Iraqi leaders that they would not be fired on.

American soldiers and Iraqi police convened a meeting of the old American-backed council, which then chose a new mayor and police chief. After a few hours that passed without violence, the American soldiers and the Iraqi police left the way they came.
...
As part of the deal, the Americans agreed to open the main bridge that spans the Tigirs River, and whose closure has paralyzed the city. But they did not require the insurgents to give up their guns; only to disappear.

"Our expectation is that we are going to enter the city anytime we want and not be attacked," said Maj. Neal O'Brien, spokesman for the First Infantry Division, which is responsible for Samarra. "This is a good first step."

http://www.nytimes.com/2004/09/09/international/middleeast/09CND-IRAQ.html?hp

[DrWeird]

1. Oh, this will turn out well.

No doubt about it.

[Disturbed]

2. Control?

Seems that the new policy is to allow cities to be under the control of insurgents as long as they don't fire on the Occupation forces. Bombings as of late seem to be the method to subdue the Insurgency, also to keep US death rates down. All quite on the ME Front is the goal so that it will seem that Iraq has been pacified an advantage for Neo Fascists in the upcoming US election .

[DrWeird]

3. Hasn't been working very well.

There's been, what, thirty dead US troops so far in October?

This is what happens when you've got an idiot as a Commander in Chief.