Football and pizza point to US staying for long haul in Iraq

[ECH1969]

al-Asad is the biggest marine camp in western Anbar province. It is in the midst of the most rebellious region in Iraq, where thousands of insurgents have been killed in a series of operations over the past year. But get "inside the wire" and this stretch of desert increasingly resembles a slice of US suburbia rather than the front line in a war zone.

Its restaurants include a Subway and a fast food pizza shop. There is a coffee shop, football pitch and even a swimming pool. A cinema shows the latest films while the camp's main recreational centre offers special dance nights - hip hop on Friday, salsa on Saturday and country and western on Sunday. There is even a Hertz car rental providing saloons with bullet-proof windows for those wanting to cross the base in something more comfortable than a military Humvee.

For as the news from Washington focuses on troop withdrawals, the US military is beginning to implement at immense cost the next stage in its policy for Iraq. And it is one likely to disappoint those hoping for a quick exit of all foreign troops.

Last summer reports began to emerge that plans had been drawn up to create four "super-bases", giant camps that would house tens of thousands of US soldiers similar to other sprawling military facilities around the world.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=/news/2006/02/11/wirq11.xml&sSheet=/news/2006/02/11/ixworld.html

[BushOut06]

1. Nice way to rub their noses in it

Not only are we going to stay here in Iraq, but we're going to bring the excesses of Western Civilization along with us!

[ECH1969]

2. Wait until Wallmart comes to Iraq

[BushOut06]

3. LOL, I was just thinking the same thing

Wonder if they'll have a nice Bubba's House of Pork BBQ also?

[tanyev]

7. And wish all the shoppers a perky "Merry Christmas!"

[genie_weenie]

4. This isn't new, I worked on Camp Ramadi

which was an old IZ Republican Guard base, and has been earmarked as one of the major bases since at least when the 82D Airborne was there in Fall/Winter 2003...

And Al Asad is huge!

[leftchick]

5. The US is there until we are thrown out by an Arab uprising

which will happen sooner or later....

<snip>

But it breaks no rules to say this is a place so extensive it has two bus routes inside and the sight of workers constructing new billets for more troops is common.

Last month, red "Stop" signs - the ubiquitous feature of American street furniture - went up at all road junctions.

Senior members of the governing Shia parties have complained that they show American plans for a long-term presence in their country.

Sunni members of the Iraqi Islamic Party regard them as evidence of an open-ended "occupation", a charge denied by US officials who insist the bases are another step in an eventual withdrawal.

But even the marines based at al-Asad are sceptical about how quickly that step will be completed.

[ECH1969]

6. The sectarian politics of Iraq make that extremely unlikely

The Shia leadership hate us, but like our money and want us to protect from from the Sunnis.

The Sunni leadership hate us, but fear Iran and the Shia far more then they do us so they want us to protect them.

The Kurds like us and also want to use the US to protect them against a Turkey.

[leftchick]

8. so we stay forever with US bases being giant perpetual targets?

sounds like a plan.

[ECH1969]

10. These four superbases would be vulnerable to air attack

if someone hijacked a plane and flew it into one of the bases. But, ground assaults would have no effect on the multi billion dollar super bases.

I am not saying I approve of the plan. But, what you are going to have is US troops in four superbases as Sunnis and Shia kill each other on the outside

[Vexatious Ape]

9. what the troops want is....

Beer. Cold beer, but no chance at that I imagine.