Anbar Picture Grows Clearer, and Bleaker (Treason Alert: Leaked Classified Report)

The Washington Post ^ | November 28, 2006 | Dafna Linzer and Thomas E. Ricks

[RedRover]

The U.S. military is no longer able to defeat a bloody insurgency in western Iraq or counter al-Qaeda's rising popularity there, according to newly disclosed details from a classified Marine Corps intelligence report that set off debate in recent months about the military's mission in Anbar province.

The Marines recently filed an updated version of that assessment that stood by its conclusions and stated that, as of mid-November, the problems in troubled Anbar province have not improved, a senior U.S. intelligence official said yesterday. "The fundamental questions of lack of control, growth of the insurgency and criminality" remain the same, the official said.

The Marines' August memo, a copy of which was shared with The Washington Post, is far bleaker than some officials suggested when they described it in late summer. The report describes Iraq's Sunni minority as "embroiled in a daily fight for survival," fearful of "pogroms" by the Shiite majority and increasingly dependent on al-Qaeda in Iraq as its only hope against growing Iranian dominance across the capital.

True or not, the memo says, "from the Sunni perspective, their greatest fears have been realized: Iran controls Baghdad and Anbaris have been marginalized." Moreover, most Sunnis now believe it would be unwise to count on or help U.S. forces because they are seen as likely to leave the country before imposing stability.

Between al-Qaeda's violence, Iran's influence and an expected U.S. drawdown, "the social and political situation has deteriorated to a point" that U.S. and Iraqi troops "are no longer capable of militarily defeating the insurgency in al-Anbar," the assessment found. In Anbar province alone, at least 90 U.S. troops have died since Sept. 1.

[RedRover]

Leaked from the DOD? from Congress? Treason is a growth market. The Justice Department is still lumbering around, prosecuting New York Times' reporters for leaking information back in 2001. I want to see the Times punished as much as anyone, but I think we need to look at prosecutions for more recent treachery.

[caver]

This is not funny in the least but I chuckled at your "Treason is a growth market" line.

[Charles Martel]

The U.S. military is no longer able to defeat a bloody insurgency in western Iraq or counter al-Qaeda's rising popularity there, according to newly disclosed details from a classified Marine Corps intelligence report that set off debate in recent months about the military's mission in Anbar province.

Linebacker III, anyone?

[coloradan]

You don't understand. When the name of one 'rat agent is leaked, it's a national security disaster that calls for the immediate resignation of Rumsfeld, Rove, Libby, Cheney, and the impeachment of Bush, but when numerous details of eavesdropping, financial transaction monitoring, prisoner transport and interrogation, etc., are leaked that damage or undermine Republican policies, the leakers are heros, whistleblower, and otherwise laudable.

[RedRover]

Thanks for clearing that up! I will now turn myself in to the nearest Rat Reeducation Center. :)

[TMSuchman]

I thought that leaking classified materials are aginst the law. If it is why then are these "leakers" not in a federal jail facing charges of leaking materials?

[RedRover]

Under the circumstances, you can laugh or cry. I'd rather laugh because crying means you've given up hope. Despite the best efforst of the MSM, I still believe that we will prevail in Iraq.

I saw Newt last night on H&C and he called for a "third campaign" in Iraq that would lead to victory. If he keeps talking that way, he'll be my choice in '08.

[RedRover]

I back the President, but his Justice Department needs to realize we're at war and clamp down hard--especially on leaks of single, unvetted reports. A distinction between President Bush and Clinton is that our president is waging a war on Islamofascists, yet Bush's Justice Department is hapless. These leaks in a time of war should never be tolerated. Instead, leakers are becoming ever more brazen--and dangerous.

[roses of sharon]

These intell leaks have been going on since 9/11.

This is just more evidence that the treasonous left still runs this country, and has for 40 years.

[sgtbono2002]

****** according to newly disclosed details from a classified Marine Corps intelligence report that set off debate in recent months *******

The washington Post and the New York Times get these classified materials before the President has a chance to see them.

Somebody needs to rot in jail for leaking secret information. and some newspaper creps need to be charged with treason for printing it.

[MinuteGal]

I gave up on the Justice Department a long time ago. It does NOTHING about ANYTHING.....except maybe Enron-type things.

I mentally put Justice in the same category as the State Department when it comes to undermining this country. Alberto Gonzales is weak, incompetent, shifty, cowardly and a disaster by any standards of law long-held to be fundamental in this nation. Where his loyalties and his mind lie is unclear in my mind.

I would say the President should have fired his rear a long, long time ago......but reason tells me Gonzalez is secure in his sinecure for one reason.....he makes no waves and no enemies for the Administration....and the Administration appears content with his spinelessness and complete lack of motivation.

When Justice does not move quickly and decisivly on treason, it's sickening and frightening. It only encourages more treason in the future, to boot.

Leni

[Melchior]

Bush will be remembered by the courage he showed in the War on Terrorism. Otherwise, he will be known as an inept politician (like his father), and a man who did not understand how to use the powers of the Presidency.

[thirst4truth]

It does NOTHING about ANYTHING.....except maybe Enron-type things

Ashcroft, spent his time trying to overturn laws in Oregon. Mistakenly, I think, Oregon voters passed the assisted suicide law, and Ashcroft, instead of going after any of Clinton's wrongdoing's thought it was his duty to go after a state law voted on by the majority of Oregon voters. Ashcroft also went after people, Tommy Chong was one of them, who sold hand made dope pipes on line.

[usurper]

Well aside from the leak look at the bright side.

AQ is now pitted against Iran in the ultimate celebrity death match. This should keep them busy for the next couple centuries.

I say we break out the popcorn and get out of the way.

[secretagent]

Perhaps some Marine who wants victory in Anbar leaked this.

[RedRover]

How?

[secretagent]

?

[RedRover]

Sorry. I meant, How could leaking a classified report to the Washington Post lead to victory in Anbar?

[secretagent]

Just speculating, but some approaches might have worked better than others, just like in Vietnam.

I think I've read that one officer in Anbar had success in recruiting the locals. Perhaps everyone should copy this guy.

Just like in Vietnam, plain lessons ignored? I think here of the Marines' Combined Action Patrols (CAP).

Perhaps someone wants to focus attention on the current F'upped Anbar strategy, in an attempt to knock some sense into the brass.

[El Gato]

Somebody needs to rot in jail for leaking secret information.

Not all the information in a "Classified Document" is classified. In general, each paragraph and each table and figure, has it's own classification markings. It's possible that what was leaked were the unclassified parts. I would have thought that such assessment would be included in the classified parts, but maybe not. I'd hope they'd at least be FOUO.