BUSH MAKES THE CALL: NO FULL SCALE FALLUJAH OFFENSIVE

The Drudge Report ^ | April 25, 2004 | Matt Drudge

[threat matrix]

developing tonight..header for now

[McGavin999]

LOL, it gets really frustrating.

[Polybius]

Yeah, but the thing is this idelology isn't just in those two cities. It is just that those two cities are main instances of violent armed terror. But terror has been happening all over Iraq, in Baghdad, Basra. The US must target the ideology. It isn't just about a person or a group, it is about what is driving them to hate us.

That is why I said that the Pakistani and Saudia Arabian regimes, if for no other reason than their own self preservation, have to be brought to the point where they are persuaded to target their own radical mullahs.

You are not born a radical Muslim. You have to be carefully taught. Target the teachers and you target the problem. Israel has been pursuing that policy lately in the case of Hamas.

In the case of Iran, military aid and training to the young Iranians who have spent their entire lives chaffing under mullah rule would adress that particular rat's nest.

[DiscoStu1979]

I hope you are right - I have no problem with flattening Fallujah if it saves the life of even one Marine. If the Iraqis aren't willing to stand up and fight for their freedom then they aren't worth defending.

[altura]

He's called the commander-in-chief.

He listens to the military, but then the decision is his.

That's the way we want it... or at least I do.

[GOPyouth]

I agree that this is tactical. A lot of variables are factored into this, and many many more than myself and others on here are privy to. This is where the trust factor comes into play. I trust the generals right now and the President of the United States to make the correct decisions, and their track record so far allows me to trust them.

Over a full year after this war started, only a very few soldiers have had to make that ultimate sacrifice. That's a result of leadership and outstanding soldiers. Nobody likes to lose a soldier, but the numbers are extremely low, and we should be very proud of that.

A few months before the turn-over are left. Do we try every last chance to use diplomacy, or do we say "screw it" and smoke the place? We may end up doing the latter, but as long as any kind of progress can be made, I'm all for it.

For those on here who are calling the president gutless and saying the United States and her coalition have now been defeated, I ask you to examine who exactly it is who is gutless. A decision has been made for one part of a city, and some people on here have already tucked tail and run, conceding defeat from the comforts of a keyboard.

I have full faith our boys will adapt to any circumstance and bring calm and stability to this city.

[Southack]

c#218

[yonif]

I agree with you. We have not done that yet on that ideological front, so that is why I believe taking down Fallujah or Najaf will not solve the terror problem in Iraq.

[Mark]

I agree.
Suicide bombers are crazy, but using snipers is a great response(from the other thread). I also read that suicide bombers are getting fewer and fewer, especially Israel, because the peons are getting wise to the idiocy.

[altura]

He just keeps doin' that, doesn't he?

[mbraynard]

In preparation for OCS, I've been reading the USMC manual from 1940, Small Wars. Given my understanding of what works and what doesn't, I think this will probably be the best one.

I also think a lot of right winger types freaking out over this should read the manual (free pdf on the web) and have a little more respect for the decisions of the US military leadership.

[altura]

Bye.

Have fun with Kerry and Terayza.

[Let's Roll]

As long as we keep them under seige - I don't care if we ever go in - but what about the talk of shared patrols with Iraqis etc.? That is a recipe for disaster - it will just allow them to keep picking our guys off one at a time. GRRR!

[Polybius]

I agree with you. We have not done that yet on that ideological front, so that is why I believe taking down Fallujah or Najaf will not solve the terror problem in Iraq.

Well, as you pointed out, Israel, for whatever reasons, has decided not to shut down the Palestinian radio stations spewing out calls to violence.

One of the things that set off the al Sadr uprising was that his radio station was shut down by the U.S.

Now, his faction has no radio station, his militia has been politically isolated from other Shiites, U.S. snipers are picking off his militia and al Sadr is a dead man walking.

All in all, the idoelogy is being targeted and killed.

[Kay Soze]

Do you really know John Kerry and Teresea Heinz?

[altura]

In case you want to make another pointless post to OhioWfan, she is not a "bud," she is a she and a mother to a son who spent a year in Iraq and is just now home.

[AndrewC]

But you are jumping wildly to a conclusion based on a single solitary sensationalistic headline by Drudge, and therefore your negativism is baseless.

If you didn't serve and have no understanding about morale in the military, you don't have a basis to say that my convictions on the subject are wrong.

[yonif]

Next step if Iraq is to succeed is to target the ideological fronts around it.

[FreeReign]

He's called the commander-in-chief. He listens to the military, but then the decision is his. That's the way we want it... or at least I do.

That's good common sense really!

Yet you have about ten Freepers on this thread who seem to think a president should simply tell the military to go to war and then simply keep his presidential mouth shut. If not, he's then some reincarnate of LBJ in White House basement. What BS!

Observe the latest propaganda as parroted by some Freepers....

[AndrewC]

In case you want to make another pointless post to OhioWfan, she is not a "bud," she is a she and a mother to a son who spent a year in Iraq and is just now home.

Fine, congrats to her. I have a son-in-law there now. I work on the B-1B. I have close friends whose sons were in on the initial attack on Iraq. And I served. I say what I mean and I mean what I say. Bud = Friend.

[altura]

Every soldier is precious and it is hard to make this comparison without seeming heartless, but to mention Vietnam in comparison with Iraq is completely ridiculous.

Many WEEKS, and some days in Vietnam we lost more servicemen than the entire Iraq war so far.

We have a leader this time. Try to have a little faith.