Fallujah pullback opportunity, not necessarily agreement to end fight: Abizaid (MUST READ!!!)

AFP ^ | Fri, Apr 30, 2004 | AFP

[Eurotwit]

WASHINGTON (AFP) - The withdrawal of marines from Fallujah is "an opportunity, not necessarily an agreement" to end fighting for the city, the commander of US forces in Iraq (news - web sites) said, warning that military action may still be needed to root out foreign fighters.

General John Abizaid said the United States will not tolerate foreign fighters in the city, and will insist on heavy weapons coming off the streets and on freedom of movement for marines and Iraqi security forces.

He said it should be understood that "what we have there is an opportunity, and not necessarily an agreement."

"The opportunity is to build an Iraqi security force from former elements of the army that will work under the command of coalition forces and that will be mentored and work next to coalition forces," he told Pentagon (news - web sites) reporters in a video teleconference from Qatar.

"And I think we must be very careful in thinking that this effort to build an Iraqi capacity will necessarily calm down the situation in Fallujah tonight or over the next several days," he said.

Abizaid said all military options remained "on the table."

"It may still be necessary to conduct very robust military operations in Fallujah. We hope we don't have to do that," he said.

The general, who heads the US Central Command, singled out the need to get rid of foreign fighters -- and in particular Abu Mussab Zarqawi, who he said had used Fallujah as a base of operations.

"This idea that there will be a safe haven for him (Zarqawi) is absolutely unacceptable. Nor will we or our Iraqi partners allow foreign fighters to freely roam the country and attack indiscriminately and use Iraqi civilians as shields from which to conduct military operations," he said.

He said even the best Iraqi forces would be unable to bring Zarqawi's fighters under control.

"So we will have to eliminate that enemy in a way that does not allow that force to challenge us throughout Iraq and other places at other times. No doubt some will infiltrate out, and some will find other means to escape," he said.

Strikingly, Abizaid made no specific mention of former members of the old regime's security apparatus who are believed to be leading the insurgency in the Sunni heartland, including Fallujah.

The omission suggested that commanders hope the new force led by a former Iraqi major general will neutralize Baathist insurgents.

The general said he did not know Major General Jassem Mohamed Saleh, who will lead the Iraq Protection Army, a new Iraqi security force that will take over positions inside the city from the marines.

Iraqis cheered and waved flags as Saleh entered the city Friday, as marines began their withdrawal from the city, pulling down barbed wire defenses from around the soda factory that had served as their headquarters in the city's southern industrial area.

"Yes, there is some room for optimism there," Abizaid said. "But the details of how we will build an Iraqi security capacity there will take some time. We need to have some patience."

"It is a possible breakthrough, but certainly the conditions that must be met are foremost on our minds, and that has to do with the restoring of law and order in Fallujah," he said.

Asked about the fate of those who killed four US contractors in the city March 31, setting off the confrontation, Abizaid said getting them was a "non-negotiable objective."

"Now, I think it would be a stretch for you to say they are in Fallujah. I can't tell you that, nor can anyone else," he added.

[Gucho]

"and the sh*t hits the fan all over the city, what are we going to do?"

The sh*t already has hit the fan, and hopefully this General will clean the blades....If not, the USMC will.

[Dog]

Something else to remember this Fallujah Protective Army we are allowing to enter Fallujah ....are Sunnis.......if they are mauled by the foreign fighters like I suspect could happen...if will not play well in the Sunni triangle.

[X-FID]

[9.11] But if they repent and keep up prayer and pay the poor-rate, they are your brethren in faith; and We make the communications clear for a people who know.

I got this from an online Koran.

[swarthyguy]

They aren't leaving. It's a tactical retreat to not offend the sensiblities of the Fallujans. We're repositioning our troops. Next time they bbq Americans, we'll really take care of them. Really, This time we mean it.

But I support whole heartedly the return of the Baathis.

Too bad we didn't have the good sense to do it last summer if we were going to do it and thereby avoid a lot of what are needless American fatalities and casualties.

Also, next time, the Generals should shut up and not bluster and blowhard about American reprisals if we aren't going to do it.

[oceanview]

it could be the "good republican guards" versus the "bad republican guards".

remember, during the invasion, we paid off alot of top Republican Guard generals to simply stand down. We were talking about that alot here in the early days of the invasion, and evidence was coming out to support it. We don't know who this general is, what his allegiances are. And as others have pointed out, where the hell did this guy even come from? It feels to me like he just walked on stage at the Gong Show in that uniform.

[Ernest_at_the_Beach]

well, first I will say that CENTCOM is doing a terrible job at providing information, or at least refuting things that are false (if they are false).

If they told us then the bad guys would get a clue as to what was coming at them also!

[Dog]

Swarthy....I hear we are staying put .....north of the railroad lines that run just outside the Golan neighborhood we have all the terrorists bottled up in.

[jpsb]

Well the light just went on for me and I can see it all clearly, the next move is up to the Shiites. But one thing is clear, the terrorist are going to lose big time. There will still be lot's of bad guys left in Iraq but they won't be anti-west terrorists.

I think General Conway just dealt himself a winning hand.

I was horrified yesterday and thought we'd lost, today things are looking much better.

[oceanview]

also, what kind of equipment does this iraqi force have? are we going to give them tanks?

[BushisTheMan]

I believe this. The terrorists will unleash a nuclear bomb in a major city in the United States. And the Middle East will be wiped from the face of this earth.

And there will be peace.

[Ernest_at_the_Beach]

Excellent point.

[Dog]

No...heavy arms I hear.

[TomHarkinIsNotFromIowa]

The Fall of Jericho (Faluja). When we start marching around the city and blowing horns look out. The spies are already in the city taking notes. This could be of biblical proportions.

[swarthyguy]

Dog, I can understand all the politics and the strategy behind this.

Tho' I sometimes think we've taken our cues from the Pakistanis.

When the Pakistanis pulled a "Falluja" in Waziristan, we laughed at them.

[jpsb]

yea, but we can handle them. The Sunnis used the terrorist to get the US to negotiate. Now we have a deal and the Sunnis saw what the Marine can do, they know that without the US support they (sunnis) will have no power in the new Iraq. Sunnis will play ball and get the terrorist out of Fallujah, and we migth even help. Well never get the bast*rds that killed the contractors, too bad about that.

[Dog]

Everyone remember what Zarqawi whined about in that now famous letter.........once the June 30 deadline rolled over.......he would be seen as killing fellow muslims....if he attacked after July 1st.

By allowing and putting an Iraqi face on Fallujah and Najaf...we have moved the deadline up two months.

[Ernest_at_the_Beach]

Trying to figure out what is going on from press releases has generated a hell of a roller coaster ride. If we are confused, how about the bad guys that are watching Al Jeezera press reports on their mobile TV's if they still have battery power.

[Dog]

I know...