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.

[swarthyguy]

Well, then I bow to your oh so greater and superior knowledge of Falluja.

Must be that everybody's lying. And only you know the truth.

We do agree, I guess, then on the wisdom of bringing the Baathis back, despite all the demonisation the Administration engaged in.

Pssst. One hint, jihadis don't care about their dead. What matters is the US Marines didn't take them out and establish physical control of the city.

Slice it any way you want - it's a victory for jihadis.

Even if we go back in later.

[Gefreiter]

Polybius,
I can tell this is a sensitive topic for you. I encourage you to re-read my posts, and talk some more about it later.

In your re-reading, you'll find that my language is in no way hysterical or inflammatory. I've used only the information available to me to draw a conclusion about how the bad guys will interpret this repositioning of forces.

Given our brief history working collaboratively with organized Iraqi forces and leadership, I have very little confidence in Iraqi soldiers or this former general's willingness to support American policy. Regardless of how many insurgents died, they are in charge of the city and the Marines are not. Read the original article about the differences between the soldiers who will man this Fallujah Batallion and the insurgents who were fighting the last month- often, they're the same guys. When I add everything up, I don't believe that those insurgents still at work can possibly see this as defeat for their side.

You'll also find that I've never, in this post or any other, used the word "quagmire" or drawn allusions to Vietnam, which I find as distasteful as you apparently do.

Nor do I claim to know where the contractor mutilators are. But I do know they aren't in custody. Or, I'd sure hope that if they were in custody we'd know about it since their capture was a big reason for the Fallujah operation in the first place, and one of our ongoing demands.

[FreeReign]

The poll *also* showed that 50 percent of Iraqis now think that it is sometimes justified to attack American troops. If the insurgents are "bad guys" doesn't that also mean that these 50 percent are "bad guys" too?

The real-life estimate was 2,000 bad guys resisting and fighting in Fallujah. I've heard that maybe 1,000 or more have be removed. Our goal was to remove these 2,000 or so who were resisting.

To "take stock" in the present Fallujah situation is to abtain a reality check on these numbers.

[Ernest_at_the_Beach]

If the top of the map is north then I would say the Kill Box is the NW portion of the map with the railroad to the top and the river to the left. I think there are still Marines in there in spite of all the misleading press releases.

[Rokke]

"Must be that everybody's lying. And only you know the truth"

Who is lying? The press is telling 10% and you are letting your imagination fill in the rest of the picture. I'm just telling you, your imagination isn't very accurate in this case.

[Gucho]

"The poll *also* showed that 50 percent of Iraqis now think that it is sometimes justified to attack American troops."

Hey Captain Kirk......we have to forget the useless polls and take care of business.

[Gucho]

" I think there are still Marines in there in spite of all the misleading press releases."

The USMC are still in key locations of Fallujah.

[Gefreiter]

It doesn't matter to them how many we kill.

What I'm trying to grasp is how they will perceive of this repositioning of American forces. And they will see it as a victory for their side.

However many our side killed isn't the point, because body counts are not going to win or lose this war.

[Ernest_at_the_Beach]

The Headlines never seem to say that.

[FreeReign]

It doesn't matter to them how many we kill. What I'm trying to grasp is how they will perceive of this repositioning of American forces. And they will see it as a victory for their side.

If there are 2,000 bad guys in Fallujah and if the Marines and/or this new Iraqi division kill all 2,000, then it doesn't matter how many the Marines kill.

The jihadists elsewhere will see it as a loss -- by hook or by crook.

[Amerigomag]

After all the effort, material and lives lost to drive, isolate and then trap these bastards in the Golan district and now we are going to walk away and let them redistribute themselves back into the rest of the city.

What a waste!

[ellh0w]

That passage from the Quran maybe whhy Saddam's symbol was an eagle too (and the bath party)>

[oceanview]

that is the fault of the media relations people, the military people at the press conference don't understand how their words can be twisted - especially when they may not be using direct language. so the media can turn the story into anything they want.

[oceanview]

did you forget about the AC130s and the bombs we dropped on them after we had shaped them into that part of the city? we can debate about where this is going now, but let's not re-write history. the New York Times does enough of that for all of us.

[Gucho]

"The Headlines never seem to say that."

Keep in mind, (my humble opinion, Fallujah will be pacified). Either this General does his job, the USMC will.

[Stentor]

My guess

Well I guess I know what that's worth. I guess they all ate too many tacos. I guess I'll start a thread.

[Light Speed]

Quran (9:11) -- For it is written that a son of Arabia would awaken a fearsome Eagle. The wrath of the Eagle would be felt throughout the lands of Allah and lo, while some of the people trembled in despair still more rejoiced; for the wrath of the Eagle cleansed the lands of Allah; and there was peace.

The 8th Crusade ended in 1191.
Then...9/11.

Some mark the number 10 to represent the Law..the number 12 to represent Government.
11 is seen as a transition ident.
13 is seen as conterfiet/illigitimate as per authority.

Alot of Nostradamian anagrams in this....are we in Crusade #9 now?