Posted on 04/30/2004 9:47:18 AM PDT by 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.
And armchair general cynicom knows all from 6,000 miles away.
That would be Winston Churchill.
Your comment made me thing about my past postings on FR. I have concludid that I have never been wrong about anything, and I have neber made any mistakes. I thought you'd like to know this, even though I once (in a fit of passion) suggested nuking the entire earth. :O)
Agreed.
My point was that this operation started as a military solution and has now been shifted to a political solution. Every time that occurs it weakens military resolve and the willingness for the feet on the ground to make a sacrifice.
We have indeed reduced both the material and personnel strength of our opponents but we have not, by simple logic, gotten to the leadership within their ranks. My fear, based on published reports which are at best honestly inaccurate, is that the insertion of indigenous personnel will allow, or worse yet enable, this leadership to slip away to organize and kill our troops and civilian support personnel some other day.
I have absolute confidence that Bush has no intention of leaving Iraq before the job is done but I fear that the political pressure created by the US national election cycle will help shape our tactical policies in Iraq until November.
I'm also sure that to force the average foot solder to work with an individual who only months ago was dedicated to their personal destruction is only being accepted because of the ingrained respect for the chain of command in an all voluntary military.
We had the "Mother of All Hailstorms" here last night. When it wasn't hailing, it was raining, thundering and lightning was flashing so we were all taking cover. Golf-ball sized hailstones hitting a metal building makes a very loud noise.
Never a dull moment 'round here...LOL
http://belmontclub.blogspot.com
"But although the 82nd Airborne had been training the Iraqi Civil Defense Corps around Fallujah for months, the provenance of the Fallujah Protection Army is still unexplained. One of the most difficult operations of war is relieving a unit in contact with the enemy. It first of all requires the existence of the relief force. News accounts which suggest that this-still-to-be formed Fallujah Protection Army (FPA) will take over from the Marines, said to be evacuating "front line positions" within a few days, are only slightly less incredible than a report that Batman, the Hulk and Wolverine have joined the Navy to see the world. The news up this point has raised more questions than it has provided answers...
...The most likely scenario is that the FPA will be given charge over city areas free from heavy fighting and assigned general police duties. Those who perform meritoriously in this on the job training could be given regular ranks in the new Iraqi Army, a common relationship between paramilitaries and regulars..."
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