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.

[rhombus]

http://www.truthorfiction.com/rumors/k/koran-war.htm

[Eurotwit]

As intriguing as that is, it does seem to be false:


The rumor that a "son of Arabia would awaken a fearsome Eagle" is spoken of in Quran 9:11, or anywhere in the Quran, is NOT true.

http://www.wam.umd.edu/~stwright/rel/islam/fearsome-eagle.html

[Mr. Lucky]

Interested in buying the Brooklyn Bridge?

[No Blue States]

With the handover just 8 weeks away we will be tested many times in short order. And beyond that date.

We all knew, and have been warned repeatedly that this wouldnt be easy,quick or simple.

I hope America is up for it too, it sure would help if our media and the left didnt promote defeat.

But what scares me most is the majority of negative posts on FR today.

[Blood of Tyrants]

I keep telling you that the attack is coming this weekend. Bush will let slip the dogs of war tomorrow or Sunday at the latest.

[prognostigaator]

ironic bump

[swarthyguy]

Good move bringing the Baathis back, but that expediency, demonstrated by the tactical retreat in Falluja, just feeds the Victory Mindset of the Fallujans and other Arabs that the US was held off and checkmated. At least for now.

IMO, we will go back in to support the Iraki force, sooner or later. And wonder how many jihadis have or will move to Baghdad to start the Battle of the Green Zone soon.

So, all the brave talk from Generals was all hot air and bluster. Brave rhetoric. There isn't Marine surveying the scene from City Hall.

Should've kept our mouths shut instead of making empty threats.

Imagine a collage of statements of US generals and guys like Kimmit, Bremer and Senor and Sanchez contrasted with pictures of Marines leaving. Catch it on he next jihadi video.

[Flashman_at_the_charge]

Sorry mate.
http://www.truthorfiction.com/rumors/k/koran-war.htm

[Peach]

I hope we're up for it too.

Iraq's connections to AQ go back nearly 14 years. In their own state run newspaper they talked in July 2001 about what was coming to America. I doubt OBL told Saddam just to gossip. As well, Saddam went into a bunker in August and didn't emerge until October. His troops were put on military alert, the highest since the Gulf War, at that time as well.

Less than two months before 9/11/01, the state-controlled Iraqi newspaper “Al-Nasiriya” carried a column headlined, “American, an Obsession called Osama Bin Ladin.” (July 21, 2001)

In the piece, Baath Party writer Naeem Abd Muhalhal predicted that bin Laden would attack the US “with the seriousness of the Bedouin of the desert about the way he will try to bomb the Pentagon after he destroys the White House.”

The same state-approved column also insisted that bin Laden “will strike America on the arm that is already hurting,” and that the US “will curse the memory of Frank Sinatra every time he hears his songs” – an apparent reference to the Sinatra classic, “New York, New York”.

Maybe some of the naysayers who are worried about this turning into a Vietnam should remember that freedom isn't free.

Some links below may help those who didn't previously understand Saddam's links with Osama Bin Laden and AQ.

The first link is an article which compiled dozens of headlines from the 90's which reflect the world's concern about the growing relationship between Saddam and bin Laden.

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Re: Al Qaeda-Iraqi relationship proven beyond any doubt.
To Peach | 04/27/2004 11:03:21 AM EDT sent




Hi, Jeane -

I do have a set of links of OBL/Saddam. I'll compile a few here and then if you want more, let me know.

Mary Beth

List of newspaper article in the 90's linking OBL and Saddam: http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/news/946809/posts?page=1

Son of Saddam coordinates OBL activities:http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/951911/posts

The AQ connection (excellent):http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/news/944617/posts?page=2

Western Nightmare: http://www.guardian.co.uk/alqaida/story/0,12469,798270,00.html

Saddam's link to OBL: http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/866105/posts

NYT: Iraq and AQ agree to cooperate: http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/985906/posts

Document linking them: http://tennessean.com/nation-world/archives/03/06/34908297.shtml?Element_ID=34908297

Iraq and terrorism - no doubt about it: http://www.nationalreview.com/robbins/robbins091903.asp

A federal judge rules there are links:http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/986293/posts

Wall Street Journal on Iraq and AQ:http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/987129/posts

Iraq and Iran contact OBL: http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/981055/posts

Proof: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=%2Fnews%2F2003%2F04%2F27%2Fwalq27.xml

Saddam's AQ connection: http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/969032/posts

Further connections: http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1007969/posts

What a court of law said about the connections:
http://usinfo.state.gov/topical/pol/terror/98110402.htm

Some miscellaneous stuff on connections:
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/989201/posts

[jpsb]

AP, "We suffered a lot in prison but with God's help and that of the people of Fallujah I gained my freedom," he said. "Thanks be to God for the victory of Fallujah."

There was no comment from U.S. authorities on the release.

Nazzal, an outspoken opponent of the U.S. occupation, was taken into custody in October. Soon after his arrest, a previously unknown group called the "Hamza Platoon" threatened to attack U.S. troops unless the cleric was freed."

It is pretty clear that the Sunnis feel that they have achieved some kind of victory. At the very least their resistance got the US to cut them a deal. That's a victory for the Sunnis. Now we will see if the anti-US resistance fighters can turn into pro-US police. What is your guess?

[Peach]

Sorry about that messy post; all.

[saquin]

Am I the only one who thinks it was a bad idea to let the former Iraqi General wear his old uniform as he went back into Fallujah? Wouldn't it have sent a better message if he was given a new uniform, similar to the ones the ICDC wear?

Leader of the Fallujah Protective Army Maj. Gen. Jassim Mohammed Saleh is greeted by the commander of the 1st Marine Regiment Col. John Toolan on the outskirts of Fallujah, Iraq Friday, April 30, 2004. Saleh, a veteran of Saddam's Republican Guard, will lead a 1,100 member Iraqi force which has begun taking over Marine positions in Fallujah. The force will be all volunteer and consist of former Iraqi soldiers from the Fallujah area who are vetted by U.S. authorities, the official said. (AP Photo/John Moore)

[Gefreiter]

So let's take stock:

-After a siege of about a month, the city never was taken.

-A general under Saddam is taking charge of the armed forces within the city, a city that benefitted greatly under Saddam's regime. He showed for his first day on the job wearing his old uniform.

-The people who have been fighting the Marines all month will now be patrolling the streets freely and openly and will be responsible for the city's security.

-Those who mutiliated and killed the contractors last month- dozens and dozens of them- are still free.

-Their hero, Al-Sadr, is still in Najaf talking sh*t.

-The Marines are leaving the field.

Now, how all that doesn't tally up to victory for the armed faction in Fallujah, I've no idea.

Don't get me wrong, I know the USMC was not defeated in the field, and I know it's not the Corps' decision but the CinC's.

But if we're going to talk about perceptions and winning people's hearts and minds, which is really the point of this entire conflict, this Fallujah operation is a defeat.

[Arkinsaw]

WOW! Thank you so much for posting that. I'll have to pass it along....

Please don't, its not true. I'm sure this gives Muslims a laugh at the gullibility of Americans.

Snopes

[Positive]

This is an urban legend - no such words in the Koran or Quran whichever you like to call it.

[oceanview]

well, we've been attacking. AC130s, snipers killing hundreds of insurgents, bombs, helicopters, tanks, etc.

we had what, 2-3 days of that? what I would like to know (dis-information from the media aside), what happened after that 2 day flurry, there must have been something that caused a fundamental shift in the thought process for how this was going to be handled. We could just as well had another few days of that level of attack, considering there were (and I used the past tense here purposefully) about 2000 insurgents, it seemed to be an appropriate level of firepower. What caused the shift? I think its some piece of information we don't yet understand.

[GmbyMan]

Peach. These connections between Iraq and Al Q'aeda posts are great. Do you have a running thread or one place where you keep these? Please let me know so I can bookmark that thread.

[Peach]

I don't have a place for these, although I've talked with others for a way to do that in the same way we had a Clinton "library". So far, nothing has come of it.

So, you know what - I've just decided. I'm going to start a thread on this matter. Then people can save it/bookmark it.

Check for a thread in about 10 minutes.

[oceanview]

there is alot of information that is wrong in your post:

- Sadr has nothing to do with Fallujah. Fallujah contains insurgents who are former special republican guard, iraqi secret police, foreign fighters and terrorists. Sadr's milita are all Shia.

- most of the city was "taken", the insurgents had been pushed into 2 or 3 neighboorhoods, and those were attacked with AC130s and bombs and helicopters, as well as snipers. We killed alot of enemy fighters there. I will admit, this is one piece of data sorely lacking at these press conferences - what enemy strength remains there.

- how can anyone really know whether those who murdered the contractors are still there, or are they dead?

[jpsb]

My guess is that the commander in the field doesn't have the forces he conciders necesary to take and hold Fallujah. So he is making the best of a bad situation.