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]

Bingo. Battle of Baghdad or least the Green Zone coming up.

[oceanview]

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).

that said, I think we ought to consider what is left there. We don't know anything about the damage assessment from the AC130 and air attacks, there were at most 2000 insurgents, how many are left? they had some weapons caches to be sure, did we destroy them (something was burning the night of those AC130 attacks)? I guess what I am saying is, if the only thing left in those neighboorhoods in Fallujah (remember, most of the city was cleared of insurgents) is a handful of holdouts and a bunch of booby trapped buildings waiting for our marines to walk into and get blown up - then is it worth a front assault and a house to house engagement? Maybe not.

[Eurotwit]

The only thing that I found odd was the the general was wearing his republican guard uniform. That was a bit much IMO.

As for your points I don't disagree, but as i have said before, I think an overall vicory in Iraq, i.e. a free and democratic state will trump Fallujah ten times over.

And, we have not even seen Fallujah played out to its conclusion yet either.

We'll see if Osama has enough time to make a gloating cave before he is hauled out of his cave.



Cheers from Eurotwit who is in a surpringly upbeat mood :-)

[Dog Gone]

That was extremely interesting. Much new information.

[Peach]

Thread on Aq/Iraq connections started here:

http://freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1127451/posts

[Blood of Tyrants]

See my post #42 above.

[Eurotwit]

I agree. That seemed odd. I almost started laughing when I saw the first picture of this dude sitting in his republican guard uniform, beret on, big moustache, inside a black- Saddam style limo with the Iraqi flag on.

I thought Saddam's back in town :-)

[Miss Marple]

Thanks for reminding me to check the Belmont Club. I had no idea that there were Iraqi troops training in Jordan. Perhaps that large chemical attack was aimed for them.

This entire story is very hard to follow, especially when we have deliberate disinformation from the press.

[Gefreiter]

We can agree to disagree about Sadr's influence on Fallujans, given the increasing cooperation between Sunni and Shia factions.

Similarly, neither of us knows what really went on in the city proper, you're right. Maybe someday we'll know who had whose flag in the city at any given time.

And no, we don't know what happened to the savages who had their mutilation festival that turned into a block party. Hopefully, they're all dead. But we DO know they aren't in custody

But none of your refutations to my original post detract from my larger point, that to Fallujans the USMC was defeated by them. And not only that, they're stronger than before! With this general commanding them, they now have political legitmacy.

[jpsb]

Read it, things sure are interesting in Iraq right now. But it still doesn't answer the question of why the local commander did not take Fallujah. So I still think he is making the best of a bad situation. Which is all that can be expected of him.

[Cap Huff]

Thanks for the pings Ernest!

[Ernest_at_the_Beach]

The Press doesn't have a clue!!!!

I think I understand more of the briefing now, they have been training these guys for months.

Maybe that is what had the Z guy so upset that he launched the attempted Chemical attack in Jordan (Oh he said it wasn't a Chemical attack didn't he.)

ROFL!

[Ernest_at_the_Beach]

I believe you are wrong.

[Semper Paratus]

It's getting dark in Fa-loo-ja now. Lets see if we continue our nightly attacks soon.

[Gucho]

"my larger point, that to Fallujans the USMC was defeated by them. And not only that, they're stronger than before! With this general commanding them, they now have political legitmacy."

Bull crap GeeWiz

[oceanview]

most of the fallujans always did have "legitmacy". i never heard that our war objectives were "liberate the country, except for the fallujans and the Sunnis".

look, if indeed it turns out that this general is commanding the insurgents - if the insurgents and this military unit become indistinguishable, then I agree we've been had. we are a long way from that. and with the media spinning, and CENTCOM not understanding they need to have a media strategy as well as a military one, doesn't help to clarify what is going on.

[oceanview]

they was fighting and bombing DURING Abizaid's press conference, WABC radio made a point of saying that.