Iraq force to provide security for first convoy to Fallujah: Marines

AFP ^ | 5/1/04

[saquin]

A new force from the former Iraqi army will provide security for the first US convoy to pass through the flashpoint Sunni city of Fallujah in the coming days, a US commander said Saturday.

"In a few days we will have our first convoy go through the centre of Fallujah," said General James Conway, the commander of the 1st Marine Expeditionary Force.

He said he expected the man leading the new Fallujah Brigade, Major General Jassem Mohammed Salah, to provide security for the convoy.

Conway said it was the "hope not the directive" for the convoy to pass through the town in the next few days from east to west.

The announcement came after a tentative deal was struck for the withdrawal of US troops from the city, with a group of up to 1,000 former soldiers from Saddam Hussein's army taking over some responsibility for security.

Shortly before the deal was struck, US marines were ready to storm the city, Conway told reporters at the nearby marine base.

"At one point we truly thought we had no reasonable option that would preclude an attack on the city but orders changed and this opportunity came up at about the same time," he said.

Marines withdrew Friday from many of their positions after a month-long fight that has killed scores of US troops and hundreds of Iraqis including women and children.

The US military denied they were retreating, despite soldiers packing away barbed wire defences and rolling back from a base within the city.

The commander for US forces in Iraq and the Middle East, General John Abizaid, cautioned the plan might not immediately end the violence.

[Texasforever]

We definitely haven't won yet and I don't see anything that makes me believe we are going to take the city,

Who cares about "taking the city"? This isn't a game. This is an opportunity for the Iraqis to actually pull their own weight for the first time since we invaded. Yes we can "take the city" hell that is a no-brainer but when will the Iraqis "take their country" back post Saddam? That is the mission isn't it?

[sinkspur]

Who gives a rats-ass about Fallujah. We should salt the ground and soak it in swine-fat!

Whiskey?

[mikegi]

Actually, I don't think the first convoy won't be attacked. The general is in cahoots with the terrorists and wants things to look nice. Meanwhile, IED attacks organized in Fallujah will kill our troops all over the Sunni Triangle.

[gonzo]

"...Whiskey?..."

Naw, just pink wine anymore. How-the-hell are ya sink?

I see the old-dogs are showin' up for the election...

Good to see ya pally! Take care....gonzo

[vbmoneyspender]

Reading between the lines, Conway was ready to go in and take Fallujah when someone changed his orders to 'lets make a deal.' Once that happened, Conway snapped to attention and followed his new orders as expeditiously as possible. The speed with which he followed his new orders is what I am betting surprised them, not the fact that he cut a deal. BTW, I am picking part of this up from the Washington Post article that you and I must have both read. That article reported that the CPA and Abizaid, etc. were caught off guard by the deal that Conway had cut.

[Texasforever]

this deal is certainly not without risks, it could turn out badly, but conceptually its a step in the right direction. let's see how it goes.

Dang I thought I was the only one feeling this way. If we can't start shifting the security burden to Iraqis then we should just forget a "free Iraq".

[sinkspur]

It's good to see you, too, gonzo.

Got any pics of the classic rides?

[cmsgop]

This Could be Historic, or it could be Historic.....

May Jesus be with the USMC and all of our Armed Forces all the time.....

[ThermoNuclearWarrior]

If this Iraqi General doesn't capture or kill these terrorist insurgents then we will have to deal with them sooner or later. We should have captured the entire city of Fallujah first and then allowed this Iraqi General to occupy the city.

[gonzo]

"...DUMB IDEA..."

OK, jocko. I'm just an old Military Tactition. I figured that getting them into a killing-box was a good idea, since it's a WAR, and the idea is to kill the ENEMY!

Salting the ground and soaking it in swine-fat is a time-honoured way of teaching these barbarians not to fark with us.

I have been consistent in my replies, that tens-of-millions of these islamaniacs are gonna die, before they decide to quit attacking us!

I'm not some religious fanatic - you can read all my postings - but we are in another Crusade, whether we like it or not, so my job is to figure out how to kill the bad guys, and make them quit their evil ways!

We're gonna win this one, and scare-the-very-living-shit out of every Arab Dictatorship in the Middle East. The World either becomes civilized, AS I, GONZO, DECIDES HOW IT SHOULD BE, or the barbarians get to tell you the proper way to fudge-pack your goat! Read the Koran.

Hi Jeff and John! Someday I'll get an honourable mention on the 'quote-of-the-day'. Prayers-along again for RJayneJ. Stay well, pals.................FRegards

[Texasforever]

If this Iraqi General doesn't capture or kill these terrorist insurgents then we will have to deal with them sooner or later. We should have captured the entire city of Fallujah first and then allowed this Iraqi General to occupy the city

Then all we have done is do the Iraqis job for them. I want Iraqis to spill blood for their own independence. If they are not willing to do that, I want to know it now instead of 5 years from now.

[Fester Chugabrew]

We should have captured the entire city of Fallujah first and then allowed this Iraqi General to occupy the city.

That may be exactly what we did. It was only days ago we beat a concentration of insurgents to a pulp with the AC-130 and more. I can see some wisdom is letting one from their own people have a hand in restoring general order. The convoy will be a test. If the Iraqi general blows it things will not go well for him and his town. If he can maintain order so supplies for the good of people can move along, so much the better.

Doubtless there are still some insurgents in F-town who would just as soon knock off this former general of Saddam's.

[WOSG]

I agree with you.

our military has made few mistakes. CPA has made more than a few. An ad hoc military-driven solution may end up working better than the ICDC which underperformed. we'll see.

[jaykay]

This is a suicide convoy. Hopefully it will be manned by the foofs who made this deal, although we all know it won't be. The foofs who made the deal should have to be the ones who notify the families that their sons/husbands/fathers were killed for their idiocy, althoug we all know that they won't be.

Fallujah gives Iraqi general hero's welcome

Fallujah Gunmen Celebrate U.S. Pullback

As U.S. military abandons Fallujah, Iraqis proclaim victory

[jpsb]

I wonder who changed the orders

"BUSH MAKES THE CALL: NO FULL SCALE FALLUJAH OFFENSIVE The Drudge Report | April 25, 2004 | Matt Drudge"