WHY THE DOGS DIDN'T BARK

New York Post ^ | 11/17/04 | RALPH PETERS

[kattracks]

IN April, al-Jazeera won the First Battle of Fallujah with lurid anti-American lies. This time around, the Middle- Eastern media continued to mill propaganda, but the fury was missing as Fallujah fell.

What happened?

military fought smarter, employing overwhelming force to finish the big job quickly. After one week of combat, only a few small terrorist gangs remain active in Fallujah — and they're being hunted down. Our forces wrapped up major combat operations before terrorist sympathizers in the media could have much effect.

But something even more important than martial skill was in play: We heard only pro-forma condemnations of our actions.

There was no outpouring of rage in the Arab world. Iraq's Shi'as remained quiet. The terrorists' attempts to shift the fight to other Iraqi cities didn't find much of an echo. Even Sunni Arabs complained of the threat posed to their homes — they didn't want their cities turned into little Fallujahs.

Terror has begun to defeat itself.

[snip]

The story of the Second Battle of Fallujah is the story of Arthur Conan Doyle's "dog that didn't bark." Pandering to their factions, a few Iraqi politicians condemned the assault on the city. Inevitably, Kofi Annan extended the United Nation's seal of approval to the terrorists once again. But there was no intercontinental outcry to rival last spring's campaign to "save" Fallujah.

With their repeated slaughters of the innocent, their suicide bombing campaign against civilian and government targets, their assassinations of doctors, engineers and educators, and their un-Islamic practice of ceremonial human sacrifice (celebrated on videotape), the terrorists have begun to divide themselves from decent Muslims everywhere, as well as from Arab leaders who tacitly condoned their past activities.

[konaice]

Even Sunni Arabs complained of the threat posed to their homes — they didn't want their cities turned into little Fallujahs.

For Pete's sake, can it be that simple? That after all this time all we would have had to do was level one of these mud-brick cities and we could have been spared all these months of kidnappings, be-headings, and IEDs?

[konaice]

What happend to the link?

[MEG33]

Al Jazeera, Kevin Sites, the UN and some in the MSM are trying to stir things up, though...I noticed generally more balanced reporting tonight...There is some hope..God be with that Marine and all in harms way in service of our country.

[kattracks]

Ooops, sorry about that. It's been added.

[DB]

Hi Kattracks, the link for this article is missing.

[Kiss Me Hardy]

They've got the property-rights bit down OK. Now, if they can only master Free Speech, they'll have it!

[Ruth A.]

Terror has begun to defeat itself.

I love this line. Makes me think of something Rummy or Condi would say.

[MissAmericanPie]

Exactly so. Until it begins to cost "moderate" Islamics, big time, we will never defeat terrorism. Until these governments like Syria, Jordon, etc., realize that their future survival depends on the control of radical iams, we are in for a long battle.

I think they are coming around, they must understand deep inside what President Bush said, those that harbor terrorists are terrorists, and will meet the same end.

[konaice]

We still need to bring this lesson of pain directly home to Saudi Arabia. I strongly believe that is the source of most of this crap.

[elfman2]

"For Pete's sake, can it be that simple? That after all this time all we would have had to do was level one of these mud-brick cities and we could have been spared all these months of kidnappings, be-headings, and IEDs?"

LOL! I wouldn’t call Fallujah just any city, say it’s made of mud, claim to have leveled it, call the way we liberated it simple, or expect more than a gradual reduction in terrorism, but I think the answer to that is yes. We demonstrated (rather than threatened) a strength that’s almost guaranteed for 4 more years. Allawi’s looking like the strong man for now.

[LiberalBassTurds]

The terrorists' attempts to shift the fight to other Iraqi cities didn't find much of an echo. Even Sunni Arabs complained of the threat posed to their homes — they didn't want their cities turned into little Fallujahs.

The big stick still works.

Thanks for the logo Safrguns!

[wildcatf4f3]

"Strong horse or weak horse" --- take your pick.

[MissAmericanPie]

I agree with you, always take off the snakes head.

[Rightwing Conspiratr1]

For Pete's sake, can it be that simple?

Yes. Most Arabs respect only strength. Which answers the question as to how in the hell could many of them support and tolerate uncle Saddam even after having half their family wiped out by him. The biggest mistake we could make with these people is conducting a "sensitive" war on terror.

[CyberAnt]

No, it wasn't that simple. President Bush said something about there being 2 tracks, military and civilian. The Iraqis believed they could negotiate with the terrorists in Fallujah. We moved in to support them. But even though the talks never solved anything, it was the Iraqis that called it off - not our military. We are under contract to Iraq - we can't go around smashing up places without their permission.

This time, we have their permission. This time they had learned that you cannot and must not negotiate with these people. But .. as one of the talking heads said, we should just leave Fallujah there for awhile and allow the Iraqis to witness what happens to their towns when they harbor terrorists. Once the Iraqis decide they don't want their towns to look like Fallujah - the terrorists' reign will be over.

[Fatalis]

With their repeated slaughters of the innocent, their suicide bombing campaign against civilian and government targets, their assassinations of doctors, engineers and educators, and their un-Islamic practice of ceremonial human sacrifice (celebrated on videotape), the terrorists have begun to divide themselves from decent Muslims everywhere, as well as from Arab leaders who tacitly condoned their past activities.

Wishful thinking. This respite, such as it is, from true Islam will only last as long as our forces are killing their jihadist vanguard.

[SubMareener]

Actually, it had to go down this way. We are fighting a new kind of war, one in which we must get the most psychological advantage in every move, to get the maximum effect with minimum bloodshed.

Our objective is to promote a free and democratic Iraq in the heart of the Middle East, and do it in a way that kills as many Islamofacists (both Sunni and Shia), and Baathist as is necessary to discredit all three political movements. You do not do this by leveling mud-brick cities.

[dsc]

"For Pete's sake, can it be that simple? That after all this time all we would have had to do was level one of these mud-brick cities and we could have been spared all these months of kidnappings, be-headings, and IEDs?"

When you were a kid, didn't you ever face a bully on the playground?