Posted on 12/22/2005 3:26:36 PM PST by SandRat
A look to next year's operation by our troops
Why since the election havent we heard about american casualties? Have we had any lately? Or are things getting that much better?
I was wondering that too. I've heard of 2, one was today. Probably more, just not being reported.
Well every american that dies is a heart break to me...But to the media is another way to slam My president. But now that things are looking up dont hear much...Thanks main kamf media...
There have been a couple, I suspect the media has forgotten Iraq for now in the feeding frenzy over the NSA Spying story and the Patriot Act Senate show.
That is what i was thinking to...They smell blood in the water , and are circling.. But i think Pres.Bush will clown them all like usual...Make the liberals look like what they are kooks..
They've been unable to match their earlier damage, which points to their inability to recruit local Iraqis to their cause.
Keep in mind that Iraqis voted at 60% of the population in their January 2005 election, 63% in their October 2005 vote, and 70+% in their election this month...which is to say that the Iraqis are choosing a side, and it isn't the side of the insurgency.
The voting percentage trend on our side makes the above statement just as powerfully as the decline in insurgency lethality does for the other side.
Military Fatalities: By Month
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Cap Huff and I were discussing recently how quiet Zarqawi has become not a peep in over a month...seems he went dark right after that Mosul raid...in which it was thought he was whacked.
yep it was really hairy for a bit when I returned from my vacation in November.
But let's also remember that the Marines cleared out Fallujah again in November, right after the election, so the numbers might be spiked a bit.
I was thinking the same thing. I think he may be with OSAMA Sleeping with the fish! LOL
Next comes the touchy issue of CAS for total Iraqi forces. No problem, until someone vectors in a JDAM on someone they shouldn't.
Probably hoping the Jordanians forget about him.
Sounds good to me.
For our side, there is merit in saying that Zarqawi is alive (or "unknown") even if we know that he is dead...
...because the decentralized cell structure of Al Qaeda makes it problematic for *their* side to confirm or refute that sort of thing.
And the longer that cells go without hearing from the leadership, the lower goes their morale and operational effectiveness.
They start having doubts about their cause...especially as various Sunni tribes cut great (yes, **GREAT**) deals to switch sides.
They start wondering if Zarqawi has fled the field as a coward. They start taking Zawahiri's criticism of Zarqawi's hostage beheadings more and more seriously.
And perhaps a few of the more mercenary of their bunch begin fantasizing about that $25 million reward for Zarqawi's head...money that would make any one of them an instant power player on the level of a Saudi sheik.
Likewise, watching the Americans stand firm and the Iraqi populace embrace the elections has got to be discouraging to the jihadists.
Nor can they point to any good news on the battlefield. Their efforts grow less and less lethal over time, after all.
Zarqawi, if still alive, could send a message to let his troops know that he's still alive, but what's he going to promise them?! Some big offensive?! No. Some new ally?! No.
Moreover, he risks American/Allied success in finding him with every message (always a trail). Ditto for being betrayed by one of his own turned mercenary...the switched Sunni tribes already being prime for that $25 million reward money on Zman's head.
In short, Al Qaeda sees nothing but bad news for their side, and their leader in Iraq, if still alive, has nothing to really say to them...though going without saying anything will cost him as his desertions grow during radio silence.
That was a great rat trap. They flocked to the one place where they publicly held ground...and were killed en masse.
A thing of great beauty. Adults should embrace the true, the good, and the beautiful. That operation was all three.
Yes sir.
This story just coming out suggests that AQ may be trying to start things up again:
10 Iraqi soldiers killed in checkpoint attack
The following line is certainly trying to give the impression that the attack was AQ rather than Baathist holdouts or some other element:
"The area around Adhaim has seen previous attacks credited to Islamist militants linked to Al Qaeda, including mass infantry assaults on Iraqi Army and police posts."
Sounds like they could have used some of our air support. Too bad. Sounds like we could have gotten a lot of bad guys.
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