Pace Warns 2006 Will be 'Bad Year' for U.S. Enemies

AFPS ^ | January 2 2005 | Jim Garamone

[jmc1969]

Interesting point Marine_Uncle, which leads to another question, how will we know if or when Bin Laden is dead or not without him releasing another tape or if Zarqawi is still in Iraq?

[decal]

Good stuff, Maynardo...

[geopyg]

-----"If he makes it to say Gaza or some other shit hole .....may be as horney as hell at this point."----

After that long article about Gen. Pace it took me a second to figure out who you were talking about!

[Dilbert56]

I think Allah took care of OBL for us. Wouldn't that be the greatest irony? God took out Osama. Gets him out of divine status doesn't it?

[Marine_Uncle]

"how will we know if or when Bin Laden is dead or not without him releasing another tape or if Zarqawi is still in Iraq?"
Perhaps we may never learn of their fate. Without positive ID all is just conjecture. Like the arab reports about Izzat ibrahim al-Douri.
Was he buried or not. And if he was, due to his very high profile position, why where ahemm,arrangements not made with the Iraqi's to allow a quick dignified exhume, samples taken, photos (since he is supposedly dead and should not offened any particuar Islamic rules about taking pictures), etc..
But more importantly is for the insurgency to literally die away as we keep pounding them, and a new government is formed that most pay close attention to dismantling militias and trying anyone who fits the bill of being a terrorist against the Iraqi people, with a death sentence. So much we are not privy to. For all we know, those Sunni who have bought into the election processes may be working a lot closer with Shia groups to end the insurgency then comes out in the news.
We may have little grasp of the real things that are going down that end up being quite significant. I continue to think there is less hostitilies between the various Iraqi factions then is reported in the L/MSM.

[jmc1969]

Sadr and some in the UIA are demanding their militias are made a part of the military. Hopefully smarter heads will will prevail.

[SevenMinusOne]

Interesting point Marine_Uncle, which leads to another question, how will we know if or when Bin Laden is dead or not without him releasing another tape or if Zarqawi is still in Iraq?

When UBL is killed I'd put $ to dough nuts it is as a result of our direct doing - However if he were to meet his demise another way (not from our DA) his death would still filter out and we'd pick up chatter of this - Without a doubt.

As for Zarqawi I tend to agree with Marine_Uncle his death will come if he remains in Iraq - But he most likely knows Iraq is a lost cause (we've won, freedom is winning) and he just may pick up shop and leave thus making his capture much more complicated if he heads into Syria or Gaza.

I continue to hope Zarqawi's ego gets the best of him and he stays within Iraq. We'll get him if he does.

[SevenMinusOne]

They will. I ask if they should.

Of course they should (and they will). The resources of time, energy and lives given to locating these men should most certainly result in direct action being taken against them.

Furthermore if direct action wasn't taken immediately there is would be the almost certainty of these men soon disappearing again. Only to have this deadly chase begin again.

Additionally the killing of these men (the leadership wing) would serve a very big blow. Senior leadership that is effective (which these men are) when it is removed from any organization has a very definite detrimental effect for that organization. al Qeade is no different.

These men are not easily replaced. Especially considering the lack of actual intelligence by most of their followers.

Killing these men would also deal a very real psychological blow to the whole terrorist movement. In much of the ME. This is something that is clear to anyone who has operated over in that region.

Secondly it would be a deserved as well as needed boost to both our Military and civilian communities.

Allowing UBL and or Zarqawi to remain alive under some grand scheme is complete foolishness thought up by those who either aren't actively involved in this real fight (in combat) or by those who simply love to think deep thoughts and always have to be thought of as the "smartest one in the room" (typically only by themselves).

[Marine_Uncle]

"Sadr and some in the UIA are demanding their militias are made a part of the military. Hopefully smarter heads will will prevail."
I think Muqtada is going to be in for a real eye opener once things get formalized. He is going to find out he is just one of hundreds of people many highly educated, much older then he, and many most probably with better relations with the US/EU etc.. Sadr's fire brand tactics will not work in this new managerie he is going to find himself in.
As your aware, there has also been talk about disbanding all militias, and yes, as has been going on for the past half year, inviting them to join the new army ranks. Of course on the Iraqi Army's terms with help from the US, where the milita has no say in the matter. It is a one on one approach. I am sure this is all going down pretty hard for many Iraqi. Their very tribal instincts are being sorely tested.