Posted on 09/11/2006 7:08:35 AM PDT by taylorstreet
The chief of intelligence for the Marine Corps in Iraq recently filed an unusual secret report concluding that the prospects for securing that country's western Anbar province are dim and that there is almost nothing the U.S. military can do to improve the political and social situation there, said several military officers and intelligence officials familiar with its contents.
The officials described Col. Pete Devlin's classified assessment of the dire state of Anbar as the first time that a senior U.S. military officer has filed so negative a report from Iraq.
One Army officer summarized it as arguing that in Anbar province, "We haven't been defeated militarily but we have been defeated politically -- and that's where wars are won and lost."
The "very pessimistic" statement, as one Marine officer called it, was dated Aug. 16 and sent to Washington shortly after that, and has been discussed across the Pentagon and elsewhere in national security circles. "I don't know if it is a shock wave, but it's made people uncomfortable," said a Defense Department official who has read the report. Like others interviewed about the report, he spoke on the condition that he not be identified by name because of the document's sensitivity.
Devlin reports that there are no functioning Iraqi government institutions in Anbar, leaving a vacuum that has been filled by the insurgent group al-Qaeda in Iraq, which has become the province's most significant political force, said the Army officer, who has read the report. Another person familiar with the report said it describes Anbar as beyond repair; a third said it concludes that the United States has lost in Anbar...
(Excerpt) Read more at washingtonpost.com ...
Let's hope that this report is overly pessimistic.
So nuke Al-Anbar. Problem solved.
Yep, those anonymous sources leaking to the Wash. Post have been so accurate, haven't they?
If it is a secret report, what is the Washington Compost doing with it?
This country can be pacified but it will need to happen from the Iraqi army and not the US. Until these guys get it together there will be areas that remain under militia and Sunni control.
I have never really heard of a marine throwing up their hands and saying "I give up!"
It doesn't sound like to me the "reporter" asked many questions, but just RAN with the bad news.
Intelligence reports, if I recall correctly, are supposed to be accurate but also to take "worst case" viewpoints as an option for the decision makers.
What are your thoughts regarding this?
We've given them more opportunities than they have deserved. If they won't take advantage of them, kill them.
Self ping for later.
Remember back when the Marines were called off from flattening the insurgency in Fallujah and Ramadi. Those chickens are coming home to roost. Fighting fanatics means killing them, nothing less. If our political and military leadership is not willing to do so, leave. Otherwise, our best, brightest and bravest are simply walking bullseyes.
One Army officer summarized it as...
as one Marine officer called it...
said a Defense Department official who has read the report
Another person familiar with the report said...
said people who have read it. These people said he reported...
The Defense Department official, who worked in Iraq earlier this year, said...
No one interviewed would quote from the report, citing its classification...
How very security-minded of them. Idiots. Oh, is there an election coming up?
Which city is your son-in-law in? Is he saying Fallujah is that way?
Actually, we did flatten Fallujah. Read Bing West's "No True Glory" for the complete story. Killed 2,000 terrorists.
Of course we should realize that any possible source of 'information' (real or fictitious) that the Post can find or make up that contradicts the Bush admin and that can be used to demoralize our troops and the American people will be broadcast over the MSM loudspeaker every minute between now and election day.
I suspect that it will get better as the Iraqis get their act together.
It's strictly my opinion but I often wonder how much control Saddam had over some of these provinces. I think his grip on power was in serious decline already. I wonder if he wasn't feeding the terrorist crocodile to save his own butt plus the added benefit of being a problem for us.
It's a good thing it's a secret report, we wouldn't want to encourage our enemy...
This is spot on. The Iraqi's will handle this mess in ways we simply cannot. It will be brutal. US will be the "backup", and we'll get criticized for allowing it to happen and even helping out, but sometimes you have to do the unpalatable in order to avoid doing the unthinkable.
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