[Bringbackthedraft]

Reuters? NYT? !!!!!!

[oyez]

described the situation in the province as lost. Iraq's Shi'ite-led government holds no sway there and the strongest political movement is the Iraq branch of al Qaeda, it concluded.

Sounds like we got them where we want them.

[stuartcr]

Did the commander write the report or not?

[Msgt USMC]

New York Times, Washington Post, their all Al-Queda sympithizers and twist & destort technicians.
They could say the sky is blue, and I wouldn't believe those "R-tB-----d's! The Hell with 'em and their worthless lying rags!

[ishabibble]

REUTERS
NO BYLINE

Total cowards that they are...please stop calling them a news agency and just say the truth. Reuters is the propaganda wing of the Muslim jihad. From the fake pictures to the AQ reporters to the whinging feminist journalists, they have absolutely nothing to say that isn't slanted, twisted, or a flat out lie. Reuters is now using either the word, "staff" or simply leaving a byline off altogether.

So anyway, exactly who did put this steaming pile of BS together? What is his/her name so that I can look up the past reports from this writer? A word to the wise...always find out the name of the mouthpiece who is lying to you about the war on our civilization.

[pissant]

Here's the USMC's response to Tom Ricks junk journalism.

[pissant]

Here's the USMC's response to Tom Ricks junk journalism.

[TimesDomain]

The MARINES do not lose - the political machines and others surrender instead.

If Bush will not release the "Dogs of War" - pull them out!

http://www.gohotsprings.us/m37/images/USMCmascot.jpg

[Cold Heat]

The rest of the province "lacks functional governments and a respect for the rule of law," the Times said.

What? Sounds just like Washington DC......

This particular province is always going to be difficult to manage. They need the local warlords to do it, and this will be the case for many years, until cultural changes take over. Every Islamic state has one of these "nomad" areas, and they are quite typical, and can be brought under a limited control with some inventive governing.

[sean327]

When newspapers print things from Intel assesments they fail to realise two things; the first being that assesments give both best and worst case scenarios. The paper chose to run with the worst case. The second thing is the fact that printing this garbage puts enormous pressure on Commanders to prove the story wrong, it also chips away at the individual Marines confidence in the mission. The Marine Corps needs to find the jackass who leaked this assesment and hang him by his gonads!!!!

[xzins]

I've learned a long time ago not to trust the media's word on any book, paper, documentary, speech, etc. of anyone.

Their analysis ALWAYS conveniently overlooks major sections, key phraise, important words, and overall tone.

They are either incredibly prejudiced against anything except their own opinion, or they are incredibly stupid and incapable of comprehensive understanding, or both.

(Register vote here: _________) (Both.)

[RedEyeJack]

General Zilmer is absolutely right. The report in question addresses the reality that we will not achieve a military solution in Al Anbar. It will not happen because the insurgents, in the classic guerrilla model, practice hit and run tactics, plant roadside bombs, and influence the population through murder and intimidation. They will not fight because they know better.

There are brave souls who try to perform their roles and execute the offices of government. Some are killed for their efforts and some run away. We have secured parts of Al Anbar and are establishing Iraqi police and Army presence there. The insurgents see that and are lashing back right now to try to prevent the spread of law and order.

I am here in Al Anbar and I see it every day. It is a fight in the sense that bombings and drive-by type shootings, and sniping are a fight. In the only serious engagement in the last four months a squad size unit of insurgents tried to surprise a squad of Marines. One got away (ran damn fast for a wounded guy). Six were killed out right and four were well photographed afterward in flex cuffs.

Yes, we don't have enough soldiers and Marines to saturate the battle space, however, we are trading time and deliberate maneuvers with other than kinetic assets to gain ground and win over the population. Time is on our side if the American people have the will to stay in the fight.

Unfortunately, some American's have already surrendered. Who are they? Ask someone running for office if the war in Iraq is worth the price. If he or she says no then mark that candidate as one who has already been psychologically defeated. Mark that canidate as one without the strength of character or the vision to see what has to be done. Mark that candidate as a loser and shun him.

[the Real fifi]

IIRC The Pentagon at one point pulled Ricks' credentials for his biased reporting. In any event he did not claim to have seen the memo but was reporting from second and third hand source--

[ArGee]

Marines deny losing Iraq's biggest province

There was a Stephen King short story I read once about a mob-run organization that helped people quit smoking. As the "salesman" was telling the "client" about their methods he listed 9 things they would do in increasing brutality each time they caught the guy smoking. The guy asked, "And if I smoke one more time?" The salesman pulled a pistol out of his desk and said, "You WILL quit smoking. We guarantee it."

I wonder what would happen in Iraq if the President had said last night, "We will not fail to bring democracy to Iraq, even if we have to kill every last Iraqi and re-populate the country with Americans."

Of course, we would never do that. But I still wonder.

Shalom.