Why America Has Waged a Losing Battle on Fallouja

Los Angeles Times ^ | October 24, 2004 | Alissa J. Rubin and Doyle McManus

[John Jorsett]

FALLOUJA, Iraq — As soon as the women of Fallouja learned that four Americans had been killed, their bodies mutilated, burned and strung up from a bridge, they knew a terrible battle was coming.

They filled their bathtubs and buckets with water. They bought sacks of rice and lentils. They considered that they might soon die.

"When we heard the news," said Turkiya Abid, 62, a mother of 15, "we began to say the Shahada," the Muslim profession of faith.

There is no god but God, and Muhammad is the messenger of God.

In Washington, the reaction to the March 31 killings was exactly what the women of Fallouja had expected: anger. Those inside George W. Bush's White House believed that the atrocity demanded a forceful response, that the United States could not sit still when its citizens were murdered.

[BenLurkin]

Basically, yes.

[facedown]

The LAT working overtime.

BTW, nobody/nobody gets you right in.

[MNJohnnie]

Those inside George W. Bush's White House believed that the atrocity demanded a forceful response"

So why was one not forthcoming?



You apparently have not been paying attention if you think this. There is a HUGE difference between a "Forceful response" and "mindless revenge" or "counter atrocity"

[hershey]

Tick...tick...tick...

[DoctorMichael]

......get yourself a fake user id and password that will work......

Sorry I'm in a bitchy mood..........but this about the 5th or 6th Thread this morning that I've clicked on that either has been pulled, used a false title, not as it says it is, placed in the wrong catagory, posted by a Troll OR, as in this case of your Thread, leaves me with no information whatsoever.

I'm sorry I even clicked on it.

Have a great day.

[M Kehoe]

I was polled by Gallup in early June regarding W.'s job performance. I said I was dissatisfied. Why? Because Fallujah still exists. Fallujah needs to be made an example to the Arab world. In the context of Carthage. Remember, there wasn't a 4th Tunic war. And given the Arab (Muslim) mindset, the only thing they really understand and appreciate is the use of brute force.

5.56mm

[MNJohnnie]

Sorry. I'll stick with my first try. The obvious implication of which is that our forces were held back for reasons more PC than strategic or tactical.

Actually you are not paying attention. The BEST way to breed terrorists is a tit for tat policy of revenge atrocities. This is counter insurgency. It is not as simple as war. What is going on in Fallugha is classic tactics. Isolate and contain the baddies, stabilize the rest of the area, go in and kill the baddies, move to next target. Why is it so hard for Americans to grasp this is NOT a sporting event? The timer doesn't suddenly run out on this and the teams walk off the field. Time is on OUR side, not theirs.

[Vn_survivor_67-68]

Here is the full article, courtesy of Yahoo!

http://news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/latimests/20041024/ts_latimes/whyamericahaswagedalosingbattleonfallouja

[MNJohnnie]

was polled by Gallup in early June regarding W.'s job performance. I said I was dissatisfied. Why? Because Fallujah still exists. Fallujah needs to be made an example to the Arab world. In the context of Carthage. Remember, there wasn't a 4th Tunic war. And given the Arab (Muslim) mindset, the only thing they really understand and appreciate is the use of brute force.
5.56mm




Yeah, that strategy of counter atrocity worked so well for the Nazis and the Japanese in WW2. Maybe we should leave the strategy and tactics to the pros????

[FairOpinion]

"The problem was not military but political: Members of the Iraqi Governing Council were threatening to resign, and British Prime Minister Tony Blair and United Nations envoy Lakhdar Brahimi had appealed to Washington to halt the offensive."

This was the real problem.

[FairOpinion]

Check my post 30 for the real WHY.

[Gucho]

"Why America Has Waged a Losing Battle on Fallouja"

Who's the senior editor now, Wally Crankshaft?

[DoctorMichael]

Thanks to the both of you!

[M Kehoe]

Maybe we should leave the strategy and tactics to the pros????

Your correct, we should leave it to the pros, but...

...that strategy of counter atrocity worked so well for the Nazis and the Japanese in WW2.

Yes, it did matter of fact. All of the conquered populations were fairly docile. (See "Vichy" as one example among many).

5.56mm

[dwilli]

Fallouja will be the major reason should GWB lose Tuesday week. His fear of making a political mistake by leveling
this snakepit is unforgivable.

[JessieHelmsJr]

After Nov 2nd when Bush wins(and he will win)Fallouja will be home to a new Walmart.

[jurroppi1]

BugMeNot no worky for this...

[LajollaBruce]

What was the joke during Reagan/Carter campaign? What is flat and hot? Iran the day after Reagan is elected.

[sausageseller]

100-1 kill ratio and were "losing"?

Morons at the LA slimes spewing again.

[dwilli]

I'm not so sure.