Iraq attacks give U.S. forces jitters

[Barrett808]

BAGHDAD, Iraq - In the last six days, U.S. troops have shot at Iraqi police, journalists, a wedding party and a top Italian diplomat searching for looted antiquities.

The Americans are under increasing pressure as the guerrilla resistance has stepped up its hit-and-run attacks and is bringing more firepower and sophistication to the fight.

Unsure of who will shoot at them next, the U.S. forces have been involved in "friendly fire" attacks in which 10 civilians have been killed in the past two months.

"We are facing an adaptive, asymmetric enemy, and we, of course, are adapting and refining our tactics, techniques and procedures as well," Lt. Col. George Krivo, U.S. military spokesman, said Friday.

In areas where resistance is stiffest, the massive response by U.S. soldiers is changing once-neutral residents into outright opponents.

"The killing of the policemen was the turning point for me," said Sabah Khalaf, recalling the Sept. 12 friendly-fire killing of eight U.S.-allied Iraqi policemen in Fallujah - one of the most dangerous cities for American forces.

(more)

http://www.miami.com/mld/miamiherald/6813462.htm

[sspiderjohn]

1. Good morning, VietNam! Deja vu all over again.

nm

[saigon68]

3. Its IRAQ-NAM " BRING IT ON"

I'VE BEEN THERE

Its not a pretty sight.

Just remember you signed up for this

You are an army of one.

The CHIMPANZEE however is part of the AWOL Army

See ya.

[symbolman]

11. Did I hear

ARMY OF ONE?

http://www.takebackthemedia.com/onearmy.html

I've seen this shit too brother - USAF 1971-74

[Whoa_Nelly]

6. According to Iraq Bodycount

I counted 73 civilians having been killed since the beginning of July 2003.

http://www.iraqbodycount.net/bodycount.htm

[Robin Hood]

2. Only 10 civilians have been killed in the past two months?

I find that hard to believe.

[alcuno]

9. That number is completely wrong.

And I heard tonight that the monthly murder rate is something like 700/month equal to what used to be the yearly murder rate. I'm sure that excludes all the Saddam murders.

[FlemingsGhost]

4. Well... someone has to say it:

We are losing this "war."

Actually, we've already lost. Most folks just don't realize it yet.

[fizzana]

5. Henry Kissinger actually got this right

In a guerilla war the guerillas win by not losing and the occupiers lose by not winning. Using that criteria we're definitely losing if we haven't lost already.

[lindashaw]

7. And these other countries know that they will take our place not winning

[Eloriel]

8. Well, that's probably one of the smartest thigns ole Henry

ever said. Well put.

Here's an op-ed piece on the subject I found quite sobering:

acing the truth about Iraq
By James Carroll, 9/2/2003
http://www.boston.com/news/globe/editorial_opinion/oped/articles/2003/09/02/facing_the_truth_about_iraq/

THE WAR IS LOST. By most measures of what the Bush administration forecast for its adventure in Iraq, it is already a failure. The war was going to make the Middle East a more peaceful place. It was going to undercut terrorism. It was going to show the evil dictators of the world that American power is not to be resisted. It was going to improve the lives of ordinary Iraqis. It was going to stabilize oil markets. The American army was going to be greeted with flowers. None of that happened. The most radical elements of various fascist movements in the Arab world have been energized by the invasion of Iraq. The American occupation is a rallying point for terrorists. Instead of undermining extremism, Washington has sponsored its next phase, and now moderates in every Arab society are more on the defensive than ever.

...

The question for Americans is, Now what? Democrats and Republicans alike want to send in more US soldiers. Some voices are raised in the hope that the occupation can be more fully "internationalized," which remains unlikely while Washington retains absolute control. But those who would rush belligerent reinforcements to Iraq are making the age-old mistake.

When brutal force generates resistance, the first impulse is to increase force levels. But, as the history of conflicts like this shows, that will result only in increased resistance. Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld has rejected the option of more troops for now, but, in the name of force-protection, the pressures for escalation will build as US casualties mount. The present heartbreak of one or two GI deaths a day will seem benign when suicide bombers, mortar shells, or even heavier missile fire find their ways into barracks and mess halls.

much more, worth reading but depressing


Eloriel

[AmericaInWonderland]

10. 10 years from now if we are still around

I wonder what our revisionist history text books will say...

"America tried to bring freedom to Iraq, but unfortunately "

a) the Iraqis did not want it
b) the Iraqis were not ready for it
c) the Iraqis wanted it and were ready for it but did not want it from us
d) we fucked up

correct answer is d) but you'll get a 0 for that assignment.