Rumsfeld 'surprised' by Saddam loyalists

[Barrett808]

SIMI VALLEY, Calif. (AP) — Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld said Friday he was surprised by the effectiveness of Saddam Hussein's loyalists to sustain the Iraq conflict long after the end of major combat operations. He called the continuing fighting serious but described it as low intensity.

Fear instilled in the Iraqi people by the ousted leader's former paramilitary force is contributing to the situation, he told an audience of more than 500 at the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library.

"I suppose on reflection the thing that probably surprised me the most is the ability that the so-called Fedayeen Saddam people had to terrorize and frighten the rest of the Iraqi people and cause them to not come over to the other side," Rumsfeld said in answer to a question from the audience.

Two U.S. soldiers were killed in an ambush in Iraq on Friday, bringing to 94 the number of American soldiers killed by hostile fire in Iraq since President Bush declared an end to major combat on May 1.

Rumsfeld said coalition forces made 1,700 patrols daily in Iraq and only a tenth of 1% involved any kind of armed conflict. "It is a very low-intensity situation, percentage-wise, nonetheless people are getting killed," Rumsfeld said.

(more)

http://www.usatoday.com/news/world/iraq/2003-10-10-rumsfeld-iraq_x.htm

[Coventina]

1. Coventina 'surprised' by Rummy's idiocy

ok, well, maybe not THAT surprised.

WHAT THE FUCK ARE THESE FUCKHEADS DOING??????
WHAT IS WRONG WITH THEM?????
A FIFTH GRADER COULD RUN OUR FOREIGN POLICY BETTER THAN THESE BOOBS!

</skittles>

[roguevalley]

2. so-called. low-intensity. what a complete failure of a man.

he's going to roll. he won't last out the chimp's term
before he takes the fall. he hasn't got a damned clue!

[NNN0LHI]

3. I am shocked. Shocked I tell you

I never even considered the idea that the Iraqi people might want us to actually leave some day? The thought never occurred to me. Cross my heart and hope to die.

Don

[JohnyCanuck]

4. It's low intensity all right

especially as Rummy knows that his priveliged, lilly-white ass isn't in any danger of being in the line of fire.

[karlschneider]

5. Yes, it's low intensity. It only results in death.

I have heard the expression "Rum Dumb" but only recently has it made sense.

[morebunk]

6. Surprised? We probably account for the increase in Saddam loyalists.

Six months with US troops occupying your country and Saddam look like a holy man.

[shockingelk]

7. s?r-pr?z?

To cause to feel wonder, astonishment, or amazement, as at something unanticipated.

[Media_Lies_Daily]

8. "Low intensity"?? Explain that to the parents of dead U.S. soldiers.

[Barrett808]

9. "Low Intensity Conflict" is military jargon

for guerrilla warfare. The 1991 war against Iraq was called "Mid Intensity Conflict".

fwiw

[dArKeR]

10. Send some GOP children soldiers out there and you'll see a withdrawl

before sunset.

[The_Casual_Observer]

11. I'm "suprised" that Rumsfeld is in Simi Valley

Rumsfeld loves these cute little understatements. "Things are untidy" or "Unfortunate" or "The unknown unknowns". I'm not impressed by this smugness, it reminds me of the sick and dangerous mind of Hannibal Lechter.

[ConcernedCanuk]

12. Any of those Idiots in ur WH read History ??

Remember Vietnam ??

'nuff said

(sigh)

[Gin]

13. Rumsfeld's childlike thinking may be the beginning of Altzheimers....

gin

[peekaloo]

16. his remarks were made at the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library

:evilgrin:

:spank:

[snippy]

14. Perhaps Weasel Ass should have listened to the pre-war CIA intel.

Reports show CIA warned administration of postwar perils

In February, the CIA gave a formal briefing to the National Security Council, including Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld, Vice President Dick Cheney and President Bush himself: "A quick military victory in Iraq will likely be followed by armed resistance from remnants of the Ba'ath Party and Fedayeen Saddam irregulars."

. . .

According to U.S. intelligence officials who compiled or contributed to the reports, and provided excerpts to the Globe, on multiple occasions in the months before the war the CIA and the Defense Intelligence Agency warned that fighting probably would continue after the formal war. The assessments went so far as to suggest that guerrilla tactics could frustrate reconstruction efforts.

http://charleston.net/stories/081003/ter_10cia.shtml

I am shocked and awed that Rumsfeld and Bush are too fucking stupid to consider pre-war intelligence reports before planning the invasion and occupation.

[lovedems]

15. So much for the "we will be liberators" that Cheney harped on

It infuriates me that Rumsfeld refuses to use the term guerilla war for what is going on in Iraq. I am also livid that he is blaming Saddams loyalists as the reason the rest of the Iraqi's "wont come to the other side". Did he ever stop to think that they are in worse shape than ever? Spotty electricity, water shortage, aid shortage, insufficient medical facilities, just to name a few! Maybe they don't want to come to the other side OUT OF THEIR OWN FREE WILL! But of course, it is just more of the same, it isn't our fault. Somebody else made the situation what it is.

I will be very happy when that icky creep is out of a job. How unfortunate.

[ConcernedCanuk]

17. NEEDED A KICK

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=102&topic_id=161603

is a DUPE

[Bertrand]

18. Just a thought

perhaps by saying this he is trying to dissuade people from the thought of it being a popular revolt.

[ConcernedCanuk]

20. revolt? - FECKADEE - they got INVADED by peeps 8,000 miles away !

THEY are OCCUPIED

If they were fighting Saddam


- THAT would be a revolt


Just My Humble Canuk Opinion

[Bertrand]

26. No

a revolt is an attempt to overthrow existing authority, which is consistent with how i used the word in my previous post.

[DoYouEverWonder]

19. So does this mean that Iraq

really wasn't a threat? How can you be surprised that they would continue to be a problem, when you were convinced that they were a serious and imminent threat to the US and that is why we had to invade them? Either Iraq was a threat or it wasn't. Pick one Rummie.

[Saudade]

21. Suprised?

I can't imagine why anyone -- espcially an American who values freedom and self-determination -- would be surprised that people would resist the military occupation of their country by a foreign power.

Is Rumsfeld stupid?

Or, could it be that Rumsfeld isn't really "surprised" at all, but, for whatever reason, is telling yet another fucking LIE?

[Saudade]

22. Shi'ites

If the nazi Rumsfeld is "surprised" now by the "Saddam loyalists," imagine how "shocked" he'll be when the Shi'ite majority decides that they don't have to worry about the Ba'ath Party any more and decide to get rid of the "Anglo-American Coalition."

That's coming soon.

[ConcernedCanuk]

24. I don't really believe it's just "Saddam Loyalists"

If the USA ever invaded Canada

- even the peeps that HATED our Government for one reason or another

- would surely fight an OCCUPIER

- Forever


One thing that alot of USA peeps furget

Iraq was NOT at war with ANYONE

and the USA basically did over $50 Billion of damage to their infrastructure

Nevermind the decades of disease, death and suffering that will result from the use of Depleted Uranium

And the destroyed Crop fields

And the 8,000 dead who have living relatives

And the many more relatives with severely injured and maimed

and -- and -- and

Iraqis HATE the USA now

-they got let down in '91 - - --

'nuff said

Not enuf room here to describe all the damage and hate ur WH has created

Sad, But TRUE

(sigh)

[sushi]

23. I think he will be

announcing he wants to "spend more time with the family" soon.

[eileen_d]

27. Will his family want him back?

Is "reckless stupidity" grounds for divorce?

[mbperrin]

29. Maybe not, but

surely being Skeletor's double is! (Take a good look!)

[VolcanoJen]

25. Kick!

:dem:

[Zhade]

28. In other news, traitor Rumsfeld's head found to contain three brain cells.

NT!

[2cents]

30. And I'm sure he's completely bewildered...

...when he has a regular stool.