Zilmer: U.S. 'stifling' Iraq insurgency

[rodeodance]

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20060912/ap_on_re_mi_ea/iraq_anbar

Zilmer: U.S. 'stifling' Iraq insurgency

By ROBERT BURNS, AP Military Writer 2 minutes ago

WASHINGTON - A senior American commander in Iraq said Tuesday that U.S.-led military operations are "stifling" the insurgency in western Anbar province but are not strong enough to defeat it.

Marine Maj. Gen. Richard C. Zilmer told reporters in a telephone interview from his headquarters in Fallujah that he has enough U.S. troops — about 30,000 — to accomplish what he called his main mission: training Iraqi security forces.

"For what we are trying to achieve out here I think our force levels are about right," he said. Even so, he said the training of Iraqi soldiers and police had not progressed as quickly as once expected.

"Now, if that mission statement changes — if there is seen a larger role for coalition forces out here to win that insurgency fight — then that is going to change the metrics of what we need out here," he added.
.......

[ktowntennesseedem]

1. Zilmer must be using a different dictionary.

sti·fle 1
v. sti·fled, sti·fling, sti·fles
v.tr.
1. To interrupt or cut off (the voice, for example).
2. To keep in or hold back; repress: stifled my indignation.
3. To kill by preventing respiration; smother or suffocate.
v.intr.
1. To feel smothered or suffocated by or as if by close confinement in a stuffy room.
2. To die of suffocation.

Maybe he should have used the word aggravate:

ag·gra·vate
tr.v. ag·gra·vat·ed, ag·gra·vat·ing, ag·gra·vates
1. To make worse or more troublesome.
2. To rouse to exasperation or anger; provoke. See Synonyms at annoy.

[librechik]

2. Commander Cuckoobananas strikes through a proxy

General Mondo MangoMadness.

[Wilber_Stool]

3. And I just stifled a sneeze...n/t

[badgervan]

4. Lifer = ButtKisser

All lifers in the military, including ( maybe especially ) the generals and admirals, kiss the butt of those above them in rank. This goes right to the top ( rummy and the decider ). So when you read their quotes from Iraq on how things are going just great, and that they don't need any more troops, remember this: if these generals do not toe the company line, they will never be promoted, and in all probability will be quietly drummed out of the service. Remember Gen. Shinseki? Speak the truth - kiss your lifelong career and reputation in the military bye-bye. That's the way it works, and don't believe it isn't happening right now.

[sofa king]

6. Yep. Let's see if his opinion changes after he's fired.

[eccles12]

5. If the US military can't make Iraq safe and secure, why would we expect

that the Iraqis could do it? We disbanned the professional Iraqi military and offered them nothing to cooperated with us in the beginning.

[Jack Rabbit]

7. How many times did Westmoreland tell us we had the enemy beaten?

Why is this like watching an old B movie with the same plot as some other old B movie, only with a different exotic setting and a different cast?

The original wasn't that good, Frat Boy.