U.S. Uses an Insurgent Attack to Send a Message to Iraqis

[alp227]

Source: NYT

The American military command in Iraq usually declines to acknowledge insurgent rocket strikes on its bases, not wanting the enemy attackers to know whether they have hit something. But the Americans made an exception on Friday.

In a statement about the risks to civilians of insurgent rocket and mortar fire near American bases — a message that was intended for an Iraqi audience and distributed to the local news media in Arabic — the command disclosed that Katyusha rockets fired at a base outside Babil, south of Baghdad, three days earlier had wounded two American soldiers who are among the last several thousand in Iraq.

The statement suggested such rocket attacks had been staged for propaganda purposes to create the impression that the Americans are fleeing under fire after more than eight years of war.

“Terrorists groups are conducting attacks against American forces in order to create a false idea that they have forced us to leave,” the statement said.

Read more: http://www.nytimes.com/2011/11/26/world/middleeast/us-forces-in-iraq-send-a-message-to-civilians.html

[xchrom]

1. Recommend

[limpyhobbler]

2. bye Iraq...

:patriot:

[arcane1]

3. If firing a rocket into an occupying ary's base is "terrorism"

then the word has lost all meaning.

[Muskypundit]

4. With less than a month left in iraq, insurgents are just killing in order to kill

Which is either murder or terrorism at this point. But I guess you wouldn't understand until you see people you are close to die.

All war is terrorism. And just because they are killing Americans doesn't make it any different.

[No Elephants]

10. "All war is terrorism." All war is war, and that is bad enough.

[PurityOfEssence]

14. They're murdering our innocent combat troops

We are always good; "they" are always bad. It's quite simple.

[canuckledragger]

5. I detect the smell of bullshit in the air...

The statement in the post hits the nail on the head:

“Terrorists groups are conducting attacks against American forces in order to create a false idea that they have forced us to leave,”

Replace 'terrorists groups' with 'Iraqi citizens'...& drop 'in order to create a false idea that they' altogether.



Not trying to troll anyone here or disrespect any soldiers' sacrifice...but after the invasion & occupation of Iraq when all the stories of 'insurgents' & IEDs started to fly, I thought of the movie 'Red Dawn' - where a group of U.S. kids from the local town decide to wage their own guerrilla war against the Russians & their buddies after it is invaded & occupied by said armies.

Anyone else see it this way at the time?

[NOLALady]

6. I saw it that way.

I am certain that American citizens would do everything in their power to resist an occupying force.

Iraqi citizens are no different.

[pscot]

7. Some general waving his dick out the window

It changes nothing. We're outta there.

[bvar22]

8. We're outta there.... Thank GAWD.

What a bloody cluster fuck THAT was.
Afghanistan too.


OTOH, a handful of already RICH Americans made a HUGE profit,
and will continue to do so for years,
both in looting Iraqi resources and strip mining the American taxpayers.

Oh Look. Its "The Uniquely American Solution!"



You will know them by their WORKS,
not by their excuses.
Solidarity99!
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[No Elephants]

11. +1

[DeSwiss]

9. ''about the risks to civilians of insurgent rocket and mortar fire near American bases...''

Hey you idiots! There wouldn't be any attacks on American bases if there were NO American bases you jackasses!!!


- Oh yeah, I forgot. We're only in it for the freedums and libetiez we give away as we spread democracy like a shit-stain all over the world.......

K&R

[DallasNE]

12. Iran Supplies Katyusha Rockets

In the Israeli war so it would be fair to assume that these rockets are also coming from Iran. Kind of a non-story in this context.

[Arctic Dave]

13. Katyusha rockets are homemade.

Iran has nothing to do with it. Anyone who had a seventh grade science class can make one. Or is this sideways insult saying Iraqis are too stupid to do it themselves.