RE: http://www.military.com/NewsContent/0,13319,164481,00.html

What takes place here will probably reflect what happens in the remainder of the country as far as the Iraqi military is concerned.

Appears to me that General P, ought to move some american forces to Basra to assist in routing the milita groups. British troops have been taken out of the picture, pretty much what is scheduled to happen in the end by our forces as they retreat to individual bases and support the Iragi army.

The Brits are holed up at the airport pretty much, just counting down till they leave.

Whichever Shiite militia is the strongest will win out. The Iraqi army and police in that area are just too infilitrated. They'll pick sides then fight till one is left standing.

The US is more concerned with Baghdad, Diyala provice and the Mosul area right now.

It's like playing the Wack-A-Mole game at an amusement park.

quote:

Originally posted by contractor_usnret:
The Brits are holed up at the airport pretty much, just counting down till they leave.

Whichever Shiite militia is the strongest will win out. The Iraqi army and police in that area are just too infilitrated. They'll pick sides then fight till one is left standing.

The US is more concerned with Baghdad, Diyala provice and the Mosul area right now.

It's like playing the Wack-A-Mole game at an amusement park.

The US has driven out the insurgents from Baghdad with the "surge" of US troops making it a safe zone for McCain to claim a victory in IRAG. No more need for flat jackets, helments and platoons of security personnel to secure American safety while shopping in the local open markets. DUH! The insurgnets are not too dumb to get the heck out of town and move elsewhere to continue their fight.

I say the US-led "coaliton" should declare victory, get out, let the Iraqis have the civil war that we are artifically suppressing and deal with whatever is left.

I'm still waiting for the Iraqis to launch the 'final battle for Mosul'.. has anyone heard anything new (since feb 1) about that?

Good Morning all. Frankly I do not understand this region of the world at all. I can not even imagine living my life in an area constantly at war. How can this be and how can this go on and on and on? Is it the absence of a strong central government, is it due to centuries old tribal friction and hatred? There is a root somewhere and that root must be pull out and destroyed before this all ends. These conflicts have been raging since before the time of Christ. Can I picture my neighborhood with armies with various allegeancies dukin it out in my front yard? No, can not even picture that. I know you folks that have been over there can better understand this having seen it first hand. Beyond my old brain to figure it. I continue to pray for peace in the region. And thats all I have to say about that.

Fallujah, Ramadi and now Mosul ..... assaulted, flattened, de-rubbled and presented as a 'new model' community with neighbourhood walls and high tech security gizmos.

A clean, quiet, peaceful resting place for walk-abouts and photo-ops - with a 'robust' police and military security presence. Zombieville with the occasional shooting or explosion.

Happy Easter everyone.
My quistion is why should this be the final battle I mean if this war was handled better there would be no final battle.

quote:

Originally posted by M1Hound:
Good Morning all. Frankly I do not understand this region of the world at all. I can not even imagine living my life in an area constantly at war. How can this be and how can this go on and on and on? Is it the absence of a strong central government, is it due to centuries old tribal friction and hatred? There is a root somewhere and that root must be pull out and destroyed before this all ends. These conflicts have been raging since before the time of Christ. Can I picture my neighborhood with armies with various allegeancies dukin it out in my front yard? No, can not even picture that. I know you folks that have been over there can better understand this having seen it first hand. Beyond my old brain to figure it. I continue to pray for peace in the region. And thats all I have to say about that.

With all due respect, you should have stayed in bed. Or, if you want to say something, go do some research so you at least seem to know what you're talking about. The prayers are a singularly good idea, God understands Iraq - they had a long term relationship.

quote:

Originally posted by popsiq:
Fallujah, Ramadi and now Mosul ..... assaulted, flattened, de-rubbled and presented as a 'new model' community with neighbourhood walls and high tech security gizmos.

A clean, quiet, peaceful resting place for walk-abouts and photo-ops - with a 'robust' police and military security presence. Zombieville with the occasional shooting or explosion.

popsiq Sometime ago you had a friend going to the hospital for his PTSD, did the links I posted help him as far as hin finnances???

quote:

Originally posted by M1Hound:
Good Morning all. Frankly I do not understand this region of the world at all. I can not even imagine living my life in an area constantly at war. How can this be and how can this go on and on and on? Is it the absence of a strong central government, is it due to centuries old tribal friction and hatred? There is a root somewhere and that root must be pull out and destroyed before this all ends. These conflicts have been raging since before the time of Christ. Can I picture my neighborhood with armies with various allegeancies dukin it out in my front yard? No, can not even picture that. I know you folks that have been over there can better understand this having seen it first hand. Beyond my old brain to figure it. I continue to pray for peace in the region. And thats all I have to say about that.

You have to understand that there are three waring factions over there Sheit Muslum,Sunni Muslum and Christin Muslum. to put it better there like the movie the Godfather each clan trying to rule the other.

quote:

Originally posted by M1Hound:
Good Morning all. Frankly I do not understand this region of the world at all. I can not even imagine living my life in an area constantly at war. How can this be and how can this go on and on and on? Is it the absence of a strong central government, is it due to centuries old tribal friction and hatred? There is a root somewhere and that root must be pull out and destroyed before this all ends. These conflicts have been raging since before the time of Christ. Can I picture my neighborhood with armies with various allegeancies dukin it out in my front yard? No, can not even picture that. I know you folks that have been over there can better understand this having seen it first hand. Beyond my old brain to figure it. I continue to pray for peace in the region. And thats all I have to say about that.

is it due to centuries old tribal friction and hatred?
YES

quote:

Originally posted by phillystake:

quote:

Originally posted by popsiq:
Fallujah, Ramadi and now Mosul ..... assaulted, flattened, de-rubbled and presented as a 'new model' community with neighbourhood walls and high tech security gizmos.

A clean, quiet, peaceful resting place for walk-abouts and photo-ops - with a 'robust' police and military security presence. Zombieville with the occasional shooting or explosion.

popsiq Sometime ago you had a friend going to the hospital for his PTSD, did the links I posted help him as far as hin finnances???

My VietNam Vet buddy? I don't think he had much to do with VA after the war. I don't even know if he ever went back to the States. By the time I met him in the early eighties, he was 'managing'. He had a boy he was raising by himself and did well until the lad was out of school. He always worked when I knew him - caretaker in a library.

Don't know if he was getting a pension or disability payments. He lived pretty simply - apartment, no car, etc.

Our medical system looked after him - professionally, but there wasn't really anybody - Canadian vets, or US vets here, that he associated with - he was a 'loner'. He died of a stroke in '94.

quote:

Originally posted by AFRet91:

quote:

Originally posted by M1Hound:
Good Morning all. Frankly I do not understand this region of the world at all. I can not even imagine living my life in an area constantly at war. How can this be and how can this go on and on and on? Is it the absence of a strong central government, is it due to centuries old tribal friction and hatred? There is a root somewhere and that root must be pull out and destroyed before this all ends. These conflicts have been raging since before the time of Christ. Can I picture my neighborhood with armies with various allegeancies dukin it out in my front yard? No, can not even picture that. I know you folks that have been over there can better understand this having seen it first hand. Beyond my old brain to figure it. I continue to pray for peace in the region. And thats all I have to say about that.

is it due to centuries old tribal friction and hatred?
YES

That particular genie had been well-corked for at least 500 years. Until somebody (who din't (or did ) know 'bout that) showed up and smashed the bottle.

quote:

Originally posted by popsiq:
Fallujah, Ramadi and now Mosul ..... assaulted, flattened, de-rubbled and presented as a 'new model' community with neighbourhood walls and high tech security gizmos.

A clean, quiet, peaceful resting place for walk-abouts and photo-ops - with a 'robust' police and military security presence. Zombieville with the occasional shooting or explosion.

I'm not so sure all of that s correct - John Simpson did a piece on BBC2 Newsnight from Fallujah yesterday on a foot patrol with some US Marines and he seemed to be quietly optimistic. As Simpson is as close to an expert on Iraq, Iran and Afghanistan as the Beeb have his assessments are usually worth paying attention to. He made the point that foot patrols rather than vehicle patrols seemed to have made a difference and that the general attitude of the US troops towards the locals had improved (probably in result of Gen. Petraeus' reforms) and the locals had reciprocated.


The Daily Telegraph ran apiece the other day about Basra which seemed to indicate that the tide was turning from the militias towards the government forces, partly because of Al Sadr's ceasefire and partly because the locals are fed up of the militias. It also made the point that things have calmed down a lot since the British moved out of Basra Palace to the airfield.

quote:

Originally posted by popsiq:

quote:

Originally posted by M1Hound:
Good Morning all. Frankly I do not understand this region of the world at all. I can not even imagine living my life in an area constantly at war. How can this be and how can this go on and on and on? Is it the absence of a strong central government, is it due to centuries old tribal friction and hatred? There is a root somewhere and that root must be pull out and destroyed before this all ends. These conflicts have been raging since before the time of Christ. Can I picture my neighborhood with armies with various allegeancies dukin it out in my front yard? No, can not even picture that. I know you folks that have been over there can better understand this having seen it first hand. Beyond my old brain to figure it. I continue to pray for peace in the region. And thats all I have to say about that.

With all due respect, you should have stayed in bed. Or, if you want to say something, go do some research so you at least seem to know what you're talking about. The prayers are a singularly good idea, God understands Iraq - they had a long term relationship.

Popsig; with all due respect, Hound's comments are just as valid as yours and according to you, he has't researched anything so who is the bigger dolt?

quote:

Originally posted by phillystake:
You have to understand that there are three waring factions over there Sheit Muslum,Sunni Muslum and Christin Muslum. to put it better there like the movie the Godfather each clan trying to rule the other.

Huh?
"Christin Muslums"?

If you're talking about the Arab Christians, they're pretty much extinct now, and were never part of the fighting anyway. They've all been driven out of Iraq or killed at this point.

quote:

Originally posted by 5170553:

quote:

Originally posted by phillystake:
You have to understand that there are three waring factions over there Sheit Muslum,Sunni Muslum and Christin Muslum. to put it better there like the movie the Godfather each clan trying to rule the other.

Huh?
"Christin Muslums"?

If you're talking about the Arab Christians, they're pretty much extinct now, and were never part of the fighting anyway. They've all been driven out of Iraq or killed at this point.

Let me ask you something have you been there??? And if so where??? I've been thru some small villages north east of Anaconda that was Christian get your facts straght pal.

quote:

Originally posted by phillystake:

quote:

Originally posted by 5170553:

quote:

Originally posted by phillystake:
You have to understand that there are three waring factions over there Sheit Muslum,Sunni Muslum and Christin Muslum. to put it better there like the movie the Godfather each clan trying to rule the other.

Huh?
"Christin Muslums"?

If you're talking about the Arab Christians, they're pretty much extinct now, and were never part of the fighting anyway. They've all been driven out of Iraq or killed at this point.

Let me ask you something have you been there??? And if so where??? I've been thru some small villages north east of Anaconda that was Christian get your facts straght pal.

Some small villages, whoop dee doo. They're pretty much all gone, and what few are left are still being intimidated to leave.