Falluja Fighters Demand U.S. Pullout Before Cease-fire

Reuters ^ | Sat, Apr 10, 2004 | Reuters

[bogdanPolska12]

Hey Mayor how are you my dear friend. I would like to wish you Happy Easter, and thank you for kind words and outstanding work you do.

I am not worry. I know what is going on in there; media is just playing ball game now. All their attempts are to create another Vietnam scenario, which is so off it is not even funny, but disgusting on their part to even try to spin liberals propaganda. They should be ashamed of themselves, oops I forget, that word does not exist in their vocabulary.

Just shows you guys what kind of people we have in media. Bunch of liars and anti-American. They will do anything just to glee to see our soldiers dead. It is disgusting!!!!!!

God Bless Americans and our soldiers and coalition forces
Bogdan

[WOSG]

"In the war that matters, the Islamist have won this one, thanks to a lack of will to fight."

They havent one YET. Our will - the coalition's will - to fight is strong. Bush says we will not be deterred. Many Americans are concerned that things are not going quite right (thanks to the frightening media reporting) but only 30% of Americans say withdraw forces now, a big majority says stand and fight.

So we shall. And so we must, if we want to win.

Our will must be stronger than their will if we are to win.

"We obvisouly can't."

Actually, we have done an extraordinarily good job in many ways. Outside forces have tried to derail the new Iraq but it is mostly on track despite the security issues.

[jpsb]

I thought you were in favor of the ceasefire and giving the IGC stature. Could have sword you posted such.

[hershey]

The military understand what vermin we're fighting. It's civilian admin. officials who'd listen to frantic Muslim country phone calls. One retired general, maybe McCaffrey, said the next ten days to two weeks were absolutely critical. In which case, we should hammer the bejesus out of them until the few left come out waving white flags.

[Eurotwit]

Hey Bogdan,

Happy easter to you too. God bless Poland!


Cheers.

[PattonReincarnated]

Am I getting things mixed up here? Are we dealing with terrorists or something else? They are taking hostages. They are involving civilians. Now they are threatening to kill an American hostage, but release the Japanese hostages. Maybe word terrorist isn't correct. Perhaps it is thug. But, in my little warped right-wing wacko world, you cannot negotiate with these animals. If you did, could you trust them? I don't think so. So what to do? My only answer is kill them.

This notion of halting our offensive operations, and now a cease-fire does only one thing. It makes the enemy think we are weak. If anything, we should ramping up our operations. Given the number of foreign figthers involved, Syria and Iran needs to be smacked around.

It is my deepest, and perhaps darkest hope that we gain the intelligence from this uprising that Syria and Iran are behind this. We need to pick the fight while we are in Iraq. I'm not saying we should start offensive actions against Syria and Iran, just pick the fight. Then when the time is right - finish Syria and Iran. By picking the fight now, it give time for the people of Syria and Iran to do something about it internally. If the people of Syria and Iran do not take matters into their own hands, we should show no mercy. Fallujah should be an example of showing no mercy.

[Travis McGee]

No, I was merely stating the possible thinking behind and reasons for ceasefires. I'm not there, and neither are you. We are just distant (very distant) observers watching a tiny % of this war. The diplomatic battle going on is critical, adn we know NOTHING about it. What we think we know of it is probably /1/ wrong /2/ disinformation or /3/ outdated and overtaken by events.

[geedee]

Says Custer to the Indians.

[bogdanPolska12]

Same to you my dear friend.

[bogdanPolska12]

We are dealing here with Iran, Syria and Saudis money. Also we are dealing here with media who don't know nuts from bolts of what is going on in there and spread the news for their own selfish glee. Be patient guys, this will be resolve very soon.

God Bless America
Bogdan

[The Wizard]

these boys are going to be dissapointed

[The Wizard]

thank you for a very much needed piece of sunshine, in just the right place.

[jpsb]

Not there true enough but I have seen this (military victory, stolen by weak willed kiss ass politicians) before. Time and Time and Time again. I am sick of it. Korea, Vietnam, First Gulf war and now it appears in this war as well. At lack of will to finish what you start.

I well tell you this, my support for this war will evaporate like a rain drop on a hot tin roof, if our leaders ONCE AGAIN display a lack of will to do that it takes to win.

[El Gran Salseron]

I watched with amazement as a "truce" was signed with N. Korea.

I watched with sadness throughout the Vietnam War as the politicians in Washington dictated war policy and gave away South Vietnam.

Now I watch with only pain in my heart as politicians once again dictate how the war should be fought instead of fighting to win.

There is no hope that the U.S.A. will remain a world power for very much longer.

It is not that the terrorists are winning. The problem is that this country seems intent upon losing.

Start buying Korans, burqas, many terry cloth towels and become fluent in Arabic.

[jpsb]

"a big majority says stand and fight."

So why are we talking? Why aren't we taking Falluja? We are we negotiating with Islamists that are plotting our death?

[madison10]

Let your heart not be in trouble. Everything will be fine.

Happy Easter God Bless

Thank you, Bogdan. Wish I had your faith. Prayers continuing for Coalition troops & President Bush.

[WOSG]

You are so right. My fear though is that this Vietnam becomes a self-fulfilling prophesy: Bad media creates dissent and troubling behavior from guys like Kerry, which creates misunderstanding and fear in the Iraqi side, which leads to the kind of terrorist-coddling we have seen far too often. We are 'training' the violent ones that violence pays off.

[jpsb]

I feel the same way, only this is a world war with the USA as enemy number 1. We can not afford to lose this war. Korea, and Vietnam were distant battle fields in the cold war. Iraq is near the heart of Europe, the dogs of war have been unleashed, the enemy is upon us, the time to fight is here.

[Steel Wolf]

I think your observations have been pretty much on the mark, despite not being in Iraq. The only element that doesn't appear to be common knowledge on FR threads that I've noticed here is this:

When we hesitated after the initial murder/mutilations, there was widespread speculation among the Iraqi people that we were (a) unwilling to respond or (b) planning to level the city. The segment of the population that picked A went out and caused trouble, the ones that picked B stayed home and hoped they were wrong.

Once the Marines started kicking in Fallujah's front door, many people switched their vote to B. Instead of people thinking us weak and afraid, they began to think that we were going to butcher the entire city. Given that these people have lived under Saddam their entire lives, it's not an irrational assumption.

There is a delicate balance between appearning firm, brutal, or weak, and Iraqi public opinion is the most important factor to gauge. In calling for a cease fire, it is most likely that we are making an overture to the Iraqi people, not to Sadr's militia. That's the vibe I'm getting from up north, anyway.

[WOSG]

"Why aren't we taking Falluja? "

Who says we arent? Every report indicates hundreds of dead baddies and marines taking much of the city.
And the Jihadists frustrated with American 'cruelty', ie, we are winning and they know it and want to pull the ol' PLO/Hamas trick of a 'ceasefire' after they do their attacks to regroup and regain control.

"So why are we talking?" Rope-a-dope?

"We are we negotiating with Islamists that are plotting our death?" It was the GC who wants a peaceful way out so civilians dont get killed. We dont want civilians killed either so we had a pause in operations friday so civilians could escape. Besides, we can always talk terms of surrender.