On or Off? Odd U.S. Alliance With an Ex-Hussein General

New York Times ^ | 5/3/04 | John Kifner

[saquin]

FALLUJA, Iraq, May 2 — A little over a week ago, 7,000 marines backed by artillery, tanks and deadly AC-130 gunships were poised for an all-out attack to rid this city of a stubborn insurgency, including an estimated force of several hundred foreign fighters.

Instead, apparently at the behest of political leaders and top commanders concerned about the consequences of such an assault on a town of 300,000 people, the marines entered an odd alliance with a former commander of the feared Republican Guard and his somewhat amorphous army. The marines' hope is to put an Iraqi face on control over the city that has become an Arab symbol of resistance to the occupation.

But just how muddled the situation has become was underlined Sunday when the general chosen by the Americans, Jasim Muhammad Saleh, declared that no foreign fighters were in the city after all.

"There are no foreign fighters in Falluja, and the local tribal leaders have told me the same," he told the Reuters news agency.

The situation became even more confused when the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Gen. Richard B. Myers, went on Sunday morning television talk shows to say that General Saleh would not be in charge of the Iraqi force.

"My guess is, it will not be General Saleh," General Myers said on the ABC News Program "This Week." "It will not — he will not be their leader."

Only a day ago, the top Marine commander here, Lt. Gen. James T. Conway, said at a news conference at the Marine base that General Saleh and his troops were ready to take on the foreign fighters.

"They understand our view that these people must be killed or captured," General Conway said.

The forces under General Saleh "have not flinched, and their commander has said as much to his officers in the last 36 hours," said General Conway, the commander of the First Marine Expeditionary Force, adding: "They have a plan. It is developing as they continue to develop their intelligence with more and more movement into the city."

But as fighters in Falluja celebrated what mosque loudspeakers hailed as "victory over the Americans," General Saleh said the whole problem was the fault of the Americans.

"The reasons for the resistance go back to the American provocations, the raids, and abolishing the army, which made Iraqis join the resistance," he told Reuters.

A onetime senior Iraqi officer fired and jailed by Saddam Hussein negotiated the alliance between the Americans and General Saleh. He was identified by Marine commanders as Muhammad Latif, a former staff colonel in intelligence who had fallen afoul of Mr. Hussein.

Apparently once a rising star, he had been sent to England for study, but on his return had been jailed for a half dozen years, they said. He may also have lived abroad in exile.

An older man wearing a well-cut, gray European-style suit, Mr. Latif was a clearly a figure of authority among the re-emerging generals in their old uniforms when glimpsed at meetings or just before climbing into a red Mitsubishi pickup truck at a roadblock the day the new Iraqi force came into existence.

"He is a kind of mentor to these people," General Conway said.

General Saleh had been a commander in the Republican Guard, which had special loyalty to Mr. Hussein, before being named to command the 38th Infantry Division. A former Republican Guard colonel said Sunday that he had served under General Saleh in the southern towns of Kut and Amara for seven months in 2000. Pentagon officials said Friday that General Saleh had not been in the Republican Guard.

"He is a good man, a strong man," the former officer said. "The people of Falluja respect him because he is from that area."

He is said to be recruiting his troops among former Iraqi soldiers in the city, although General Conway conceded that some of them might have been among the insurgents.

"These guys are not squeaky clean, but they are pretty clean," he said.

General Saleh's force, now named the First Battalion of the Falluja Brigade, is said to number around 300 men thus far, with plans to expand it to 1,000.

Under the agreement, two battalions of marines have withdrawn from their positions in the southern part of the city. Only the Second Battalion of the First Marines remains inside the city, in the tough Jolan neighborhood that is an insurgent stronghold.

A senior Marine officer said the marine withdrawal reduced the occupied part of the city to 10 percent, a "foothold," from 25 percent. The marines in Jolan were holding their fire despite the taunts of Iraqis.

Marine commanders of additional units who had been called in for reinforcements have been given word that they may be soon returning to Al Anbar Province, which stretches west of Baghdad to the Syrian border.

Marine commanders hope that their plan here will achieve their long-term goal of making Iraqis responsible for their own security, but concede that there are pitfalls. "There is no blueprint for this," a combat commander said.

Speaking of the new force, a senior officer said, "Let's be honest, this unit has not demonstrated any capability so far."

One drawback, he said, is that "we're giving up the chance to get a total solution to the foreign fighter thing." Such a situation could encourage resistance to the alliance, he said.

The insurgents, the officer said, could claim: "We fought the U.S. military machine to a standstill. Come join us. Get on the winning team."

[saquin]

I'm still scratching my head trying to figure out exactly what this "plan" entails, and what the endgame is.

[Anti-Bubba182]

Me too, but the quote below is a good reason to doubt his intentions.

".."There are no foreign fighters in Falluja, and the local tribal leaders have told me the same," he told the Reuters news agency..."

[lawdog]

Apparently this is a "fly by the seat of the pants " strategy. I'm still waiting for "it" to get off the ground. Seriously, this is looking like a real real f^&k up !

[paul51]

My bet is we will end up in battles with this general and his followers after we have armed them and helped organize them.

[mikegi]

The insurgents, the officer said, could claim: "We fought the U.S. military machine to a standstill. Come join us. Get on the winning team."

Gee, ya think?!? I just can't believe that the USMC is this naive.

[Rokke]

Standard media. Get the original story wrong. Publish it everywhere. Then blame the military when reality doesn't match their own screwed up reporting. This kind of reminds me of are "stalled" drive to Bahgdad, and our "quagmire" in Afghanistan.

[Burkeman1]

They way this whole story has played out is depressing. At first I thought it was a total lie. Then I learn it is not a total lie. Then I learn there was debate among commanders about this whole idea. What the heck is going on? Now they are playing games about who leads what? Does anyone have a grasp of this situation at all in the slightest? Is there even a chain of command?

[Burkeman1]

He is said to be recruiting his troops among former Iraqi soldiers in the city, although General Conway conceded that some of them might have been among the insurgents.

"These guys are not squeaky clean, but they are pretty clean," he said.

What? What the heck is that?

[marty60]

Well if this guy can scare the Cr** out of these thugs more power to him. Let them shoot at their own troops for a change. Plus they know who's who. That makes a BIG difference.

[MN_Mike]

The end game is to get Iraqis to take over both in governance and security. Playing Rambo on every opportunity may be reassuring but it makes the Iraqis overly dependent on the US and moves us away from our mission.

These Fallujah troops are on a short leash, produce or we will do it for you. We have to give them the opportunity, but they must take certain confidence building actions (find the criminals, turn in the arms, etc.). If they don't get it done, we will.

[MN_Mike]

The USMC is not that naive, by the bias media is. Consider those who are so gleeful, who are ready to claim victory. This is not the end but the beginning of the end (for them).

It's tactics not the mission. The mission will be accomplished.

[swarthyguy]

I agree with the Gen Saleh. All the foreign jihadis have left for Baghdad.

Myers said he's not in charge and not been vetted.

[Jmouse007]

The President's PC FALLUJA strategy is FUBAR

It appears he does not have the strength to stay the course and do what needs to be done in order to fight this fight, WIN THIS WAR and gain the victory. Instead, like VIETNAM, the administration is more concerned about PC "politics" and reduced to half and quarter measures.

Our generals and boots on the field have to fight this war with one or both hands tied behind their backs so as to not offend the "Arab street". The terrorists in FALLUJA have proclaimed their "VICTORY" and Aljazera is broadcasting it all over the world. Putting a Bathist "general" in charge of rounding up Bathist terrorists is the height of STUPIDITY. Don't tell me there is a "plan", there ain't no "plan" they are trying to make this up as they go along and it STINKS!

As a Vietnam Vet, I am ASHAMED, it is like we have learned NOTHING from the lessons of Korea, Vietnam and the half-won Gulf War I. I believe we have about 2 weeks to straighten this mess out before it is genuinely FUBAR. If we lose in FALLUJA, we lose. America will be proven a "paper tiger" easily tamed and restrained by the threats of "The Arab street" and offending the world and the UN.

What has happened to the resolve the President once possessed and proclaimed when he stood before Congress and proclaimed his determination to do whatever it took to win the war on terrorism?

[stylin19a]

The insurgents, the officer said, could claim: "We fought the U.S. military machine to a standstill. Come join us. Get on the winning team."

In this article, they are already doing that.

But as fighters in Falluja celebrated what mosque loudspeakers hailed as "victory over the Americans,"...

[cpl. jones Eco 2-8]

If you read around the quote, its true. There are no foreign fighters in Iraq, because... they are considering all mongrol...ahem, I mean muslims to be the same. There are no borders when it comes to faith with these people.

[EternalHope]

The President's PC FALLUJA strategy is FUBAR.

Looks like it to me.

We lost this one pretty badly. We did not lose on the field of battle. We lost in the political arena.

If we move quickly enough we may be able to salvage something, but there is no way this is anything but a disaster.

[cpl. jones Eco 2-8]

I know I'm getting off the subject here but... let me say something about our "stalled drive to Bagdhad." I personally knew Col. Joe Dowdy, except as a Capt. in the Corps. He was my company commander and a damn fine officer. He was such a fine officer that if he asked me for help, even today, I'd walk there if need be. He was rail-friggen-roaded so that general (cant remember his name) could advance his sorry assed career. They lost a fine, high quality officer. But Col. Dowdy, bowed out in typical "Rowdy-Dowdy" style keeping his professional courtesies and Military bearing. Good Luck Sir.

[Anti-Bubba182]

That is one way to look at it. I am sure the General is well
aware of what the US means and is looking for.

[gandalftb]

Amen, the Press, particularly Perry/LA Times just tripped all over themselves on this story. They puffed up this story from the original hustle and now jump on every angle that somehow supports it. Professional journalism it ain't. The main problem is the Press has gone to garrison in their hotels in Baghdad and don't have any original sources, just each other. They have to rehash any story to justify their bar tabs. They are not on the battlefield and it shows.

[appeal2]

I am reminded of that scene in Apocolypse Now! where the colonel is chastising Joker for wearing a peace sign. He explains that inside every g--k is an American just waiting to get out. I guess inside every Iraqi is an American just waiting to get out.

[cpl. jones Eco 2-8]

LAWDOG,
In 1945 Gen. Patton put aside the SS soldiers, NCO's and officers, and kept them together, and stockpiled their weapons so that he could use these elite troops to fight the Russians because he said that we would be fighting them in the next 10 years anyway. Washington went apesh*t and it squashed his chances of running for President. This time its the Generals that are freaking out and Washington that is making the wrong decision. Didn't we go in also for a Regeime change?? Doesn't make since to me. I think this is a bad bad call and I think that DC is getting much too involved in the decision-making of the military. I too have a bad feeling that this thing is going to blow up in our faces! My feelings??
SQUASH ALL OPPOSITION. LET THE MARINES MAKE
THE CALL!!!

[McGavin999]

I don't know, but General Conway could very well find himself a Col. if he blew it as bad as it looks.

[McGavin999]

You are either an idiot or you have a real reading comprehension problem. The PRESIDENT didn't formulate this plan, this plan was developed by the General in the field...Conway. It was approved by Kimmet and then Sanchez who called Dubya to get approval. All Dubya said is "OK, balls in your court".

That is Sooooooo far from Vietnam it's hysterical that you even brought it up.

[cpl. jones Eco 2-8]

APPEAL2,
The movie was "Full Metal Jacket."
Col: Marine, what is that on your body armor.
Joker: Sir, a peace button Sir.
Col: A peace button? You write Born to Kill on your helmet
and wear a peace button? Just what are you trying to
say?
Joker: Sir?
Col: You had better get your head and your ass wired
together or you will be standing before the man.
Joker: Sir, I think I was trying to say something about the
duality of man sir.
Col: The duality of what?
Joker: The duality of man sir.
Col: Whose side are you on son?
Joker: Sir, our side sir.
Col: Then how about jumping on the team and coming in for
the big win. Son all I've ever asked of my Marines is
that they obey my orders like they would the word of
God, because I believe that inside every g@@k, is an
American trying to get out.
Joker: American. Yes Sir.

[edger]

I think there is a lot of point-missing going on here. The battle for Iraq was brilliantly performed but about three weeks after, the climate changed. General Garner was kicked out, the State Department took over, replaced Garner with Bremer and we have slowly frittered our way down hill ever since.

There was a plan in place for post-conquest Iraq but a palace coup in Wash.D.C. changed all that. The military was kicked downstairs and the limp-wrists at the State Department took over. And, now, it ain't never gonna get no better.

[cpl. jones Eco 2-8]

"It aint never gonna get no better."

I hope this is a joke.(triple negetives)

[Rokke]

"There was a plan in place for post-conquest Iraq but a palace coup in Wash.D.C. changed all that. The military was kicked downstairs and the limp-wrists at the State Department took over. And, now, it ain't never gonna get no better."

That is completely untrue. Our Phase IV (post major hostilities) plan was designed in conjunction with our entire warplan. It didn't change. The military was never going to run the show after hostilities ceased. Nor should they. Despite the fantasy's of many American's, this White House (and its State Department) is not the micro-managing White House of the Vietnam era. The irony is the left bashes Bush for not participating enough in his administration, and the right bashes him for participating too much. The reality is somewhere in the middle...which is right where it should be.