[wretchard]

This is expected and entirely natural. The "Ba'athists" are out of power and will never regain it, not in the least because the Shi'ites won't let them. That's the way it was designed to work and that's the way it is working.

[MNJohnnie]

Sure. Wonder if the "Source" for this "resurgent Baathist" story is the same one that gave See BS their forged Bush Guard documents?

Doesn't it EVER occur to these "journalists" that their "unnamed sources" are NOT reporting news but merely repeating rumor and innuendo? This is NOT news, it hearsay.
This story would get an F in a High School Journalism class. The Editor who allowed this to run should be fired for gross incompetence.

[Gigantor]

By the time it was over, the Marines had effectively ceded control of Al-Fallujah to a loosely connected band of Islamist extremists and former Baathists.

I wish someone would explain to me why we ceded this area instead of crushing them...

[noodler]

If one wouldst dip one's toe into this mess over any many years one is relieved of toe and perhaps foot and more.There was distinct pattern and collaberation amongst terrorists that finally attacked this Country in such grand murderous,anti-God,anti-Allah fashion that Our Country has to become involved and we are not perfect.

[Jeeper]

"By the time it was over, the Marines had effectively ceded control of Al-Fallujah to a loosely connected band of Islamist extremists and former Baathists. The entire province is now a ``no-go'' zone for foreigners, particularly Americans."

I guess this guy missed the part about the Marines being ordered to leave only after killing thousands and pinning the survivors against a river crying for a cease fire. These press guys never get it. Just because he has not seen or heard of US Troops within Fallujah doesn't mean they aren't there. Somebody is identifying targets within Fallujah.

"...is now a `no-go' zone for foreigners"

The place is a crap hole. Nobody went there before the war.

[Ptarmigan]

I suspect the Baathists if they fail may go to Syria and join their Nazis bretherens.