Posted on 08/06/2005 8:46:18 PM PDT by WJHII
Who’s Killing Our Boys By William John Hagan
Houston Home Journal Warner Robins, GA 08/10/2005
One third of the 1,402 American Soldiers killed by hostile fire have died as a result of “roadside bombs” or what the US military, euphemistically, refers to as Improvised Explosive Devices (IED). While, at the beginning of the American Occupation of Iraq, the term improvised appeared to describe these devices, this is no longer the case. In the past few months, it has become clear that these IEDs are no longer the makeshift bombs of the early insurgency, but sophisticated factory-manufactured weapons from a deadly source.
On July 24th, one of these new generation IEDs was used to kill four soldiers with the Georgia National Guard's 48th Brigade Combat Team. The bomb contained 600 pounds of explosives buried beneath a roadside in South Baghdad. An additional four soldiers were killed, six days later, by a similar 500 pound bomb that was buried under a Baghdad Street. According to Brig. Gen. Stewart Rodeheaver, Commander of the Georgia Brigade, his men had discovered about a dozen other bombs in the area. It is clear that these attacks took place with obvious complicity of the residents of South Baghdad. In the densely populated confines of South Baghdad, it would be impossible to bury dozens of half ton explosives under public roads without locals witnessing the events. We’re taking about major road work. The transgressions of these internal assaults become compounded when one realizes that we are not just fighting an internal insurgency but a well-financed foreign campaign to keep Iraq in tatters.
The IEDs, now being used in Iraq, are being supplied by Iran. As recently as last week, a large shipment of IEDs were captured as they entered Iraq from Iran. In direct response, Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld gave a glaring critique about Tehran’s “meddling” in Iraqi affairs.
There are two reasons why Iran wants to keep the Untied States bogged down in Iraq: A successful Iraqi insurgency increases the chance that the United States will be forced into a Vietnam-like withdrawal from Iraq. Such a scenario would leave the Iranian government in a good position to bring Iraq’s Shiite majority into its sphere of influence. More importantly, the success of the insurgency decreases the likelihood that the United States will have the manpower left to expand the War on Terror to Iran.
If the United States plans to leave a democratic Iraq in its wake; then, it is left with no choice but to deal militarily with the Iranian theocracy that is threatening mid-East stability. According to a May 15th article in the Washington Post, the military has a classified contingency plan, known as COMPLAN 8022-22. This strategy is designed to strike Iran in response to "imminent" threats, using both conventional and possibly nuclear weapons against Iranian targets, without involving ground forces in the initial stages. This operation would be similar in nature to President Clinton’s war against Serbia. A source with close ties to the NSA and the former Carter administration also confirmed for me that in June 2004 the United States began preparations for such an attack on Iran with war exercises that included the majority of the US Carrier Fleet and the 6th Maine Expeditionary Unit. Publicly, the operation was know as Summer Pulse’04, which the Navy described as preparation for “a national emergency or crisis”. It seems that Iran’s current meddling in Iraqi affairs may leave the Bush administration with no choice but to take military action against Iran. The Iran Government should be well advised to consider this before assisting in the murder of any future US troops in Iraq.
Letters to the editor can be e-mailed to: hhj@evansnewspapers.com
William John Hagan can be visited on the web at: http://williamjohnhagan.blogspot.com
Nice to know I am not alone in this. We have not "occupied" Iraq for over 13 months now. When that word is used, my hair stands on end.
Thanks for coming. And the beat goes on ....
but in my circle of friends we have become against the way the war is being fought.
I'm sure this can be said for every war and conflict ever waged. Perhaps a new circle of friends would help.
1. Point a weapon at an American and you, your family, your goat and your dog are dead. Level the house, barn whatever.
2. Come and tell us a scumbag is in your house and we will let you live and find you a new place to live since you old one is now rubble.
3. ANY threat to US forces is meet with the harshest force possible - immediately.
4. Close the borders with Syria and Iran immediately. Of course we can't do that here so why there when soldiers are dying.
The very fact that no one can drive safely from the airport to downtown Bagdad is crazy! I would leveled a 100 yard buffer on each side of the road. If that didn't work 200 and so on until the road is safe.
I can understand why asit has been misused by the liberal media, but the reality is that an occupation is not a bad thing it just what happens after active combat operations. Sadly it also means that we'reonthe defensive when we are still involved in a war.
Actually a well placed bomb or two can end a war, but we realize that bombing alone may not have the desired effect. Many Americans support the war but want us to get tougher with the enemy. I believe that the CIC has the best in the world on the job and he is allowing them to fight the war as they see fit. We don't want to lose our troops. The left says that , but we know they don't mean it, that they are just concerned with the enemys' lives
Chess is a good analogy--Iraq is the center of the board right now.
Anyone who believes what the polls say, and also thinks the President is an 'impotent lame duck' either needs a brain transplant, or some new prescriptions for stronger meds......
LOL!!!
If only some would learn how to read a map they would see the strategery that has gone into the global WOT.
Perhaps a little perspective is called for. I just heard NY Mayor Michael Bloomberg boasting a couple of weeks ago that, for the first time in over 20 years, New York is projected to have fewer than 500 homicides this year.
LOL - just checking in with a big Mooooooo!
Been away from the keyboard in meetings most of the day...(thank goodness those are over!)
Strategery!!!!Good one...." the strategery that has gone into the global WOT"
Looks like they could have used you in Texas yesterday.
Thank you for "Perhaps a little perspective is called for"!
Each death in Afghanistan or Iraq is heartbreaking and we do mourn every single one. I attribute the low casualty and dead numbers to the amazing skill & bravery of our troops.
Some seem to think that if this administration & our fighting forces are not perfect, then they are no good at all. I think they fit more into this phrase:
"Perfection is our goal, excellence will be tolerated"
Every time someone tries to define the administration or the troops by a very few mis-steps or mis-fits, we should inquire about their job & use the same kind of perspective:
"You work in education? Why are all the teachers sexually abusing their students?"
"You're in the financial sector? You WorldCom/Enron crooks are all alike!"
"You work for the media! Listen, Jason or Dan or whatever your name is, all y'all ever do is lie, lie, lie!"
Yep, perspective is good!
Amen
I attribute the low casualty and dead numbers to the amazing skill & bravery of our troops.
Re-Amen.
Allegra,
Now I feel guilty for just ambling around from one pasture to the next fertile field with your sister dumb cows while you had to work!!
excellence will be tolerated"
Excellent! You sure are hot today, grandma.
we should inquire about their job & use the same kind of perspective:
Absolutely fantastic examples!!!
your entire post smells like Bull$hit....and it reads no better....
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.