U.S. Insists It Has Upper Hand in Iraq

[Emillereid]

U.S. Says It Has the Upper Hand in Escalating Iraq War; Roadside Ambush Kills Two Paratroopers





The Associated Press







BAGHDAD, Iraq Nov. 8 — A senior U.S. official insisted on Saturday that the U.S. military has the upper hand in the escalating war in Iraq, on a day when two paratroopers died in a roadside ambush and the international Red Cross said it was closing two main offices due to deteriorating security.

Deputy Secretary of State Richard Armitage described Iraq as a "war zone," but noted that "we have the momentum in this process."



"I'm absolutely convinced we have a very solid plan to go out and get these people who are killing us and killing Iraqis," he told reporters during a visit to Iraq.



The sharp rise in the number of attacks against the troops of the U.S.-led coalition and their allies in the Iraqi security services, and the guerrillas' apparent ability to strike at will has prompted fears that the initiative in the conflict is slipping from the coalition's hands.....

http://abcnews.go.com/wire/World/ap20031108_706.html

It sounds like "we have the upper hand" is neo-con speak for " the light at the end of the tunnel." The two paratroopers killed are probably real glad to know that "we have the upper hand."

[dbt]

1. This just in:

Vietnamization is working. Stay tuned for more details!

:evilgrin:
dbt

[flamingyouth]

2. "We have a solid plan"

Yeah, I'd really love to hear all about that, Rummy.

Nice to see you last night, Emillereid! :hi:

[Emillereid]

13. Great night all round --

Good to finally meet -- the internet is nice, but face to face with a drink in hand is better.We should rendezvous more often. Thanks again to Booberdawg for arranging it all.

[ninkasi]

3. Why is it I keep having flashes

of the scene from Monty Python's "Search for the Holy Grail" movie?

[kodi]

20. sorry ninki, i posted before i noticed your remarks

.

[UpInArms]

4. info regarding Armitage

http://www.chicagomediawatch.org/02_1_nation.shtml

Armitage-better known as "Armitage The Executioner"-was denied a 1989 appointment as Assistant Secretary of State because of his links to Iran- Contra and other scandals. He served as Assistant Secretary of Defense for International Security Affairs in the Reagan years. US government stipulations in the Oliver North trial specifically named Armitage as one of the officials responsible for illegal transfers of weapons to Iran and the Contras.

Activist group Voices from the Wilderness notes: "Armitage has also been routinely exposed as a Bush-era covert functionary who has been linked to covert operations, drug smuggling and the expansion of organized crime operations in Russia, Central Asia and the Far East."

[nomaco-10]

7. Who else better to serve the needs....

of the simeon emperor in his war for oil. Disgusting, why am I not surprised?

[UpInArms]

9. see also

http://www.democraticunderground.com/articles/02/03/29_lies.html

There was no "scandal" when key figures, John Negroponte (complicit in the Honduran Death Squads), Richard Armitage (linked to illegal arms transfers and CIA drug-running operations), Otto Reich (propaganda operative), John Poindexter (convicted of conspiracy {obstruction of inquiries and proceedings, false statements, falsification, destruction and removal of documents}; two counts of obstruction of Congress and two counts of false statements) of the Iran-Contra Affair have re-appeared in official governmental positions by appointment by George Walker Bush, the sitting Republican President, the son of the former Republican President, George Herbert Walker Bush, for whom these men worked.

[Gman]

14. Good background material in that link

about not only Armitage, but Abrams, Otto Reich and others.

[nomaco-10]

5. Tell that to the familes of the soldiers.....

sent home in the flag draped coffins we're not allowed to see.

[Voltaire99]

11. What's a corpse-a-day if we succeed in bringing...

...Halliburtonocracy to the Middle East?

[Jack Rabbit]

6. Can the Bushies see the light at the end of the tunnel?

Just wondering.

Like the one in Vietnam, it will turn out to be swamp gas rising out of quicksand.

[Sagan]

8. If you've got to "insist" you're winning...

You probably ain't.

[htuttle]

10. Exactly

And if you have to insist that the Economy is improving, it probably ain't either.

(everyone starting to learn how to understand the Bushes?)

[jpgray]

12. You said it--the tone of the headline says it too.

And about time, I might add.

[VolcanoJen]

15. Kick!

:dem:

[0007]

16. Indeed! junior has 'em right where is wants, eh? LOL!

I think Iraq is doing what the Seven Samurai's did to the bandits.

[dArKeR]

17. US Honcho: We Have Iraq Momentum - CBS

A senior U.S. official insisted Saturday that the U.S. military has the upper hand in escalating war in Iraq, on a day when two paratroopers died in a roadside ambush and the International Red Cross said it was closing two main offices due to deteriorating security.

Deputy Secretary of State Richard Armitage described Iraq as a "war zone," but noted that "we have the momentum in this process."

"I'm absolutely convinced we have a very solid plan to go out and get these people who are killing us and killing Iraqis," he told reporters during a visit to Iraq.

The sharp rise in the number of attacks against the troops of the U.S.-led coalition and their allies in the Iraqi security services, and the guerrillas' apparent ability to strike at will, has prompted fears that the initiative in the conflict is slipping from the coalition's hands.

http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2003/02/24/iraq/main541815.shtml

[htuttle]

18. The US may have 'momentum', but we sure don't have the initiative

All the US has been doing is reacting to attacks coming from all directions. There isn't much else they can do (militarily) that is constructive, but I fear that they are often doing something -- anything -- just to create the illusion that they are in control of the situation.

The recent 'raid/bombing' on Tikrit is a good example. No clearly defined target, they arrest 400 and let all but 2 out, plenty of innocents in the way who get killed and hurt.

[kodi]

19. we are the black knight in monty python's holy grail

[LittleApple81]

21. You know, I could never watch that part of the movie... It is so

gruesome despite its being supposed to be funny...

[pinniped]

22. So that's what success looks like.

[Solly Mack]

23. Uh, No....and here's why

Just a little tidbit from one aspect of the occupation...

Iraq has gone from 8 IPS (iraqi police stations), where american troops also train the iraqi police force, to 3...last week, that number went down to 2....only 2 left because the rest have been BLOWN UP by the "resistance"

So, if that's having the upper-hand, I guess I've lived 40 years not understanding what having the "upper-hand" means.

[Buns_of_Fire]

24. "We have them right where we want them. Bring 'em on."

-- Lieutenant Colonel George Armstrong Custer, in a rumored last communique to General Alfred Terry, June 24, 1876