U.S. Will Reinforce Troops in West Iraq (an emergency troop deployment)

[ECH1969]

The U.S. military said Monday it was deploying the main reserve fighting force for Iraq, a full 3,500-member armored brigade, as emergency reinforcements for the embattled western province of Anbar, where a surge of violence linked to the insurgent group al-Qaeda in Iraq has severely damaged efforts to turn Sunni Arab tribal leaders against the insurgency. The insurgents have assassinated 11 tribal leaders in the Ramadi area since the end of last year, when Sunni sheiks in the city began open cooperation with the U.S. military.

The insurgent attacks since then have all but frozen the cooperation between Sunni tribal leaders and U.S. forces in Ramadi, local leaders say. "We hope to get rid of al-Qaeda, which is a huge burden on the city. Unfortunately, Zarqawi's fist is stronger than the Americans'," said one Sunni sheik, who spoke on condition of anonymity for fear of insurgent retaliation.

In Ramadi, "Zarqawi is the one who is in control," the sheik said, speaking to a Washington Post special correspondent in Ramadi. "He kills anyone who goes in and out of the U.S. base. We have stopped meetings with the Americans, because, frankly speaking, we have lost confidence in the U.S. side, as they can't protect us."

Another sheik, Bashir Abdul Qadir al-Kubaisi of the Kubaisat tribe in Ramadi, expressed similar views. "Today, there is no tribal sheik or a citizen who dares to go to the city hall or the U.S. base, because Zarqawi issued a statement ordering his men to kill anyone seen leaving the base or city hall," he said. "We are very upset. But being upset is better than mourning the death of a sheik or tribal leader," Kubaisi said. "Zarqawi has imposed himself on us. We started thinking of appeasing Zarqawi and his group, because rejecting them means death."

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/05/29/AR2006052901172.html

[Kagemusha]

1. That... is Uncle Sam just plain getting its ass kicked by the insurgency.

No two ways about it, that's US objectives flushing down the toilet. If the local chieftains fear the insurgent "army" because the U.S. Army has no capacity to keep them safe from punitive assassinations, watch cooperation go down the drain.

Not the US Army being directly defeated, mind you. But this is a case of winning battles and losing territory. And you can only retain the hearts and minds of people who are still alive.

[shadowknows69]

5. I don't think we're interested in there being too many people

alive in Iraq. just the ones who will play ball.

[Kagemusha]

12. The ones who play ball are the people being killed in this case.

That... is a problem.

[shadowknows69]

14. Vichy Iraqi's?

n/t

[Kagemusha]

15. They're better than Zarqawi's bunch at least...

You're surely familiar with the old line about such and such is an SOB, but at least he's our SOB. Well our SOB's are being assassinated by their SOB's. That's why I say it's a problem.

Al Qaeda's fighting us over there so they don't have to bother fighting us over here.

[grytpype]

2. From the article

In Ramadi, "Zarqawi is the one who is in control," the sheik said, speaking to a Washington Post special correspondent in Ramadi. "He kills anyone who goes in and out of the U.S. base. We have stopped meetings with the Americans, because, frankly speaking, we have lost confidence in the U.S. side, as they can't protect us."

...

Gen. George W. Casey, the commander of U.S. forces in Iraq, has called up the 2nd Brigade, 1st Armored Division, the main standby reserve force for the roughly 130,000 American troops in Iraq, Maj. Todd Breasseale, a Marine spokesman in Baghdad, confirmed.

The call-up leaves a Marine Expeditionary Unit, which typically includes one combat infantry battalion and air and logistical support, in Kuwait as the only American reserve in the Iraqi theater, a U.S. Central Command spokesman said.

[IndianaGreen]

3. Ramadi looks like an Iraqi version of Khe Sahn in Vietnam

Last week, U.S. Ambassador Zalmay Khalilzad conceded, in answer to a question about Ramadi in an interview with CNN, that parts of Anbar were under insurgent control.

<snip>

Marines defend a five-block area of downtown that holds the local government, now a sniper's alley where U.S. forces move at a run to elude insurgent guns.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/05/29/AR2006052901172_2.html

Siege of Khe Sanh

The gem of American military superiority in Vietnam was the strategic Marine Corps base a Khe Sanh. Located a few miles from the borders of North Vietnam and Laos, Khe Sanh was heavily fortified in late '67 by Gen. William Westmoreland, and designed to carry out reconnaissance attacks on the Ho Chi Minh trail and enemy supply lines from the north.

The sudden massive siege of Khe Sanh stunned the nation, and reminded many Americans, including the Johnson administration, of the humiliating defeat of the French at Dienbienphu fourteen years earlier. In his typical Texas way Johnson tells one of his advisors, "I don't want any damn Din Bin Phoo". The siege would play to a massive audience on American television each night for the next few months, proving the resolve of the Vietcong to win their struggle.

http://www.vietnam-war.info/battles/siege_of_khe_sanh.php

[ckramer]

4. Iraqis taking control means insurgents taking control

There is no way that is not going to happen.

The side that is fighting for money will eventually lose, every time. The side fighting for faith will win. You can call them whatever you like.

Simply another Vietnam. No matter how hard American try.

So what are we doing there wasting lives?

Get the hell out!

[shadowknows69]

6. So we're bringing in an armored division

that's good for about one thing. Leveling cities. Fallujah part, shit I lost count.

[truth2power]

13. "The side fighting for faith will win."..

Interesting you should say that. I was listening to "Speaking of Faith" on NPR Sunday evening. This is a weekly one hour program of discussion with various members of the faith community. Always good, intellectual discussions and food for thought.

This week, the moderator interviewed an Army Chaplin (United Methodist, I believe) who had been in Iraq. Although I felt he was deluding himself in some areas, one thing was for sure. He said that we will never be able to kill enough people to win this war. The reason being that they are fighting for faith.

The website is www.speakingoffaith.org if anyone's interested in more information about this.

[keopeli]

7. Looks like the troops will be coming home by the end of the year!

:sarcasm:

[pokercat999]

11. Many of them will.....dead and wounded......nt

[Leber tsohG]

8. wow a whopping 3,500 troops....

that should end the insurgency in no time flat

:rofl:

[global1]

9. But I Thought Chimpy Said We're At A Turning Point in Iraq?......nt

[Ghost Dog]

10. Send your brave fighters into

Washington DC, please.

[warrens]

16. Goodbye October surprise

There's no question that Bush was supposed to announce a huge reduction in force just before the elections. He will probably still try it, but I think we can be confidant that voters will recognize it as bullshit with news like this filtering through the gatekeepers.