US Marines will not withdraw from Fallujah: spokesman

[54anickel]

http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2004-05/01/content_1449957.htm

BAGHDAD, April 30 (Xinhuanet) -- US troops in and around Fallujah will not withdraw from the city despite an agreement to hand over the security to a newly-formed Iraqi force led by an officer from the former Iraqi army, senior US military spokesman said Friday.

Brig. Gen. Mark Kimmitt told a news conference that the new Iraqi force will be "completely integrated" with Marines, who will maintain strong presence "in and around" the city.

The Marines were not "withdrawing", but were "repositioning" their forces, he told the reporters.

Kimmitt said he had no information on the background of the new Iraqi commander of the Fallujah force, former Maj. Gen. Jassim Mohammed Salih though the commander had been checked by the Marines who had full confidence in him.

more...

[RobertSeattle]

1. My car wasn't stolen - it was "repositioned"

Spin spin spin.

[JoFerret]

15. Such liars

.

[Chicago Democrat]

2. They're IN! They're OUT! iTS maDNess! weeEEE wAR IS so fun!

=/

[maddezmom]

3. is it similar to the "semi cease-fire"?

they haven't got a clue!!

[Just Me]

19. Or a "semi-pullout",...or a campaign of total confusion.

It appears to me that Fallujah and Najaf are both so bloody messy that contradictory reports are intentionally being published in order to diffuse what is really happening.

[skip fox]

4. As some expert on t.v. yesterday said

going in hard to Fallujah could mean we lose this region for 50 years.

Thsi does not sound good.

[TrogL]

5. Get over it - they're "retreating"

[NickB79]

6. No, no, no, you have it all wrong

It's not retreating, its simply advancing to the rear.

[Chicago Democrat]

7. Its a reverse forward momentum of victory!

Hail Freedonia!

I shot an elephant in my pajamas! How he got in my pajamas I'll never know.

[Tempest]

8. Brig. Gen. Mark Kimmitt aka Baghdad Bob

This guy is as believable as Saddam's spokesman.

[Dhalgren]

10. Didn't you just love his statement about the Iraqi general?!

"Oh...uh...I don't know anything about the new general...uh...but the Marines , evidently, have checked him out and he looks good in his new uniform...several Marines have actually already asked him for dates, so he must be o.k." Good gods! K.K.Kimmit doesn't know anything about him?! WTF?!! Are they even trying to make sense anymore?! This really takes the cake! So, what K.K.K. is saying is that it was the Marines' decission to put this guy back in power, and it was the Marines' decission to pick this guy, and it was the Marines who vetted this guy!!! So these kind of decissions are being made by field commanders now??!! Does anyone know what the crap is going on???

[DoYouEverWonder]

9. Strange, someone I know that was stationed in Fallujia

just got pulled out and sent to Afghanistan a couple of days ago.

Seems odd to send some from Fallujia to Afghanistan under the present circumstances?

[54anickel]

11. That is odd. Wonder what's up next?

[DoYouEverWonder]

12. Exactly

All we get are emails that he's okay. That's it.

[54anickel]

14. Here's a report that states they are doing some troop rotations

not much to go on.

http://www.usmc.mil/marinelink/mcn2000.nsf/0/A401F3D3B38F6B9085256E860064D23A?opendocument

snip>
Abizaid summed up the coalition's goals in Afghanistan as: to conduct "robust combat operations" around the country's border with Pakistan to defeat al Qaeda, to destroy Taliban remnants and increase the presence of the Afghan National Army throughout the country, to increase reconstruction efforts through provincial reconstruction teams and further internationalize PRTs, and to increase the capacity of the Afghan national government to control the country's security.

He said he believes Afghan President Hamid Karzai is happy with progress within Afghanistan so far.

The U.S. force level of 20,000 troops is higher than normal temporarily because of increased offensive operations and scheduled unit rotations, Abizaid said.

U.S. Army forces have been conducting combat operations near the Pakistani border to hunt down al Qaeda fighters believed to be operating in the lawless border region. Abizaid said those forces are there "primarily to prevent the escape of al Qaeda forces that are being pushed out of Pakistan as a result of Pakistani operations."

[Jazzgirl]

22. DYEW, I'm still waiting to hear from my brother in Afghanistan.

I haven't heard from him in 3 weeks. My niece and a cousin whom he normally communicates with asked me the same thing. I think something big is up in Afghanistan but can't figure out what.

Jazzgirl

[leftchick]

13. Reminds me of a favorite Clash tune....

" should I stay or should I go nowwwwww......

If I stay there could be troubllllle.....

Should I stay or should I go? "

[RUMMYisFROSTED]

16. "...and if I stay it will be double."

[bobthedrummer]

17. "So c'mon darling you've got to let me know..."

[RUMMYisFROSTED]

18. Should I stay or should I go?"

:shrug: :shrug::shrug: :shrug:
:shrug: :shrug::shrug: :shrug:
:shrug: :shrug::shrug: :shrug:
:shrug: :shrug::shrug: :shrug:

[leftchick]

21. omg... you two are too funny...

thanks for the laugh in a dark moment. It is what gets us through I suppose... :)

[starroute]

20. Xymphora suggests it was a mutiny against the Pentagon

"It represents an incredible loss of control by the Pentagon in Washington over the American military. It is apparent that the American commanders on the ground in Falluja came to the conclusion that whoever was giving the orders in Washington was insane (Dr. Strangelove), and that they were no longer prepared to participate in a massacre that not only would fail in its short-term military goal, but would turn the whole country violently against the Americans (not to mention completely destroying the moral integrity of the American military by forcing soldiers to murder civilians). They negotiated a cease-fire unknown to the Pentagon in Washington and against the express wishes of the civilian neocons in charge of the Pentagon. In fact, Falluja was being micromanaged by the White House itself. No to put too fine a point on it, the cease-fire in Falluja was a mutiny by the American commanders in Falluja (the hero seems to be Marine Lt. Gen. James Conway). This explains why we were simultaneously hearing announcements of a cease-fire in Iraq and vehement denials from the Pentagon in Washington. It also explains why some Americans had stopped the massacre, while others, still under the control of Washington, continued."

http://xymphora.blogspot.com/2004_05_01_xymphora_archive.html#108338736556004732

[cambie]

23. Not a mutiny.

When the captain has lost the picture someone must take command. It is sad that the military was forced to do this when it was the people’s responsibility, but now you have some guidance.