In Iraq, U.S. Officials Cite Obstacles to Victory -Sunday NYT

[Rose Siding]

WASHINGTON, Oct. 30 - Senior American military commanders and civilian officials in Iraq are speaking more candidly about the hurdles that could jeopardize their plans to defeat an adaptive and tenacious insurgency and hold elections in January.

Outwardly, they give an upbeat assessment that the counterinsurgency is winnable. But in interviews with 15 of the top American generals, admirals and embassy officials conducted in Iraq in late October, many described risks that could worsen the security situation and derail the political process that they are counting on to help quell the insurgency.

Commanders voiced fears that many of Iraq's expanding security forces, soon to be led by largely untested generals, have been penetrated by spies for the insurgents. Reconstruction aid is finally flowing into formerly rebel-held cities like Samarra and other areas, but some officers fear that bureaucratic delays could undermine the aid's calming effects. They also spoke of new American intelligence assessments that show that the insurgents have significantly more fighters - 8,000 to 12,000 hard-core militants - and far greater financial resources than previously estimated.
............
"If we can't stop the intimidation factor, we can't win," said Lt. Gen. John F. Sattler, the commander of nearly 40,000 marines and soldiers in western and south-central Iraq, who is drawing up battle plans for a possible showdown with more than 3,000 guerrillas in Falluja and Ramadi, with the hope of destroying the leadership of the national insurgency.

http://www.nytimes.com/2004/10/31/international/middleeast/31command.html?oref=login&hp

[NNN0LHI]

1. These guys ain't too smart if they just figured out we can't win

This shit ain't rocket science.

Don

[VegasWolf]

5. I guess these neocons hate to see a beautiful dream die! n/t

New Information Shows Bush Indecisive, Paranoid, Delusional

[maddezmom]

2. first Cherie, now this....like I said before

Where the hell were these folks before today????? Is everyone seeing the writing on the wall??

[Rose Siding]

7. They are even admitting the root of the quagmire

snip>
In some cases, senior officers say, their goals could inadvertently act at cross purposes. For example, Iraq cannot hold meaningful national elections if militants still control major Sunni cities like Falluja. Negotiations there have broken down and many officers predict a military offensive. But hard-line Sunni clerics say they will call for an election boycott if American troops use force to put down the insurrection.
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And to even SPEAK of concern over Samarra, their big "victory" is telling. When was that battle? 2 or 3 weeks ago?

snip>
In Samarra, Maj. Gen. John R. Batiste, commander of the Army's First Infantry Division, had a blunt warning for his superiors recently: "We've got to get these unemployed folks back to work. We have a very small window of opportunity to make this work."
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The same mistakes are being made all over again!

[clydefrand]

3. 8,000-12,000 hard-core militants

That's more than the "coalition" forces, right?

Oh, but we're gonna kill 'em all every damn one of them. (sarcasm)

HEY ****, WE HAVE MADE TERRORISTS WHERE THERE WE NONE! DO YOU HEAR?

[reprobate]

4. All they had to do was read DU.

We told them long before the invasion that it was unwinnable. We told them that an invasion would bring on an insurgency. We told them that an occupying force could not defeat an insurgency, when the insurgnecy had the support of the people.

Did any of them listen?

SURE they did.

[maddezmom]

6. kick

[saigon68]

8. We told them it was Iraq-Nam # 2

The Bush Criminals knew this,

The Bush Criminals only did it, to line the pockets of the NeoCon Corporations A/K/A Halliburton.