There will probably be a big fight now in Iraq-

[Joe for Clark]

for the next 30 days or so. It will be concentrated in Dialya between about about 50 klm NE of Baghdad and up to the oil fields south of Kirkuk. Not that there will not be continued fighting in the city - Baghdad - but man, that isn't where the money is either.

This is the car accident - where you knew you were about to hit the other car - and there wasn't anything you could do about it. Like it is all going in slow motion now.

It is funny to me - how is it that "we" as a country thought we could "surge" and not expect them to do the same?? How arrogant.

That guy Mixon better be right that he only needed those few batallions up north there - cause if he is wrong - we are going to have a very bad time trying to pull out.

And I doubt he asked for what he really needed. That reluctance to recoginize reality seems to be symptomatic of this entire command structure.

And by the way - I am sure what Biden said yesterday about the 12 months needed logistically to pull out could be true. Maybe. But that does NOT mean we have to leave our kids out in active combat missions either. I think what he said was misleading.

All just IMO.

Joe

[Joe for Clark]

1. Oh - there is one more thing you could project here -

When it really starts - It will probably start in the city and project south of Kirkuk.

You should see - well thought out bombings - in a series - starting right there. You know - planned out bombings?? To provoke.

What happens now - there will be a bombing - maybe some ambusers - but not a prolonged shoot out. They hit and run away. Well - they are going to shoot it out there. I think we can count on that.

They understand (and so would we) that if they really come on - right now -they may be able to push us out politically - good assumption on their part. And they are NOT looking at this as religious -
Just a battle between Kurds and Arabs - ethnic. 3 months before that referendum.

I am glad Turkey just launched a few bombs and did NOT follow thru. That was great for us - and it could have gone the other way. And we better use the opportunity it affords.

Those kids have NO business there. Get them out - NOW!!

Joe