Bushs' great Iraq Plan

[medicinal]

Divide and Rule: Bush's Doomed Plan for Baghdad
By Robert Fisk, The Independent. Posted April 12, 2007.

Revealed: a new counter-insurgency strategy to carve up the city into sealed areas. The tactic failed in Vietnam. So what chance does it have in Iraq?
Faced with an ever-more ruthless insurgency in Baghdad -- despite President George Bush's "surge" in troops -- US forces in the city are now planning a massive and highly controversial counter-insurgency operation that will seal off vast areas of the city, enclosing whole neighbourhoods with barricades and allowing only Iraqis with newly issued ID cards to enter. The campaign of "gated communities" -- whose genesis was in the Vietnam War -- will involve up to 30 of the city's 89 official districts and will be the most ambitious counter-insurgency programme yet mounted by the US in Iraq.

The system has been used -- and has spectacularly failed -- in the past, and its inauguration in Iraq is as much a sign of American desperation at the country's continued descent into civil conflict as it is of US determination to "win" the war against an Iraqi insurgency that has cost the lives of more than 3,200 American troops. The system of "gating" areas under foreign occupation failed during the French war against FLN insurgents in Algeria and again during the American war in Vietnam. Israel has employed similar practices during its occupation of Palestinian territory -- again, with little success.

But the campaign has far wider military ambitions than the pacification of Baghdad. It now appears that the US military intends to place as many as five mechanised brigades -- comprising about 40,000 men -- south and east of Baghdad, at least three of them positioned between the capital and the Iranian border. This would present Iran with a powerful -- and potentially aggressive -- American military force close to its border in the event of a US or Israeli military strike against its nuclear facilities later this year. More at:AlterNet: Home

medicinal Reviewed by medicinal on 04-13-2007. Bushs' great Iraq Plan Divide and Rule: Bush's Doomed Plan for Baghdad By Robert Fisk, The Independent. Posted April 12, 2007. Revealed: a new counter-insurgency strategy to carve up the city into sealed areas. The tactic failed in Vietnam. So what chance does it have in Iraq? Faced with an ever-more ruthless insurgency in Baghdad -- despite President George Bush's "surge" in troops -- US forces in the city are now planning a massive and highly controversial counter-insurgency operation that will seal off vast Rating: 5

[higher4hockey]

ya know, on one hand i kind of wish bush would decide to leave iraq, i cant wait to see what all you bush-haters have to say when iraqis are still killing each other, america still gets attacked by terrorists, and those crazy fucks decide to start burning oil wells again and you all have to walk to your favorite coffee shop for your morning espresso enema.

[ATrain]

A pro-Bush Philly Fan??? Strike one and two my friend :jointsmile:

[Psycho4Bud]

But the campaign has far wider military ambitions than the pacification of Baghdad. It now appears that the US military intends to place as many as five mechanised brigades -- comprising about 40,000 men -- south and east of Baghdad, at least three of them positioned between the capital and the Iranian border. This would present Iran with a powerful -- and potentially aggressive -- American military force close to its border in the event of a US or Israeli military strike against its nuclear facilities later this year. More at:AlterNet: Home

You mean that we're cutting off Al-Sadr's supply line? How dare we cut off this insurgents rights of blowing up our troops!

Have a good one!:s4:

[fishman3811]

When American troops leave at least they will be killing each other not American troops.If oil goes through the roof so be it ill drive less who cares, at least no more American kids will be dying.But of course the violence wont stop until you guys are gone.You just need to look at Vietnam to see that.

[medicinal]

Remember, Viet Nam, the 10,000 day war. There was even a PBS program titled that. That translates into approx. 27 years, God help us if that happens, the draft is a definent possibility. Can you imagine the American public letting that happen. And just think, Viet Nam didn't even have oil. I believe, come to think of it, that Shell Oil had discovered an oil deposit in the Mekong delta, but It turned out to be not that large, although there was talk at the time that the reason we were in Nam was the oil.

[medicinal]

Remember, Viet Nam, the 10,000 day war. There was even a PBS program titled that. That translates into approx. 27 years, God help us if that happens, the draft is a definent possibility. Can you imagine the American public letting that happen. And just think, Viet Nam didn't even have oil. I believe, come to think of it, that Shell Oil had discovered an oil deposit in the Mekong delta, but It turned out to be not that large, although there was talk at the time that the reason we were in Nam was the oil.

BTW, for you hard core wingers, I realize that the U.S. was not in Nam for 27 years, that figure encompasses the french and other factions.

[Psycho4Bud]

BTW, for you hard core wingers, I realize that the U.S. was not in Nam for 27 years, that figure encompasses the french and other factions.

"Hard core wingers".......is that hot wings or basic? LOL....I'm a sucker for the hot ones myself!

Ya, just another case of the French waving that white flag and runnin' but unfortunately we were there to deal with their garbage.

Have a good one!:s4:

[ATrain]

"Hard core wingers".......is that hot wings or basic? LOL....I'm a sucker for the hot ones myself!

Ya, just another case of the French waving that white flag and runnin' but unfortunately we were there to deal with their garbage.

Have a good one!:s4:

I think people would prefer if the US would leave their garbage alone :thumbsup:

[medicinal]

"Hard core wingers".......is that hot wings or basic? LOL....I'm a sucker for the hot ones myself!

Ya, just another case of the French waving that white flag and runnin' but unfortunately we were there to deal with their garbage.

Have a good one!:s4:

So, who's garbage are we dealing with in Iraq, could it be the Brits that drew the boundaries of modern Iraq and put three Nations in the pot to boil. Before that, it was generally divided into three areas, Kurdistan to the north, The Sunnis in the middle and the Shiites in the south, pretty much the only way there will ever be a solution to the problem as it exists. No wonder the Brits decided to go with us, they are the main reason that Iraq is such a mess in the first place. You wingers know who you are, just admit that you're wrong and I will accept your apologies,~LOL~.