Iraqi resistance more lethal: US commander (DAMN BUSH TO HELL!!!)

[seventhson]

Iraqi resistance more lethal, US commander says
By Tyler Marshall, Los Angeles Times, 10/3/2003


http://www.boston.com/news/world/articles/2003/10/03/iraqi_resistance_more_lethal_us_commander_says?mode=PF

"BAGHDAD -- In a week that has seen five more US combat deaths and left 41 soldiers wounded, the commander of military forces in Iraq indicated yesterday that resistance to the occupying troops was strengthening and warned Americans to brace for more casualties.

With 313 American soldiers dead in the conflict so far, more than half since President Bush declared major combat over on May 1, Lieutenant General Ricardo Sanchez said at a weekly news briefing here, "This is still wartime."

"There is still some intense fighting to be done, especially out in the west," he said. "We should not be surprised if one of these mornings we wake up and . . . there has been a major firefight with some casualties or a significant terrorist attack that kills significant numbers of people."

Sanchez said the US-led forces are engaging resistance groups 15 to 20 times a day, on average, with as many as 25 incidents on some days. Military spokesmen have consistently cited lower figures, about 13 a day.The general added that the resistance was showing signs of improved organization."


For those who are younger than me: This is how the early Vietnam reports started getting people pissed and questioning.


WHO the F$$$ is poor Ricardo Sanchez???


RICKY - YOU GOTTA LOTTA SPLAININ' TO DO (YOU POOR SAP)

[alcuno]

1. Time does not mean the same thing in the Arab world.

Just after our "victory" I saw a ME expert talking about the concept of time. We think in days and they think in years. The Shia are willing to be patient and let others wear down the Americans before they make their move. We fail to understand them.

[seventhson]

2. Agreed

nt

[w4rma]

3. Not "we". The @#$%ing Republicans who are leading this country to disaster

fail to understand them.

[UpInArms]

4. the PNAC neo-cons are leading the charge and the stupid

ignorant idle non-thinkers are following like lemmings.

[loudnclear]

16. Yep, we are the United States of Israel...plain and simple

we do whatever they tell us to do and invading Iraq was one order. The next is to supply them with enough resources to attack Syria and Iran.

[Mokito]

5. How do you fail

in something you've never even tried? Or is not trying a failure in its self?

[cavebat2000]

6. man...

Do the conservatives have ANYTHING good to say about Bush?

[newyawker99]

14. Hi cavebat2000!!

Welcome to DU!! :toast:

[FlemingsGhost]

10. Yup... Americans can't cope with a long line at Starbucks.

What in the world makes us think we can defeat a culture who pass their struggle down from generation to generation?

Our fall will be epic...

[Journeyman]

13. "The future is not far for he who waits for it.". . .

That was what the Taliban spokesman said in the waning days of the initial bombing. (This was the guy with the black-rimmed glasses.) The import of the statement disturbs me to this day.


This reminds me of Richard Coeur de Lion
demonstrating the edge of his sword to Saladin
by savagely hacking a bar of iron in half.
Then the Moslem displayed his scimitar
by tossing a cushion in the air and quartering it
without a sound. This was to be expected, of course,
because Arab astronomers had been calculating
equinoctial precession and the angle of the ecliptic
while Europeans were interpreting a fanciful sky
decorated with goats, bulls, crabs and fishes.

Evan S. Connell -- Points for a Compass Rose

.

[The_Casual_Observer]

7. Ooops ......Let the cat out of the bag!

"Military spokesmen have consistently cited lower figures, about 13 a day"

"The general added that the resistance was showing signs of improved organization."

They would have had to kill or jail them all, there hasn't been enough time or troops or jails to do that. It isn't clear that they have the slightest idea who is responsible for these attacks. These
warnings from the military could be significant, or more likely, a cheap political ploy to prepare the public with a "I warned you" in case some really terrible thing happens, as with the color alert system.

[No Passaran]

8. "WHO the F$$$ is poor Ricardo Sanchez???"

V Corps Commander

[cliss]

9. Yes, you are right. Time does have a

different concept in the middle east, than it does here. They think in terms of generations, not weeks. Americans' patience is notoriously short. Also, we've never been big on nation-building, so maybe they're betting on that we will tire of the whole thing.

In addition, many arabs welcome the idea of giving their life for Islam, something you'd have to look hard to find here.

The odds are stacked against us. They have the upper hand. I was shocked when I read on Stratfor.com, where the wrote "this is a war they (meaning the insurgents) might just win".

[ConcernedCanuk]

11. Y'all are right about the ME having a different perception of "time"

and I bet they have a different perception of what the WH calls "collateral damage"

Close to 8,000 civilians killed directly byu the invaders/occupiers, and thousands more to die as a result of the unexploded ordinance and the effects of all the DU (Depleted Uranium) spread around by over 2000 tonnes of ordinance dropped on THEIR nation

So besides the "organized" attacks, there are thousands of civilians who lost loved ones as a result of the USA's "Operation Freedom" - and hmmm - ya think some of them might have personal grudges against the USA ??

The USA fecked up big-time by not letting the UN take over the "peacekeeping" in early May.

I watched a good Movie re Vietnam this evening - looks like they are using the same fumbling script for the Middle East - !!

If ya get a chance - watch it

HBO Original Movie: Path to War (PG) 2002
Political drama focusing on American President Lyndon Baines Johnson's handling of the Vietnam War. John Frankenheimer directs Michael Gambon, Alec Baldwin, Donald Sutherland and Tom Skerritt.

Well done movie, but VERY disturbing - mainly concentrates on the fumbling of the WH

[sleipnir]

12. (DAMN BUSH TO HELL!!!) <-The Pope already did it, roundabout way lastFEB

n/T

[lovedems]

15. The Bushco. are talking "reconstruction" and they don't even

have the situation under control. Kids are over there dying on a daily basis and the Bushies are trying to convice us that zip codes are important. How much money for zip codes? 9 mill? They still don't have power and water but by God, they will get their mail. This administration is such a joke. It has been a long 3 years and I will be glad when these bozo's are all in jail (wishful thinking)