LAT: Violence Escalates Across Iraq

[leftchick]

http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/latimests/20040913/ts_latimes/violenceescalatesacrossiraq&cid=2026&ncid=1480


<snip>

The continuing tenacity and vigor of the insurgency highlight the hard road ahead for U.S. forces and Iraqi government officials as they seek to establish control of the country before parliamentary elections scheduled for January. During appearances on Sunday news shows, U.S. Secretary of State Colin L. Powell acknowledged the insurgency's staying power but said the United States was committed to confronting it.


"I think the insurgency can be brought down to a level, and I'd like to see it go away entirely," he said on "Fox News Sunday." "But I think, over time, you will see it being brought under control."


He added that the U.S. planned to deal with cities in the Sunni Triangle that are outside the control of the Iraqi government and U.S.-led forces. The town of Fallouja, west of Baghdad, remains in the hands of local militants, and the U.S. military has only limited access to the northern town of Samarra under terms of a deal struck last week with local tribal and religious leaders.

<snip>
"It certainly was an unusual day," said U.S. Embassy spokesman Richard Schmierer. "I'd be hard pressed to say why today and what it means in the bigger picture…. Obviously we hope things will calm down."

[nadinbrzezinski]

1. We are in the middle of a perfect storm folks

[jimshoes]

2. Hey Colin,

Any estimates on US losses while we see it being brought under control? A time frame perhaps? 5 years, 10 years, 20. 5,000 US dead, 10,000?

P.S.
Why are we there again?

[nolabels]

3. Okay let's put this on ..........

They are holding up to keep from getting the death toll too much higher so people don't take notice of what's really going on and will go on after Nov. Hell is going to break out regardles, Poppy did the same kind of thing to Clinton(as if most everybody didn't know)

Coalition holds off efforts to take rebel-run cities

US surgical strikes continue in Fallujah, Samarra, and Tal Afar. But US says Iraqi forces are not ready to launch major attacks.
By Howard LaFranchi
BAGHDAD – At a recent dinner party in a Baghdad home, five tribal leaders from the central Iraqi city of Ramadi complained about their city "being held hostage" by Iraqi insurgents.

"They spoke of a life of no law but that of the extremists - no police, no government presence, and kidnappings and killings of people accused of spying for the government," their Baghdad dinner host recalls. "But what they wanted to know is how long the government and the Americans are going to leave Ramadi and other towns like it as places apart."

It's a frequently asked question among Iraqis as the US military says the "anti-Iraq forces" are more sophisticated and control more territory than a year ago. But no major move is expected before November, say US and Iraqi officials - in part because Iraqi forces aren't ready. Iraqi officials say American presidential politics are also preventing a major offensive now.

Iraqi forces and the American military are increasing their surgical, often retaliatory, strikes into towns like Ramadi, Fallujah, and Samarra, where forces of Islamic extremists and of the former regime hold varying degrees of power and sway. Some have become "no-go" zones
(snip)
http://csmonitor.com/2004/0913/p01s04-woiq.html
http://www.antiwar.com/