Another Capital Idea from the Folks Who Brought You 'Mission Accomplished'

posted by The Vidiot @ 8:11 AM Permalink

US Plots 'New Liberation of Baghdad'

The American military is planning a "second liberation of Baghdad" to be carried out with the Iraqi army when a new government is installed.

IOW, maybe never.

Pacifying the lawless capital is regarded as essential to establishing the authority of the incoming government and preparing for a significant withdrawal of American troops.

So things are so bad in the capital, the city we 'liberated' 3 years ago, where the 'green zone' is, now has to be retaken. That might be a reason that 'good news' from Iraq is so hard to find.

Strategic and tactical plans are being laid by US commanders in Iraq and at the US army base in Fort Leavenworth, Kansas, under Lieutenant- General David Petraeus. He is regarded as an innovative officer and was formerly responsible for training Iraqi troops.

And the training of Iraqi troops has gone so well, you're doing a huckuva job Davy. (The obvious way to go was 'We're not in Kansas anymore Toto, but I rose above it. And a rose by any other name ...;-)

Helicopters suitable for urban warfare, such as the manoeuvrable AH-6 "Little Birds" used by the marines and special forces and armed with rocket launchers and machineguns, are likely to complement the ground attack.

With 'complements' like that, who needs enemies? Rocket launchers, machine guns, ground attacks ... can you say 'collateral damage?' I thought you could.
BTW, there is no airborne attack vehicle that is suitable for 'urban warfare!' Sheesh, folks firing their pistols into the air to celebrate New Year's have collateral damage. Imagine what damage a mini-gun firing 33 rounds/sec down into a neighborhood will do.

Sunni insurgent strongholds are almost certain to be the first targets, although the Shi'ite militias such as the Mahdi army of Moqtada al-Sadr, the radical cleric, and the Iranian-backed Badr Brigade would need to be contained.

So they'll only target Sunni's ... and Shi'ites. Well that's 90% of the population. Maybe they just want to let the Kurds have their whey way.

President George W Bush and Donald Rumsfeld, the defence secretary, are under intense pressure to prove to the American public that Iraq is not slipping into anarchy and civil war.

Dude, if you have to 're-take' Baghdad, we're already slipping into darkness*.

Larry Wilkerson [...] "Baghdad is the key to stability in Iraq."

And they're just now figuring that out!? These are the same idiots who think "progress has been good" in Iraq.




* See War