IRAQ: Focus on Fallujah residents returning

[NNN0LHI]

http://www.alertnet.org/thenews/newsdesk/IRIN/b1c9b0a57cd503cb2aeead4b679fb736.htm

FALLUJAH, 22 December (IRIN) - In floods of tears, and with her 10-month old son in her arms, Hanan Jaboury, a mother of five and resident of Fallujah, some 60 km west of Baghdad, waited near a US checkpoint on the outskirts of the city for the green light.

She looked to the sky, asking God for a solution after losing her husband in the battle between US troops and insurgents.

Now, she is without a home or financial support, waiting for the final authorisation to find out what is left of her life in Fallujah. "I have been told that everything has been destroyed," she told IRIN.

After nearly a month of heavy fighting in the city, many residents that fled the city are staying in areas near the main checkpoints, awaiting a final decision from the interim government allowing families to return home. snip

"I preferred to stay in the camp. It is really very sad. I lost my home and everything I had inside it. I thought that I was going to find at least something of mine here but all I can see are destruction and blocks everywhere," said Muhammad Rabia'a, 65. He was one of a handful of people allowed back to the area on Tuesday to check on his home.

more

[KingChicken]

1. U.S. just wants to keep them alive long enough to vote...

We really don't seem to care that Fallujah is in no condition for a vote let alone living. It can't be safe for anyone with all the distruction, just think about how many bodies are still inside of the homes, people hiding have long starved to death by now.

[jmcgowanjm]

2. Read this article carefully

The first group of residents will be allowed to go home to
the western neighbourhood of Andalus and will be followed
very carefully by US troops and Iraqi national guards.

-as in human shields.

He was one of a handful of people allowed back to the area
on Tuesday to check on his home.

From Saturday, people from other areas would also be allowed to return, if security permitted.

...IRCS spokeswoman Firdoos al-Abadi told IRIN.
She added that their office in Fallujah had moved due to
attacks in the neighbourhood near the old office.

-IRCS was removed by USforce, all supplies left behind

[Earth_First]

3. "-as in human shields."

fuc*ing disgusting

[jmcgowanjm]

4. Now consider an entirely different narrative

It does appear that we have a problem here.

Against the most heavily armed opponent in the history of
War, Fallujah has still not let itself be "taken" to date (As of
20th Dec, 2004). Falluah and indeed the rest of Iraq post
April 2003, heralds "supersymmetrical" warfare and the end
of conventional warfare. This represents a turning point
in military affairs – the end of warfare--as practiced by
the Americans i.e the application of overwhelming force to
obtain a victory.

If this is indeed correct (and there is no reason to consider
any other alternative) then the Iraqi Resistance's repulsing
the assault and indeed the forcing back of the
American positions represents not only a turning point in
the American occupation of Sovereign Iraq but in fact a
turning point in warfare itself.

In fact, it would certainly be one of the greatest military victories
in history

http://outlookindia.com/full.asp?fodname=20041220&fname=fallujah&sid=1

[DELUSIONAL]

6. Thanks for this link -- this is a must read article for everyone

and it brings back memories of Vietnam -- but this is much much worse.

My father was in the Navy -- joined at the beginning of WWII and retired during the Vietnam war. He was gung ho about war -- until he served aboard a carrier during the Vietnam war -- he debriefed the pilots and knew more about what was happening (from a bird's eye view of the war) than most people in the States. He was attached to the last prop plane squadron sent to Vietnam -- and these planes flew slower and lower (all planes returned -- not one plane or pilot was lost). This was about 1967-68 -- and the vast majority of people in the US believed the lies about Vietnam.

The biggest factor in the re-education of the public were the returning Vets -- they knew that the public was being fed lies.

My dad was fed up with the Admirals and Generals and politicians running the war -- and knew that the war was "unwinable".

The colleges in California were filled with Vietnam Vets -- and most were telling the truth about what they had seen in Vietnam. (There were still even then a few Freepers who came back from Vietnam in deep denial -- and often these guys weren't really in country -- nor did they bother to question the Vets who had been in battles.)

This article is powerful -- because it is clear that the US media is lying to the American public.

News like this IS being reported overseas -- and I've heard some long angry rants by non-Americans -- just furious over the vast destruction of Falluja -- everything that the citizens of Falluja have spent their lives earning -- all utilities and many homes appear to have been destroyed.

What would happen if just one media outlet broke away from the Pentagon's grip and began broadcasting the truth of what the US military (at bush's directions and instructions) has done in Falluja??

What happens when the soldiers who have done this to Falluja return and need to confess to anyone who will listen???

I'm sick after reading this -- I knew it was bad -- I've seen the photos of the almost complete ruin of this city -- how can people live in this place -- no electricity, water, sewage -- distribution of food -- only the able bodied can live here -- cars will be banned. And who knows when the trigger happy American troops will start murdering the men of Falluja again?

My dad is still a nasty conservative GOPig -- and the thing that made him turn against the Vietnam war and the whole command structure was the attack ordered by a General on ONE WATER BUFFALO -- in Vietnam. A whole fighter wing was called out to kill ONE WATER BUFFALO.

[daleo]

7. Interesting article

Some further evidence of the author's claims about American losses in Fallujah would be needed to really be convincing, but the article certainly has the ring of truth. I suspect the real story lies somewhere between Pentagon claims and this story.

[jmcgowanjm]

5. 46 days for 16 square kilometers-IRR 122104

US snipers in the Khanah fuel station and the old Royal
Hospital (the oldest building in the area) were able to shoot
into the area between the two bridges in al-Fallujah.
The Resistance in ash-Shuhada’ neighborhood fired four
large Katyusha rockets into the fuel station, scoring direct
hits and setting off a huge explosion that shook the area as
the gasoline in the station blew up. More than 25
American troops were killed in that inferno. More than 15
US snipers took up positions atop the old hospital
building overlooking wide areas of al-Fallujah. The
Resistance fired three rockets at them, killing the 15
American soldiers. The Resistance then advanced and
entered the area afterwards.


www.uruknet.info

Report Totals-Believe it or not

U.S Soldiers Killed.......691 (423 Fallujah+160 Mosul Bomb)

Small unnamed Helicopter.....1
Unnamed military vehicles....38 (all inside Fallujah)
Abrams Tanks dest/dis.........13
Apachee Helicopter................1
Bradleys Des/Disa.................11
Humvees Des/Dis.................25
Trucks/Tankers.....................8