Base Infiltration Won't Prompt Big Changes (ok more bombers will come)

[Florida_Geek]

http://www.nytimes.com/aponline/international/AP-Iraq-Base-Infiltration.html

December 28, 2004
Base Infiltration Won't Prompt Big Changes
By THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

Filed at 10:00 a.m. ET

CAMP FALLUJAH, Iraq (AP) -- American commanders are fully aware that Iraq's insurgents exploit their policy of employing locals on U.S. military bases but insist the practice will not stop, though some security measures may be tightened.

The vulnerability of the American stance was exposed on Dec. 21, when an Iraqi suicide bomber dressed in a military uniform detonated his explosives at a mess hall at Forward Operating Base Marez in Mosul, killing 22 people including 14 U.S. servicemembers.

Since then, security has been tightened at chow halls in some camps, with military guards demanding proof of identification more often and not allowing backpacks. Officials say they are constantly reviewing procedures to make sure such an attack doesn't happen again, but insurgents infiltrating camps is unavoidable.

...more at AP

[THUNDER HANDS]

1. if insurgents infiltrating camps is unavoidable

and insurgents kidnapping journalists and aid workers is unavoidable
and insurgents killing police officers is unavoidable
and insurgents killing soliders on patrol is unavoidable

then why isn't a defeat in Iraq unavoidable?

[colonel odis]

2. they've shown the world how expendable they consider the troops to be.

what's a few suicide bombers grabbing headlines the week before christmas. a little something to tug at the heart strings of the home folks.

if they gave a rat's ass about the troops, they wouldn't be doing the back door draft, they wouldn't send them into combat without proper equipment, they wouldn't allow halliburton to operate unsanitary mess halls, and they would yank halliburton's contract for failing to do latrine pickup.

throughout history, generals have earned the respect and love of their troops by showing that they cared about the grunts on the battle lines. this administration has done exactly the opposite.

bottom line is, i think, that they've lost the "war" and they know it. long as iraq's oil supply is protected and maintained, the rest of the country can --and will -- be damned.

[jmcgowanjm]

3. long as iraq's oil supply is protected and maintained

http://www.iags.org/iraqpipelinewatch.htm

http://www.middle-east-online.com/english/?id=12275


IRR 122604
Bayji – Salah ad-Din Province.

Resistance blows up oil pipeline to Turkey for third
straight week.

Iraqi Resistance fighters blew up an oil pipeline through
which the Oil of the North company exports crude north to
Turkey. This was the third straight week during which Iraqi
oil exports have been cut by the Resistance who are
determined to prevent US occupation forces from
profiteering from the natural resources of
Iraq.

Mafkarat al-Islam reported that the blast took place in
the
Bayji area at about 7am Monday. The explosion ignited fires
that blazed for four hours, until 11am. The oil pipeline
extends from the oil fields in Kirkukto collection tanks near
Bayji. From there it is pumped to the north to the Turkish port
of Ceyhan on the
Mediterranean.

Resistance bombards US camp near
Bayji.
Iraqi Resistance forces attacked the US base known as
the Southern Base near Bayji, firing about forty 120mm
mortar rounds into the
facility

[Gyre]

4. I'll bet you

There's nothing but non-comms and non-rateds in those mess tents now. "Treat them like dogs, and it's still going to be better than what they came from ." Wm Westmoreland.

Gyre