Two years after U.S. assault on it, Fallujah returns to insurgent hands

[Barrett808]

Two years after U.S. assault on it, Fallujah returns to insurgent hands
Jay Price and Mohammed Al Dulaimy, McClatchy News Service
Last update: November 08, 2006 – 8:41 PM

FALLUJAH, IRAQ - When insurgents hid a bomb in front of his house a few days ago, intending to use it against U.S. or Iraqi troops, Majeed al-Rawi had only one option: Move out.

"If I report it to the Americans, I will be killed by the men who put it there, and if I don't, my family will be killed either by the explosion or the Americans," the car dealer said. "This is not a way to live; this is a way to hate life."

Two years after U.S. troops launched a devastating ground assault that purged, at least temporarily, the heart of the Iraqi insurgency, Fallujah once again is a violent place.

In recent months, insurgents have filtered back into the city, despite tight controls that limit access to only six checkpoints. Residents must submit to an extraordinary identification system that includes fingerprinting, retina scans and bar-coded identification cards.

An insurgent intimidation campaign has killed two City Council members and at least 30 police officers.

The campaign has been so effective that police patrols have all but stopped, as officers fear to walk the streets.

(more)

http://www.startribune.com/722/story/797820.html

[Hissyspit]

1. You know, this is the kind of thing that ought to make Americans give the House and Senate back to

the Dems.

Oh, wait...

[Barrett808]

2. :)

:)

[ninkasi]

3. We have our work cut out for us

Undoing as much damage as we can that has been inflicted by Bush and the ruthless neocons won't be easy, but I believe that's why we gained control of Congress. I hope that the rest of the world will see that we are trying to restore our good name, and standing in the world community. It's been a horrible feeling these past six years, because I didn't want to live in an arrogant, bullying country. Getting out of Iraq as soon as possible is a must.

[Erika]

4. My nephew was in the original kill squad to take Fallujah

He scraped up the remains of a couple of his buddies and he suffered a conscussion and lost his hearing for awhile. Now again?

What has W done?

[rodeodance]

5. The presense of our troops (via Bush 'determination") has done this.

[Igel]

11. And if the US troops went away,

those struggling for power now would just say, "Oh ... okay ..." and go home?

Really?

And if * had pulled out of Iraq completely, I suppose dems would have stopped wanting control of Congress?

[Hissyspit]

6. .

[tabasco]

7. Chickenhawks don't care.

They don't have to go to war and they don't have to suffer.

The insane ideologues who launched this war should be hung.

There should be consequences for launching unjustified wars and causing so much suffering.

[Barrett808]

15. Let's hope the imminent investigations expose the war criminals...

...and hold them accountable.

[Javaman]

8. soooprise, soooprise, soooprise....

I see that hearts and mind stuff is working wonders.

[saigon68]

9. Looks like its time for another "ROSE PETAL PARADE"

[Mudoria]

13. You must be so proud

[PurityOfEssence]

10. Lord Buckley put it best

(He was a hipster/beatnik comedian years ago, funny as hell and sadly little remembered.)

"When you get there, and you can't do it, then there you bloody well are, aren't you?"

[Tight_rope]

12. Ain't that something.... We sure made progress there in Fallujah!

:sarcasm:

[NorthernSpy]

14. all for naught...

All that blood and destruction, to no good end.


:(