Iraqis hail Falluja victory as US changes tack

[JoFerret]

http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&cid=578&ncid=578&e=1&u=/nm/20040501/ts_nm/iraq_dc

Soldiers of the old Iraqi army led by one of Saddam Hussein (news - web sites)'s generals patrolled the city of Falluja on Saturday, a year after George W. Bush declared the U.S. "mission accomplished" in ousting the Iraqi regime.

Cries of "victory over the Americans" echoed from minarets and gunmen celebrated in the streets under the green banner of Islam and Saddam-era Iraqi flags. Thousands who had fled a month of heavy fighting streamed back to their homes after U.S. Marines pulled back from their siege positions around the city.

<snip>

U.S. commanders call it an experiment that may be reversed.


But Iraqis, many of them impatient with an occupation that brought them pictures this week of U.S. and British troops abusing detainees, may well believe they are seeing the military defeat of a once-powerful enemy.

....
"The city's defenders are celebrating," yelled one man as a group of gunmen in civilian clothes raised banners and rifles aloft on a street to acclaim their "defeat" of the Marines.
....
On foot and in civilian four-wheel-drive vehicles, this force began patrolling the streets of the Sunni Muslim city, which was among those most loyal to the Baathist dictator.


"God has given this town victory over the Americans," wailed a message from a mosque in the town center. "This victory came by the acts of the brave Mujahideen of Falluja who vanquished the American troops."

....
Lawrence Di Rita said the Marines had had to end the siege or risk new challenges to U.S. authority and jeopardising plans to hand over to an interim Iraqi government in two months.


....

Hammad Makhlas, returning to Falluja with his wife and five children to find windows smashed and walls damaged at his home, said: "Praise God. The most important thing is that the town's dignity has been preserved with the defeat of the Americans."


DEATH TOLL RISING


The world's only superpower turned to Saleh after failing to eliminate an estimated 2,000 guerrillas dug in among 300,000 civilians. President Bush's critics accuse him of wading into a Vietnam-style "quagmire."

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[lanlady]

1. hey, that's not fair

President Dubya said WE won. He stood on a big boat last year and said so. How dare the Iraqis say THEY won?

[opihimoimoi]

3. The White House staff is burning the midnight oil going nuts

"What we going do now....George?"

[lil-petunia]

4. is, too!

After all, Mission Accomplished! Halliburton is still there, making tons of money legally and illegally. You guys missed what the real mission was, is the problem.

So, Chabali lied to CIA, confused State and now is considered tainted goods (after he was THE source for all claims of WMD, and our "best" hope to change Iraq into United States of Texaco II, etc.) We have 60 days until we pick some poor schlock to pretend to be in power (i have an image of that poor guy sitting on Bremer's lap, just like Bush sat on Cheney's last thursday)

We plan to talk to Sadr, then arrest him, then deny that we will negotiate with him, then say we will negotiate, then we won't arrest him. Good, trustworthy, predictable policy.

Or, first we fire all baathists, send home ARMED soldiers without a job, without pay, without any planning for the future. The brilliance of that step is incredible. And now we are surprised that they might not like us being there and will use those arms? But now, Baathists are good? and military men can take over - the same guys we fought a year ago?

Consistency, thy name is Bush.

[lanlady]

5. is not!

Seriously, have the Busheviks gotten anything at all right in Iraq? Now they're popping the rhetorical Viagra pills, whipping the freepers into a pre-orgasmic frenzy, only to go all flaccid.

[lil-petunia]

6. scuse my ignorance

what's a freeper?

[DoYouEverWonder]

7. It is a person

who is a member of an internet forum called Free Republic.

It has also become a generic term for a group of people also known as morans.

[lil-petunia]

8. thanks

I looked 'em up, but didn't see any forum discusions. I don't think I'll be joining, though.

I wonder if the White House really recognizes how bad they are looking? Torture? abuse? deaths of thousands of innocents? repeated changes in policies, so often that even good policies are no longer likely to work?

But, "We must stay the course" because Iraq was going to use its nukes against us in 45 minutes. riiiiiiight.

[fishnfla]

2. "An experiment that may be reversed"

Oh god, would that be a mistake! Then they'd ahve to fight the insurgents and the "Fallujah Brigade" both.

If this keeps being portrayed as a defeat for the Marines, they may just go in there to reverse that sentiment. ("the few, the proud" and all)

[Cooley Hurd]

9. Good morning JoFerret

There's an existing Late Breaking News thread on this topic. Please continue the discussion here:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=102x522752

Thanks! :hi: