U.S. presence reduced at Fallujah

[newyorican]

(CNN) -- The U.S. military has reduced its presence at a police station in the restive town of Fallujah, west of the Iraqi capital, a coalition spokesman said Friday. The move is characterized as a step toward having Iraqis police themselves.

Calling it a "positive step forward," Maj. Sean Gibson said the 3rd Infantry Division was reducing its presence at one Fallujah police station from 30 to six people. He said Iraqi police in the city -- the site of frequent unrest and attacks against U.S. troops -- had told U.S. military officials that they could handle a greater share of policing duties.

more...

Shades of Saigon?? Not a good omen...

[htuttle]

1. They are lying -- We were kicked out

I read a story just days ago that the Iraqi police in Fallujah said that if US troops didn't get the heck out of their police station, they'd all quit.

Saddam's former cops were worried about being near US troops, since they drew too much fire.

[newyorican]

2. I'd be pissed

if I were one of the 6 soldiers left behind. CNN just announced to the world the troop strength and position of these sitting ducks.

[Neutrino]

3. I read also that they were given 24 hrs to get out.

The lowered profile is bec Chimpy is in so much trouble that they
need to turn the heat down for a while--but I predict that it
won't be for long.

[bicentennial_baby]

6. Yep

http://www.reuters.com/newsArticle.jhtml?type=worldNews&storyID=3066263

"Thu July 10, 2003 05:12 AM ET
FALLUJA, Iraq (Reuters) - Iraqi police in Falluja threatened to resign on Thursday unless the U.S. forces that trained them left town, saying the presence of American troops endangered their lives.
More than 100 members of the new U.S.-backed force protested in the town about 50 km (30 miles) west of Baghdad after their police station and a municipality building came under attack overnight by guerrillas firing rocket-propelled grenades.

There were no reported casualties.

"We have the ability to protect these sites," said Riyadh Abdel-Latif, the town's police chief. "The presence of Americans endangers us. We asked the Americans more than a month and a half ago to leave Falluja."

DU thread here: http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=102&topic_id=6154&mesg_id=6154&listing_type=search

[markses]

4. Positive step forward, AKA a retreat

in kooky talk.

Looks like the Iraqi's just retook Fallujah...

[myopinion]

5. After bush declared victory in his bunny suit

Seems like it is getting worse, if only our own press would live up up their job we would know.

From http://www.guardian.co.uk/worldlatest/story/0,1280,-2897138,00.html

“U.S. soldiers dramatically decreased their presence at Fallujah's police station after Iraqi officers complained they were in danger of being caught in the crossfire of attacks on coalition forces.”

“Before dawn Friday, insurgents fired two mortar rounds into a U.S. base in Ramadi, 60 miles west of Baghdad. It was the seventh attack on the base in 10 days.“