Top US commander says more foreign fighters appear to be entering Iraq

[bemildred]

WASHINGTON - Foreign fighters who have entered Iraq in recent months are making up a growing percentage of insurgents battling US troops and the country's fledgling security force, a senior US military commander said Sunday.

In an interview with CNN, General John Abizaid, the commander of US Central Command which covers Iraq, said that while most of the insurgents appear to be Iraqis, "the percentage of foreign fighters over the past several months seems to have increased."

He also said the insurgents' ranks likely include "former Baathist criminals."

"It seems to be pretty well established that they tend to cross over from Syria, although we know that there have been some infiltrations from the Saudi border, there have been some from the Iranian border," Abizaid said.

Turkish Press

[FreepFryer]

1. This is code for "We will not begin bringing the troops home yet." n/t

[Ilsa]

8. Exactly what I was thinking. 150,000 "for the election"

and then they were supposed to start sending home those that had been there the longest. Still hasn't happened. I bet it stays at 150,000 awhile longer because someone figured out that having more made it easier to put down the insurgents, even if if it means mroe American soldiers get killed.

[madrchsod]

2. what is a baathist criminal?

would that be like a democrat criminal?

[FloridaPat]

3. They have no clue who their fighting. Every couple of months the

enemy changes. One lie after another. But the result will be no troops home.

[bemildred]

5. That's what struck me, utterly feckless.

This guy does not talk too good, what's more.

[DS1]

4. Reminds me of that Mickey Mouse movie with the broomsticks

[Norton]

7. The Mickey Mouse Movie

is Fantasia, and you're right! Everytime we destroy some "evil insurgents", (people defending their country), hundreds more appear! We'll never run out of enemies as long as the NEOs are the ones pointing them out for us. Anyone feel a DRAFT!

[cvoogt]

6. The US military are foreign fighters ...

there seems to have been an infiltration from Qatar and Kuwait, and that WMD's were used in a "Shock and Awe" terror campaign.

[ckramer]

16. LOL!

You are right, US is the one who exported the largest amount of foreign fighters in Iraq!

[tabasco]

9. Yeah, right. Cover your ass, General.

Can't keep the lid on the Iraqi people, who want to be free of US domination, so you make up bullshit claims that "foreign fighters" are responsible.

You're a four-star, General Abizaid. Think of your responsibility to this Nation ! Tell the truth !! IRAQIS want us the fuck out !

[Robeson]

17. His loyalties are to American armaments manufacturors....

...and the energy industry. He has to make sure they're happy. If he performs that job well, he'll have a multi-million dollar job waiting for himself on one of their Boards of Directors, when he retires from the Armed Services.

[tabasco]

20. Quite true ! They go on to war profiteering corporations ...

and then tell the American public to support the republicans, who support the corporations, not the troops !

They are not loyal to the USA but to the military-industrial complex.

An insidious form of treason.

[paineinthearse]

10. This can't be

Rummy has said on numerous occasions that Tommy Franks has planned for the appropriate number of "coalition of the willing" ground forces!!!

Maybe someone should fire Franks' boss?

[VegasWolf]

11. I thought FOX said everything was hunky-dory after the election.n/t

[daleo]

12. If U.S. troops would leave, foreign fighters would drop to nearly nothing

Once the U.S. foreign fighters (who make up the vast bulk of foreign fighters) leave the small percentage of non-Iraqi resistance fighters would leave too. The Iraqis would make sure of that.

[bluestateguy]

13. There are no good options now

But the least bad option is to pull all US troops out lock, stock and barrell within 30 days.

Then when the inevitable civil war breaks out in Iraq the US and our allies should work to broker a peace agreement between all parties in Iraq.

[NNN0LHI]

14. I know for sure there are at least 150,000 foreign fighters in Iraq now

Maybe they should leave?

Don

[The_Casual_Observer]

15. And.....Why should I care???

The government seems to want to keep me abreast of the news that would tend to support increased support of the occupation. I say bullshit!

[yorkiemommie1]

18. " Bring 'em on !!!"

-gwb

[solinvictus]

19. Is it me..

or does it seem like the forecast may be a bit drafty in the coming months??