Guerilla Actions in Irak

Insurgent attacks on U.S. troops decline
Militants target Iraqi forces

http://edition.cnn.com/2005/WORLD/meast/03...s.ap/index.html

http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2003/02/24/...ain541815.shtml

After Fallujah they said they "broke the back" of the insurgency...

The US has sustained 1622 military fatalities since 2003.

And a month passed.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20050612/ap_on_...zkxBHNlYwN0bQ--

And this month looks to be one of the bloodiest, if things continue like this for the Americans in the Anbar province.

Hi Imperialst,

I see that you have decided to restrict this thread to "Guerrilla actions in Iraq".

Why is this?

Surely such a narrow remit will distort the reality?

For example, we could gain the mistaken impression from this thread that the Coalition forces mounted no operations and achieved no successes, and that the "guerrillas" suffered no losses and never engaged in terrorism.

Why not widen the thread? Or would the facts not suit your one-sided propaganda agenda?

Would you, perhaps, care to start ballancing this thread by introducing some information on insurgent losses in Anbar province, as reported yesterday and today? Or perhaps list all the provinces in the north and south where there were no Coalition fatalities last month?

Cheers,

Sid.

Well, given that the insurgents are in the tens of thousands if not hundreds of thousands, I see no point in counting their dead. First because they are anyways badly reported. Usually the Marines receive some shots from a building, stop and call air support, obliterating the whole thing. Then they say they got probably a dozen insurgents, also mentioning that they dont have a clear number, rather a guesstimate.
Secondly, because in a guerilla war, bodycounting the guerillas has no relevance towards comprehending the political/military progress on the ground.
Thirdly, if you want to do it, why dont you do it yourself?

Also, I find your accusations pretty lame. What propaganda agenda are you talking about?

You mean to say there were no US KIA in northern or southern provinces last month?

source: The Guardian

Coalition fatalities in northern/southern provinces last month:

GIUSEPPE LIMA
MARCO BRIGANTI
MARCO CIRILLO
MASSIMILIANO BIONDINI

http://www.corriere.it/Primo_Piano/Cronach.../militari.shtml

Their helicopter crashed in Dhi Qar province. The province is located in the south, far below the "Sunni Triangle":

http://www.hist-geo.com/Localiser/Region/Dhi-Qar.php

PRESLAV STOYANOV
VALENTIN NIKOLAEV DONEV

http://www.novinite.com/view_news.php?id=47436
http://www.novinite.com/view_news.php?id=47333

Their vehicle creashed near Basra.

----------------------------------------------

Coalition KIA in northern/southern provinces last month:

PHILLIP N. SAYLES [US]

http://www.defenselink.mil/releases/2005/n...50530-3381.html

BENJAMIN C. MORTON [US]

http://www.defenselink.mil/releases/2005/n...50524-3302.html

AARON N. SEESAN [US]
TYLER L. CREAMEAN [US]

http://www.defenselink.mil/releases/2005/n...50524-3308.html

ANTHONY WAKEFIELD [UK]

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/4505047.stm

-------------------------------------------------------------

I think you stand corrected.
Please apply the same level of academic methodology you ask out of others. At least if you want to launch accusations.


take care

This post has been edited by Imperialist on June 18, 2005 02:52 pm

[split from Internationalising the Black Sea topic]

Irak for example.

Hi Imperialist,

It is true that no Iraqis, except possibly the Kurds, want US bases in Iraq long term. However, there is strong evidence from opinion polls that most Shiites, who are the majority of the population, don't want the US to pull out just yet. The only group currently actively against the US presence are Sunni extremists, whose community amount to under a quarter of the population.

Next?

Cheers,

Sid.

P.S.

Try the following link for the results an Iraqi opinion poll published on 18 April 2005:

http://chrenkoff.blogspot.com/2005/05/new-...-from-iraq.html

It was conducted for the Iraqi Arabic newspaper "Almidhar" and says only 12.56% of Iraqis want a foreign pull out "at once". 81.8% want foreign troops to pull out "according to a future timetable". The rest are "Don't Knows".

Cheers,

Sid.

PPS

That link hasn't been accepted. Try "chrenkoff" on Google.

Sid.

The ones resisting in their own country are not extremists. Or indeed they are, for the occuppying forces.
As for the Shia, with time they'll realise they are used by the US. How much longer do you think they'll wait? 2 years, 4 years? Its only a matter of time for them too.

take care

Hi Imperialist,

The ones actively resisting the US in Iraq are very definitely mostly Sunni extremists, many of them foreigners. This applies particularly to the suicide bombers, who mostly kill Iraqis.

As for the Shia, yes I agree. It is only a matter of time. But only then, if the US refuses to go, will it be justifiable to say that the US has overstayed its welcome.

Cheers,

Sid.

Yes, they are "very definitely...extremists" for the occupying forces in Irak.

As for the overstayed welcome... armed resistance doesnt need justification or timetables. If those guys (whatever their numbers) feel that they want to fight the foreign armies in their country, they are free to do it.