Deal to End Falluja Standoff Is Announced; 10 Americans Killed | NYT

[Ediacara]

Deal to End Falluja Standoff Is Announced; 10 Americans Killed
By JOHN KIFNER
and KIRK SEMPLE


Shawn Baldwin/Reflex News, for NYT
U.S. Marines were training Iraqi
soldiers today outside Falluja, Iraq.
Published: April 29, 2004

FALLUJA, Iraq, April 29 — American military officials said today that a new Iraqi security force made up of former Iraqi soldiers and commanders will replace the American troops now in Falluja and assume responsibility for the city's security.

The new force, known as the Falluja Protection Army, will include as many as 1,000 Iraqi soldiers led by a former general from the army of Saddam Hussein, American military officials said. A Marine commander, Col. Brennan Byrne, said the force will be a subordinate command of the American military, according to news services.

News of the agreement emerged on a particularly bloody day for the American-led coalition, which is trying to subdue a tenacious and protean resistance. Ten American soldiers were killed in attacks in and around Baghdad today, the military reported. Eight soldiers died when a car bomb exploded near Mahmudia, south of the capital; one died in a rocket-propelled grenade attack in eastern Baghdad; and a roadside bomb killed another soldier in the town of Baquba, about 40 miles north of Baghdad, the military said.

More at the New York Times

[THUNDER HANDS]

1. i know nothing about guns

but just from that photo, it looks like we're training them with, like, weapons from the 1970s or something.

[Streetdoc270]

2. AK47

This is the mainstay weapon of that region. Soviet made, reliable, and cheep to buy. They probably are 1990 models but they could very well be from the 70's still a deadly match for modern firearms.

[legin]

10. Nice picture here at link:

http://www.sovietarmy.com/small_arms/ak-47.html

kind of makes that story of the 7,000 AK-47's that was held up by Bulgarian (?) customs last week spring to mind.

[happyslug]

4. Those are AK-47s

Still one of the better rifles to use in Combat (ask our troops who have been on the receiving end of AK-47s in Iraq). Designed in 1947, modifed for mass production in 1959.

The US Soldier carries the M16, also designed during the 1950s with some very minor changes in the 1980s.

[markses]

3. WHAT DEAL??? WHAT AGREEMENT???

This NY Times article is comical. It continues to refer to a "deal" and an "agreement." Read carefully to notice who the parties to the agreement are:

PARTY 1: US Military/ CPA
PARTY 2: "several former generals of the defunct Iraqi army"

So, who is NOT included in the "deal"? Who is NOT party to any "agreement"? Uh, the Iraqi resistance in Fallujah! There is no fucking deal, in other words:

"It was unclear how much influence the new Iraqi force would have over the insurgents in Falluja and whether they would be able to coerce the rebels, either by diplomacy or force, to relent."

The US military is pulling out, on the basis of an "agreement" or "deal" reached. Except the "deal" has not been met with the enemy that they were facing, but rather with a replacement force. The replacement force has not made any deal with the enemy either!

There is no deal. There is no agreement.

[Ediacara]

5. You're absolutely right

but as per LBN rules, I gotta cut and paste the title....

[markses]

6. Oh, I know. Wasn't blaming you

Just commenting on the article. Sorry for impression I was critiquing your headline! :-)

[Ediacara]

8. it's cool :-)

[DrWeird]

7. Basically, the US is retreating.

And they're too ashamed to admit it.

[underpants]

9. So they agreed to take over that part of the occupation?

I heard this on the radio and thought exactly the same thing.

Uh if you don't have the other side in the talks (let alone bringing in a third party) you don't have a deal.

ON Edit- So they agree to have Sunnis come in to police the Shi'ia?

Oh good the onset of the actual civil war has just been facilitated but..........US!

[Just Me]

11. Meanwhile, bombing campaign continues,...

,...but, just ignore what we do, accept what we say, go back to sleep and dream.

[Moderator]

12. Duplicate story, please discuss here

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=102x518197