They seized this city only months ago and now are fighting for it again.

[LilKim]

HADITHA, Iraq — It didn’t take the Marines long to work out why they were back in this town, squatting in a bullet-pocked building and taking cover from gunfire.

Until it was looted and abandoned, the building was the local police station. The Marines, charging back into Haditha for the second military offensive against local insurgents in three months, are again trying to beat back the rebels so the beleaguered Iraqi police can return.

It’s not clear how effective the operation will be. As with other Sunni-dominated trouble spots in Anbar province, Iraqi police and troops have been ineffective and remain largely absent. In Haditha insurgents assassinated the police chief and devastated his force.

The incessant anti-insurgent operations in Haditha and the tough Euphrates River towns west of Baghdad have grown disheartening for U.S. troops. They seized this city only months ago and now are fighting for it again.

It’s an even bigger problem for Washington, which has long been talking up the capabilities of the Iraqi troops. Until Iraqi forces can handle security in places like Haditha, U.S. troops will have to stay in Iraq to do the job.

http://www.navytimes.com/story.php?f=1-292925-877242.php

[Submariner]

1. Same pattern of warfare as Vietnam

Our ground-pounders would attack a hill or valley and take control, only to have command pull them out. THEN, command would send them back in to fight and DIE to take the same damn piece of real estate.

This whole war in Iraq is going on now for one thing, and one thing only; "GW Bush saving face". Most all Iraqi troop deaths can be linked to saving face for the chimp-n-chief.