In Fallujah
When discussing the military situation in Iraq, I am mindful of the feelings of the young Americans who are fighting there. They are our children sisters and brothers, in some cases our parents. I know someone who is in that neighborhood who may be in the thick of the battle. Certainly she is in danger and I don't want to discourage her effort and the efforts of her fellow Marines and soldiers in any way. I have never been in combat and I can't imagine the discipline and courage it takes to do their job. So this is not some proforma obligatory "Of course I support the troops" statement. Regardless of my political beliefs my young friend is in harms way and I wish I could protect her.
Nevertheless, I have to tell the truth as I see it. On October 11, I wrote that their were some hopeful signs for American policy (http://radio.weblogs.com/0137954/2004/10/11.html) One of those signs was that in a joint operation of Iraqi and American forces the city of Sammara had been taken from the insurgents. It was to be a model for other insurgent strongholds such as Fallujah. The formal attack on Fallujah seems to have started two days ago. The very same day, Samarra was attacked by insurgents and their were additional attacks throughout Iraq leading to dozens of Iraqi deaths. The operation did not make the city of Samarra secure.
I am watching the unfolding of the attack on Fallujah and I find it very depressing. Initial resistance is lighter than expected, according to news reports. Why doesn't the American leadership yet know how the insurgents will fight this battle. They already know the insurgent leadership is gone and they have just enough fighters to insure American casualties. Because their tactic is less military than political. Our weakness is that we have, in the past, left the battle area when casualties got to high. They know this. They have seen it in Lebanon and in Somalia. They saw us retreat initially in Fallujah, which is why the insurgents have ruled that city for over a year. They can't defeat us, but they can kill some of us. When is the American leadership going to learn how to fight that kind of battle? When are we going to have one battle where we actually get the bad guys?
The insurgents are melting away as they always do. We do not know how to stop them.
Melvyn Polatchek
1:15:44 PM 
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