[plschwartz]

There is a rather old film called "the Swimmer" with Bert Lancaster. Here he is at a cocktail party in Westchester fully vital. He says that there are a string of pools in friends houses stretching to his home. He leaves amid some strange glances.
He starts off strong but as the story develops we find that he weakens and that it somehow very untrue.

YesterdaY I saw a sound bite where Bush full of his war president stance said that we will stay the course in Fallujah, only to find that we are turning tail, pulling out the marines and turning it over to to the Iraqis under a Baathist general
The Fallujians (got a better noun for them?) put up the bait of four dead bodies, americans killed for being in their city. Bush rushed in into what no military commander (well maybe except the marine general- a real foxhole-) wanted.
Well it may prove to be his Stalingrad (militarily, not politically)

Also in the NYTimes today were two contradictory stories. One P. one was the official pentagon line it is all ex republican guards in Fallujah
http://www.nytimes.com/2004/04/29/politics/29ENEM.html

the other an op-ed called a city that lives for revenge
http://www.nytimes.com/2004/04/29/opinion/29MACK.html
presents a view that includes the revenge culture of tribal Iraq, which ( the article doesn't say) goes way back to when we killed maybe seven in Fallujah. We gave the usual crap instrad of offering blood money which would have ended the matter.

[LANMaster]

Originally Posted by plschwartz

The Fallujians (got a better noun for them?)

Fallujahnese
Fallujahns
Fallujinians
Fallujigans
Fallu-huligans
Fallatians
Fallations

best stop right there.

.... oh, and I disagree with your conclusion. Stalingrad 1942-43, has little comparisson, IMO.

[plschwartz]

If I were capt kirk and willing to boldly go I might suggest
fallators

And his supporters a buch of sodemists

[pyritechips]

I like Fallujistas. Kinda sounds like "Sandinistas". Remember them?

[LANMaster]

Fallu-jihadis

[WarC]

Sending in Iraqi ex-military is good politics. Its a slightly friendlier, if only familiar face. If it can gain respect, more Iraqis will join it. This also means fewer casualties for Americans, and our media concentrates on casualties.

It's also a win-win situation strategically. It may free up soldiers for other areas, while raising the populous' demolished confidence and trust.

Hopefully, anyways. They'll probably still look at them as occupiers and violence may only worsen.

[oldie]

Originally Posted by WarC

Sending in Iraqi ex-military is good politics. Its a slightly friendlier, if only familiar face. If it can gain respect, more Iraqis will join it. This also means fewer casualties for Americans, and our media concentrates on casualti (

Here here, hear hear - spot on my friend, except it is not good politics but rather good military strategy. very similar to what the British High Command put forward to the USA high command 12 months ago. Albeit rumour

LAN - what have I been saying since I arrived here at TSGs

Oldie

[LANMaster]

Originally Posted by oldie

LAN - what have I been saying since I arrived here at TSGs
Oldie

Perhaps that extremist Muslim views are beginning to be the normal rather than the exception, and that the world must begin to realize the growing danger if the term Jihad?

Did I capture your feelings?

[oldie]

Originally Posted by LANMaster

Perhaps that extremist Muslim views are beginning to be the normal rather than the exception, and that the world must begin to realize the growing danger if the term Jihad?

Did I capture your feelings?

Yes indeed. But also the 300.000 Iraqi troops that were disbanded immediately following the fall of Baghdad ... Against the stern recommendation from A British General that this might be a negative decision - albeit rumour of course

Believe me I put myself out on a limb with the above statement. Just little ole me with no Paq, Albert, Chalky to offer moral support. No doubt many will see this as a bash America thing, when it is actually the opposite. Time will tell

Oldie

[slickoe]

The swimmer was a great movie, Burt Lancaster had one of his best and most overlooked performances because the movie was so odd- (based on a John Cheever short story I think) but the movie stays with you a long time, It's one of those you find yourself reflecting on even a week later. And there's not a single curse word, explosion, shootout, or car chase.

[EdGreene]

"Bush blinked";

Says it all.