lazyfrog 0 #151 December 16, 2003 no, certainly not...BUT... ---------- Fumer tue, péter pue ------------- ourson #10, Mosquito Uno, CBT 579 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
happythoughts 0 #152 December 16, 2003 QuoteDaily attacks dropped to less than 18 per day, versus 40+. It's still early, but WTF. The attacks will drop because of the change in funding. Armies (even covert ones) need arms, clothing, lodging, medicine, ammo, etc. It all takes money. SH holds the purse strings. Some attacks will be funded by external sources. For example, in the past, the PLO has been funded by a number of the Arab states. The PLO has always had a friendly host nation. The difference is that the groups will exist in an unfriendly atmosphere. The new power structure isn't going to be interested in sharing power with SH's old cronies. They will actively root out these groups. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
newsstand 0 #153 December 16, 2003 QuoteQuoteI hope you don't think there will really be a short term reduction in attacks. Short term this may increase them. Long term, if respected Iraqis begin to come forward and take leadership positions, it should have a positive impact. Daily attacks dropped to less than 18 per day, versus 40+. It's still early, but WTF. Well 48 hours is probably shorter term than I really meant but I also wouldn't mind being wrong. "Truth is tough. It will not break, like a bubble, at a touch; nay, you may kick it about all day like a football, and it will be round and full at evening." -- Oliver Wendell Holmes Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
PhillyKev 0 #154 December 16, 2003 QuoteQuoteI hope you don't think there will really be a short term reduction in attacks. Short term this may increase them. Long term, if respected Iraqis begin to come forward and take leadership positions, it should have a positive impact. Daily attacks dropped to less than 18 per day, versus 40+. It's still early, but WTF. Huh??? Iraqi Violence Flares, Despite Saddam Arrest Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
kallend 2,146 #155 December 16, 2003 QuoteQuoteDaily attacks dropped to less than 18 per day, versus 40+. It's still early, but WTF. The attacks will drop because of the change in funding. Armies (even covert ones) need arms, clothing, lodging, medicine, ammo, etc. It all takes money. SH holds the purse strings. Some attacks will be funded by external sources. For example, in the past, the PLO has been funded by a number of the Arab states. The PLO has always had a friendly host nation. The difference is that the groups will exist in an unfriendly atmosphere. The new power structure isn't going to be interested in sharing power with SH's old cronies. They will actively root out these groups. *** Before the invasion the US gave an ultimatum that simply required SH and his sons to leave the country. Now, the sons have definitely left for good, and SH is in custody. We should declare victory and bring the boys home.... The only sure way to survive a canopy collision is not to have one. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Faber 0 #156 December 16, 2003 QuoteBefore the invasion the US gave an ultimatum that simply required SH and his sons to leave the country. Now, the sons have definitely left for good, and SH is in custody. We should declare victory and bring the boys home. nope we should clean up our mess,help the locals as promissed and then get the boys home Stay safe Stefan Faber Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
billvon 3,107 #157 December 16, 2003 >We should declare victory and bring the boys home. Right! There are plenty of unemployed warlords with terrorist connections who would be happy to finish the job of transitioning Iraq to a more stable form of government, without the messy clutter of elections and bothersome human rights. It's incumbent upon us to clean up the messes we create. It's better not to make them to begin with (of course) but once we make them we have to deal with them - and not leave the country in a worse shape than we found it. It's going to cost a lot of american lives to do so, unfortunately. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Zenister 0 #158 December 16, 2003 Quote Because it seems that most of the resistance is from average pissed off Iraqis. one wonders where you get your assumptions from?? i've only been slightly more than a month now, but my experience (and that of the soldiers i talk to daily) is that the 'average' Iraqi is pretty damn excited that we are here and that Saddam is verifiably gone..sure they're pissed that things aren’t improving quickly, and that they arent really controlling their own fate (pretty much the same bitches anyone in their place would have) however most were 'sitting the fence' to see how things fell out. The US didnt do much to garner trust with its previous lack of support to anti-saddam rebels so the 'average' Iraqi isnt sticking his neck out when it could easily be chopped off after we left and he reemerges.. Saddams capture wont matter one bit to the hardcore extremists, but it makes a huge difference to the average citizen who really just wants to be left alone to raise their children without fear of ANYONE kicking in their doors at night and dragging them off, the more assurances they have that things wont return to the way they were, the more likely they are to tell the next blackmask who wants to hide 10 RPGs 'Not in my back yard!' btw.. the celebrations are still going on and more people are cheering when the soldiers drive by on patrol than ever before...____________________________________ Those who fail to learn from the past are simply Doomed. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Gravitymaster 0 #159 December 16, 2003 Thanks for that information. You really made my day. I too wonder where these people who think Iraq is some kind of hell hole and all Iraqi's hate U.S. Troops get their information. What I hear from the families of soldiers who are actually there, is that day by day the situation is improving. Whether you agree with the decision to invade Iraq or not, we are there and we aren't leaving until we are sure another repressive dictitorial regime isn't coming in and usurping the power of an elected Iraqi Gov't. Our goal wasn't just to rid Iraq of SH. It was to bring Democracy to all of the Middle East. By doing so, we improve out own security. Too bad so many have trouble understanding this an relegate themselves to petty sniping. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Zenister 0 #160 December 16, 2003 dont get me wrong..i certainly wouldnt want to live here (not any time soon at least) and a good portion of Baghdad IS a hellhole...i've never seen/tasted nastier air in my life..but out in the countryside this place is incredible, its amazing to see the change water makes around here, (and a good portion of the country once had far more water than it does since Saddam) but even the deep deserts are amazing at the right time of day/night. i've seen some of the best sun/moon sets/rises of my life out here in the last month and I've been all over the world several times.. still i wouldnt want to trade places with any Iraqi, but hopefully their children will have better lives as a result of this mess....even if the reasons we started it were rather fucked up and indistinct in the first place...____________________________________ Those who fail to learn from the past are simply Doomed. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Tonto 1 #161 December 17, 2003 QuoteQuoteYep.. Let the Iraqi's try and kill him... Amen to that! But, we get UBL! I worry about you people. All this war, killing, pain, and you (and multiple others in this thread) can't even get the guy's name right. It's not UBL. It's OBL. Osama. Remember? OSAMA. tIt's the year of the Pig. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Gawain 0 #162 December 17, 2003 QuoteAll this war, killing, pain, and you (and multiple others in this thread) can't even get the guy's name right. It's not UBL. It's OBL. Osama. Remember? OSAMA. Dude...If you can find a universal spelling of bin-Landen-Looser's name kudos to you. I ran a search on Yahoo coming up with: Osama Bin Laden Usama bin-Laden Osama Binladen ...... It won't matter, since once we kill him, he's not likely to be placed in a marked grave anyway.So I try and I scream and I beg and I sigh Just to prove I'm alive, and it's alright 'Cause tonight there's a way I'll make light of my treacherous life Make light! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
quade 4 #163 December 17, 2003 Spelling varies on this one. Even our own government varies the spelling. See FBI Web Site.quade - The World's Most Boring Skydiver Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
lazyfrog 0 #164 December 17, 2003 Oussama Bin Ladin ---------- Fumer tue, péter pue ------------- ourson #10, Mosquito Uno, CBT 579 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
SpeedRacer 1 #165 December 21, 2003 Arabs usually spell it "Usama" Speed Racer -------------------------------------------------- Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
happythoughts 0 #166 December 22, 2003 Let me get this straight... spelling? You are arguing about spelling? Geeez... Why not an easy-to-remember, easy-to-spell nickname? How about... bulls-eye? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
kallend 2,146 #167 December 22, 2003 QuoteLet me get this straight... spelling? You are arguing about spelling? Geeez... Why not an easy-to-remember, easy-to-spell nickname? How about... bulls-eye? Write in Arabic, right to left.... The only sure way to survive a canopy collision is not to have one. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
AggieDave 6 #168 December 22, 2003 .taht od ton lliw I ,on --"When I die, may I be surrounded by scattered chrome and burning gasoline." Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
happythoughts 0 #169 December 22, 2003 QuoteQuoteLet me get this straight... spelling? You are arguing about spelling? Geeez... Why not an easy-to-remember, easy-to-spell nickname? How about... bulls-eye? Write in Arabic, right to left. What? And maybe drive on the wrong side of the road, I suppose? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
lazyfrog 0 #170 December 23, 2003 actually I don't think they often use our latin alphabet...---------- Fumer tue, péter pue ------------- ourson #10, Mosquito Uno, CBT 579 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Tonto 1 #171 January 1, 2004 This is a former ally of the USA, which supplied him with not only millions of dollars, but also weaponry, including stinger missiles. It would have been nice if they got his name first. Just a thought, tIt's the year of the Pig. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
