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2007-11-09 Iraq

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Posted by Fred 2007-11-09 00:00|| || Front Page|| [5 views ] Top
File under: al-Qaeda in Iraq

#1 <>It'll spike again when we take on Sadr City.

Dunno, but I would suggest an experiment... to lower the temperature of Muqty, perm, and see what happens.

Posted by twobyfour 2007-11-09 01:49|| http://www.twobyfour.nfo/]">[http://www.twobyfour.nfo/] 2007-11-09 01:49|| Front Page Top

#2 Good idea, we can always pull a "Weekend at Tater's" if your experiment fails.

Posted by Ol Dirty American 2007-11-09 09:16|| 2007-11-09 09:16|| Front Page Top

#3 from what ive read, my impression is that theyve run outside of Baghdad, including Diyala and other points North, but also South to the triangle of death between Baghdad and Hilla. Where the coalition has them under pressure, but theyre far from gone.

And the Mahdi army is still in Baghdad in force, but is maintaining a hudna, which our forces have been respecting, going after 'rogue' elements, and perhaps pushing the Sadrists around the edges. Even with the surge forces, Petraeus doesnt have so many troops that he could have achieved such strong progress against AQI while going full bore against Sadr at the same time. The strategy, I guess, is that with AQI weakened, theres less incentive for ordinary Shiites to support extremists, and that during the surge the political center of gravity of the Iraqi forces has shifted, incorporating more Sunnis and fewer Sadrists (while SCIRI and Dawa loyal Shiites and Kurds remain the core).

Its yet to be seen if that shift will hold. The fragility of it, is the principle reason why the post-surge US withdrawl needs to be gradual.

Posted by Liberalhawk 2007-11-09 11:23|| 2007-11-09 11:23|| Front Page Top

#4 Fred Don't heave your sigh of relief too deeply.

dittos, assuming the NYSlimes didn't spin Maj. Gen. Joseph F. Fil Jr, [*I know*] These types of statements have always returned to KICK ME IN THE A$$ whenever I've made them.

Call me plumb superstitious but I has lernt me up the Hard Way to Never make absolute blanket statements at all costs ..aaahh excepting this one heh

Posted by Red Dawg">Red Dawg 2007-11-09 11:24|| 2007-11-09 11:24|| Front Page Top

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