Policy, collective punishment or free-floating retribution

[mburbank]

From the Atlanta Journal Constitution


"The crackdown came a day after a Black Hawk helicopter crashed near Saddam Hussein's hometown of Tikrit, killing all six soldiers aboard. The cause of the crash remains uncertain although the U.S. command said in a statement that initial findings ``discount the use of surface-to-air missiles as a possible cause.''

Late Friday, U.S. troops fired mortars around the crash site and Air Force jets dropped at least three 500-pound bombs on the same area. U.S. commanders said they were trying to warn the locals against supporting insurgents."



So we don't know why our blackhawk crashed, but we're prettty sure it didn't get shot down. But we drop at least three 500 lbs bombs in the area as a 'warning'. Those are big ass bombs and they aren't cheap either. This is a strategy? Large scale bombing of an area where one of our copters went down for unknown reasons?

[Buffalo Tom]

From the Atlanta Journal Constitution


"The crackdown came a day after a Black Hawk helicopter crashed near Saddam Hussein's hometown of Tikrit, killing all six soldiers aboard. The cause of the crash remains uncertain although the U.S. command said in a statement that initial findings ``discount the use of surface-to-air missiles as a possible cause.''

Late Friday, U.S. troops fired mortars around the crash site and Air Force jets dropped at least three 500-pound bombs on the same area. U.S. commanders said they were trying to warn the locals against supporting insurgents."



So we don't know why our blackhawk crashed, but we're prettty sure it didn't get shot down. But we drop at least three 500 lbs bombs in the area as a 'warning'. Those are big funkagroovitalizer bombs and they aren't cheap either. This is a strategy? Large scale bombing of an area where one of our copters went down for unknown reasons?

This surprises you, given the commander-in-chief was bested by a piece of salted bread?

[Abcdxxxx]

The resistance against the US isn't a ground-swell of dissent against it's occupiers as much as a second breath from guerilla soldiers looking to subvert a traditional war. Tikrit is where a good amount of them are based, and unless I got the map turned around in my head, it's also the portal to and from Syria. It's also near where Saddam had his terrorist country club.

Which doesn't really explain what they were targetting, if anything, but it's not as random as you're making it out to be.

[Buffalo Tom]

The resistance against the US isn't a ground-swell of dissent against it's occupiers as much as a second breath from guerilla soldiers looking to subvert a traditional war.

That's presumptuous of you to make that claim. No one knows the real story behind these attacks, including the Administration. If the Administration knew the real reasons behind the attacks, then Iraq would be a more secure place than it is now.

[mburbank]

"this is an insurgency, and that it is gaining strength because Iraqis have no confidence that there is anyone on the horizon who is going to stick around in Iraq as a real alternative to the former regime."
-CIA report released earlier today.

[Abcdxxxx]

There's no presumption involved in recognizing these attacks are planned, and strategic .... or to recognize the thousands that crossed the Syrian, and Iranian borders with the intent to fight an International presence there, or that fighters of questionable origins have been caught in Iraq.... or that the aid workers there to assist the suffering and other non-combatants were targeted ... or that we should know the reasons behind the attacks, because you would have to be an ignorant fool not to listen to the very vocal criticism of the US coming from all parts of the Arab world... make that the entire world... knowing the reasons doesn't make securing the country any easier. Do we know why the US is in danger for attacks on our own soil? Are we any more secure for it ? Somehow, not really.

Sure a lot of Saddam loyalist went underground, but keep in mind that the typical fed up Iraqi isn't trained in night time guerilla warfare.