US "biggest ever" operation in Iraq mostly staged

[tocqueville]

Iraqi and U.S. forces have carried out similar sweeps in past months, mostly in the west and north, but Operation Swarmer has attracted an unusual amount of interest because of the U.S. military's description of the offensive as the biggest "air assault" since a similar airlift just after the war in 2003.

There have been neither casualties nor any fighting.

The assault, involving troop-carrying helicopters rather than bombing raids, came days before the third anniversary of the U.S.-led invasion to topple Saddam Hussein.

Iraqi and U.S. leaders were quick to herald it as showing the growing capabilities of the U.S.-trained new Iraqi army, prompting suggestions it was partly staged for public relations.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20060318/wl_nm/iraq_dc

[Solly Mack]

1. I'm convinced it was staged

[LisaLynne]

2. What if they had a war and only one side came? nt

[spanone]

3. You cannot trust a gov't. that allows NO NEWS SERVICES.

This whole 'operation' is bogus bullshit.

[SHRED]

4. Speaking of staged...

Our whole political structure is staged except for a very few like Kucinich and Feingold.

[Webster Green]

10. It sure is. It's nothing more than an elaborate hoax....

...designed to gobble up all our money and resources and deliver them into the greedy hands of the super-wealthy scumbags who are running the scam.

[KharmaTrain]

5. The Sad Thing Is Who They're Trying To Impress

Is this photo-op supposed to "shock and awe" the Iraqi people? Or is this to buck up the wingnuts here who need pictures of us killing and blowing up things to feel good? Or is this to show them Iranians not to mess with us or they'll be next? Again...who is this dog and pony show for? It sure isn't doing much in this country and puts a highlight back on a war more and more people detest and either want us to get out of or just don't want to see/hear about it.

This is turning into a Vietnam game now of the military attempting to manufacture "good news" where none exists and portray the media and "neysayers" as being traitors and defeatists...even if it flies in the face of reality. The shame is these asshats are also the ones who give the greatest disrespect to the fighting men and women in the military by being defenders of this regime and passing the blame of military failures down the chain. It wasn't the generals or the Pentagon that "lost Iraq", it'll be "the media" and our "lack of will to fight" that the wingnuts will claim is what happened...absolving themselves totally of any blame/responsibility.

[tocqueville]

7. the American opinion, nothing else nt

[KharmaTrain]

11. That Dog Don't Hunt

Maybe for the 2 million Faux noise viewers (and I'm being generous with that number) it may feel good...and yes, this is the boooosh "base", but it sure isn't getting the big hoo-ha that past "operations" have had. Seemed like there was a lot more coverage of the Fallujah and Ramadi operations and the corporate media was happily going along trying put lipstick on this pig...not any more. It's the reporters on the ground in Baghdad (most notably Michael Ware) who have not only debunked this story but are all but ridiculing it. The sheeple are awakening.

[CJCRANE]

6. Also seems strange

that the troops went to isolated rural areas...the insurgents use urban guerrilla tactics, it seems unlikely they would draw attention to themselves in an exposed environment where they would be sitting ducks.

[zanne]

8. The first footage that I saw...

When they announced this "huge offensive" I was riveted to my seat. Then I saw footage of a few dozen soldiers running into the desert towards nothing. I knew the jig was up.

[spanone]

9. It's Showtime. Bush* is USING our military. Wagging the dog.

[kitkat65]

12. There have been neither casualties nor any fighting.

Well, thank God for that at least.