U.S. Conceding Rebels Control Regions of Iraq

[Tom Yossarian Joad]

http://www.nytimes.com/2004/09/08/politics/08policy.html

By ERIC SCHMITT and STEVEN R. WEISMAN

Published: September 8, 2004


WASHINGTON, Sept. 7 - As American deaths in Iraq operations reached the 1,000 mark, top Pentagon officials said Tuesday that insurgents controlled important parts of central Iraq and that it was unclear when American and Iraqi forces would be able to secure those areas.

As of late Tuesday night, the Pentagon's accounting showed that 997 service members and three Defense Department civilians had been killed in Iraq operations.

Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld and Gen. Richard B. Myers, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, said at a news conference that the American strategy in retaking rebel-held strongholds hinged on training Iraqi forces to take the lead.

Mr. Rumsfeld said Iraqi officials understood they must regain control of these areas. "They get it, and will find a way over time to deal with it,'' he said.
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[JoFerret]

1. Contradicts the administration

...must be a miscalculation.

[Renew Deal]

2. Basically we are fucked and this will stay that way until

after the election. They won't do what needs to be done. It would cost hundreds of more troops. So mow the mobs will take over these cities and make it even harder to get them back.

[pinniped]

3. As long as they don't control the oil fields what the fcuk do they care?

The first priority the US military had when they illegally invaded Iraq was to secure the oil infrastucture.

[sonicx]

4. More ammo for Kerry. nt