Falluja: Dire Results.....

[Ed]

For later discussion I would like to capture the dire results predicted if we took out this fine, fine town. Unfortunately the media and others in the public eye often wail and moan about the terrible things that will happen if any action other than the doubtless correct action that they espouse.

So, please contribute dire warnings here, preferably with attribution byend yourself...

1) The NYT two days ago had a front page teaser (referring to a story inside) that "suicide battalions were waiting for our troops.

2) Annan has been moaning too. Perhaps someone actually paid attention to what he said and can elucidate.

3) Yes...... what else is going to go wrong?

Then we'll chat in a week or two.

 

[crimresearch]

Ahh..sort of like predictions that US troops would be massacred by the hundreds of thousands by the elite Republican Guard, that now no one can ever remember making?

Like so many things in the real world, warfare isn't over till its over, and sometimes (as the French are finding out while trying to recalim their newly valuable former colonies) it isn't over even then.

 

[geni]

3) friendly fire and civilian deaths

 

[hgc]

Ahh..sort of like predictions that US troops would be massacred by the hundreds of thousands by the elite Republican Guard, that now no one can ever remember making?

I'm sure you'll provide citations, since you'd love to embarrass those people specifically.

Like so many things in the real world, warfare isn't over till its over, and sometimes (as the French are finding out while trying to recalim their newly valuable former colonies) it isn't over even then.

Shades of "mission accomplished." Who's losing the Iraq war predictions game? To all our regret, it's the idiots running that particular enterprise.

 

[Art Vandelay]

Ahh..sort of like predictions that US troops would be massacred by the hundreds of thousands by the elite Republican Guard, that now no one can ever remember making?

Or wiped out by horrendous attacks of biological weapons. Not that Saddam has them, mind you. But if he did, it would be quite horrible. But he doesn't. But if he did...

 

[crimresearch]

I'm sure you'll provide citations, since you'd love to embarrass those people specifically.
Shades of "mission accomplished." Who's losing the Iraq war predictions game? To all our regret, it's the idiots running that particular enterprise.

Actually, I doubt if Ted Rall is capable of being embarrassed...but while we are demanding proof, please provide YOUR references showing what I would and wouldn't love to do in that regard...

I believe you owe me several now, after repeatedly questioning my facts, and then falling silent when I back them up.
Now it is your turn.

 

[Richard G]

I predict we will run out of targets before we run out of ammo. It will be heartbreaking.

 

[evildave]

If it matches past patterns:

1. Massive collateral damage (i.e. city will be practically razed by U.S. firepower).

2. Big body count: Substantially more civilians killed than U.S. military or 'terrorists'.

4. No positive results for making peace in Iraq.

5. In another month or two, repeat cycle, perhaps with the same city, especially if there is still some of it left that's habitable.

 

[phildonnia]

I'm sure you'll provide citations, since you'd love to embarrass those people specifically.

IIRC (no, this is not a citation) these predictions were made by the Iraqi leaders, who are currently as embarrassed as they will ever be. I don't think anyone else took seriously the "rivers of blood" threats. And American culture quickly adopted the phrase "The mother of all X" in mockery of some of these predictions.

 

[Ed]

.

 

[Mr Manifesto]

Well, I think it cuts both ways:

Rumsfeld predicts low civilian death toll in Fallujah

"There aren't going to be large numbers of civilians killed, certainly not by US forces," Mr Rumsfeld said.

"The US forces are disciplined," he said.

"They are well led. They're well-trained. They are using precision and they have rules of engagement that are appropriate to an urban environment.

...

"Success in Fallujah will deal a blow to the terrorists in the country and should move Iraq further away from a future of violence to one of freedom and opportunity for the Iraqi people."

 

[crocodile deathroll]

I predict that some Iraqi National Guardsmen will come under "friendly fire" from the Americans and they will not like it. The ones that ducked their heads low enough will shout Allah! What the @#!#@!! and will desert to the other side.

 

[BLACK HAT]

I predict that the US will send a huge smoker overseas to prepare turkey for all the troops on Thanksgiving and there will be much rejoicing as freshly captured insurgents are rushed off to the rape camps.

 

[a_unique_person]

Well, I think it cuts both ways:

Rumsfeld predicts low civilian death toll in Fallujah

Of course they will be low, it is US policy to not count civilian deaths.

 

[Ed]

Of course they will be low, it is US policy to not count civilian deaths.

You certainly have a source for this claim, don't you?

 

[Mr Manifesto]

You certainly have a source for this claim, don't you?

Ask and ye shall receive

 

[Nikk]

Ahh..sort of like predictions that US troops would be massacred by the hundreds of thousands by the elite Republican Guard, that now no one can ever remember making?

Still waiting for the citations hgc asked for.

 

[Mr Manifesto]

Still waiting for the citations hgc asked for.

Crimresearch don't do citations.

(Kind of makes me wonder about the quality of his 'research'... )

 

[crocodile deathroll]

I am glad I am not paying for it

Washington Post
The Bush administration intends to seek about $70 billion in emergency funding for the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan early next year, pushing total war costs close to $225 billion since the invasion of Iraq early last year, Pentagon and congressional officials said yesterday.

Now in Fallujah with many Iraqi troops defecting off the insurgency Bush will ultimately have all this war all to himself.
But he will fix it, He will just invoke his voodoo economic policy and click his fingers for another $70billion dollars here and $70billion dollars there and he will get it with his majority in the Senate.


But forget about those the tax cuts he promised as they may just have to head in the very opposite direction to aid his little pet war effort.

 

[nightwind]

Iraq

Well, I feel that the insurgents while maybe being crazy, are not crazy crazy. I look for them to disappear into the woodwork like they did when we first went in, and then re-emerge somewhere else to fight another day.