Islamic fighters tighten control of rebel city

[Barrett808]

Islamic fighters tighten control of rebel city
Four months after the US failed to pacify Falluja, religious laws rule the stronghold of Iraq's insurgency
Rory McCarthy in Baghdad
Saturday September 11, 2004
The Guardian

Islamic militants in Iraq are strengthening their grip on the insurgent stronghold of Falluja, four months after American commanders struck a ceasefire deal that was supposed to pacify the city and return it to government control, residents said yesterday.

Militants have imposed religious law on communities, issuing edicts and executing those accused of spying and even stealing.

US patrols no longer enter the city, 40 miles west of Baghdad, and the Falluja Brigade, a government force established in May to maintain security, was disbanded this week.

Large areas of Falluja are now entirely under the control of the insurgents, while other parts are patrolled by police units that sympathise with the militants.

A mujahideen shura (or council) has been established, bringing together about 20 leaders from various insurgent groups, often with different aims and tactics. Together, they organise guerrilla tactics against US troops and enforce a hardline Islamic rule of law.

"Nobody can say they are controlling Falluja," said Muhammad Hassan al-Balwa, a businessman who was the head of the city council until he resigned when the US launched a major military operation against Falluja in April. "There are many sectors of power and there is nothing in common between their aims and their slogans."

"I told the Americans, 'If the people do not see any change then the resistance will become bigger and stronger'."

(more)

http://www.guardian.co.uk/Iraq/Story/0,2763,1302042,00.html

[leftchick]

1. does this mean we aren't winning?

shit! All those dead people for what?

[henslee]

6. "Does this mean Ann Margarat won't be appearing at the USO show sir"

--FMJ

[GOPAgainstGW]

2. International Intel is saying we have badly lost the Iraq War! AND

things are going to get very bad for the U.S. as to causalities and future catastrophic terrorism on U.S. soil.

Whole damn Middle East is sending support into Iraq to back "The Insurgent War" including Bush Family buddies Saudi Arabia, and Europe is actually on the side of the Insurgents!

Bush-Cheney and the Hawks should all be rounded up and turned over the Islamic Terrorists for their justice for these insane flakes:
1..Invading a Holy Mecca Islamic Country, without “due cause”:
2...Starting the worst 50 year Holy War in the history of the planet, and
3..TOTALLY defying the Post-Cold War Middle East Polarization Doctrine
that ALL International experts understood had to be adhered to avoid the worst Holy War in history between the two largest religions in the World, Christianity and Islam, both with over 1 Billion members on "each side"!

If DU members are interested, we will post, in a new thread, key elements of some of the "public" Int'l intel reports we have on the U.S.-Middle East War. IS IT BAD!, and we have substantial knowledge and experience regarding the Middle East Region in our “Beat Bush” Cartel, so we well know what we are talking about on this subject.

ALSO:

Terrorists Hit WTC 9/11 Because of the Bush Family "Texas Mafia" and their ties to Saudi Royal family, other Middle East interests, and then playing the other side of the fence with their pandering to Israel. We know this sounds wild, and some crazed post, BUT IT'S NOT!

Half our "Beat Bush" Republican Cartel is Houston-Dallas based and we have some real "heavy weights" in our Cartel that helped Bush get elected in 2000, but now hate him. We raised a $1/4 Million in donations in one night for our "little Beat Bush project" with effort.

If interested you can read about it in the Insider News links below.

Here's the tread on our little fund raiser - Good Read on one of our issues.-NKR

Republicans Skip RNC Bush Speech-See Fahrenheit 9/11 Instead
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=132x740187

------------------------------
Beltway and Texas Republicans
Against Bush-Cheney ’04, Inc.
------------------------------
"Insider’s News”, Vol 1 - Kerry-Edwards Campaign Doing Well
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=132x748458
“Insider’s News” Vol 1.1 - Great Anti-Bush Sites
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=132x756409

[Just Me]

8. We simply have to wake our people up,...to a hidden reality.

It is our mission,...to bring reality to our people.

I am deeply grateful for your contribution.

[acmavm]

3. Of course we've lost the war. How many experts predicted just this

scenario prior to Operation Enduring Freedom? And how many said that Afganistan would be lost as well if we didn't concentrate of finishing off Al Quaeda and the Taliban? Well, that's happened as well.

This is what happens when you've got a bunch of cowards with no experience in war running the show. They haven't got any first hand experience or understanding in regard to what the people under attack my really feel or think about their 'liberation', especially if it is accomplished by bombing civilians. The resistance set in immediately after the first bomb dropped. Fifty attacks on 'high value' targets, they didn't get one of them. They just got civilians. Right there the resistance was born. While CNN and MSNBC were showing 'a brilliant victory' by our Air Force and military, the Iraqi army was fading into the population, waiting for the right time to fight. And I remember that this was predicted as well.

The situation was exascerbated when, instead of providing electricity and clean water, the numbnuts in charge went for what they saw as the top priority, building the military bases. We didn't protect the museums or hospitals, we went right for the Oil Ministry. Talk about letting your priorities show.

Finally, rather than employ Iraqis to do the 'reconstruction work', foreign workers were shipped in. Can you imagine the resentment by a people who have a history fifty times as old as ours being shoved aside while we brought in foreign workers to rebuild their country?

Imcompetent doesn't even begin to describe what went on here. Just a mass destruction of a country, the loss of kids serving our country who were victimized and used by the powers that be, and the looting of the treasury and our Social Security fund for bush* family friends.

[HysteryDiagnosis]

7. They haven't got any first hand experience<<

Then you have Rummy bragging... not a direct quote... but I am sure it fits... "I can do it cheaper... I can do it cheaper... let me run it... let me run it." It only takes one self important "I" to change run into ruin.

[barb162]

4. No you're all wrong

Bush said we won, remember?

(and the economy is turning the corner, things are looking up, etc)

[barb162]

5. but this is scary and was predictable before the war

"Militants have imposed religious law on communities, issuing edicts"

As soon as that religious law stuff starts up, watch out.

[Tracer]

9. I clearly recall that LAST SUMMER ...

... every gasbag pundit was worrying that the "window of opportunity" was closing and that the U.S. had better get it's ducks in a row quickly or things would get completely out of hand.

Well, guess what.

That window closed a long time ago.

[NMDemDist2]

10. as bad as Saddam was, Iraq was the most progressive, secular

country in the region now reduced to "Islamic Rule of Law" which equals gone back 1000 years....

I really really hate these Bush bastards, I swear I do

crap now I said it and have to pray for them for 30 days since resentment is the number one offender :cry: