The Dog That Hasn’t Barked?
Is it just me, or do none of the reports on the current offensive in northwestern Iraq advert to “combined US and Iraqi forces,” as customary in Pentagon PR for most of a year? The reporting makes it sound like a pure American play. Are the Iraqi troops all off painting schools?
Comment by Andy B —
May 10, 2005 @ 11:45 pm
One might hope that the Iraqi forces are doing what they do best–protecting Iraqi civilians–while the US forces are doing what they do best–kicking enemy butt.
Comment by Hesiod —
May 11, 2005 @ 5:05 am
“One might hope that the Iraqi forces are doing what they do best–protecting Iraqi civilians–while the US forces are doing what they do best–kicking enemy butt.”
Actually, what Iraqi forces do best is get killed while waiting in line.
Comment by Nell —
May 11, 2005 @ 7:41 am
From admittedly sketchy news, given the numbers of people the US mil is reporting killing, and the mention of helicopter gunships and planes, I’d say this is mostly an air offensive. I don’t imagine the US mil has any near-term or mid-term plans to put Iraqi forces in possession of an air force, so….
More evidence for the spread of free fire zones, by the way. A CBC report said hundreds of civilians are fleeing the area under attack. This is also close enough to the Syrian border to make my eyebrows go up another few millimeters. We might “stray” over the border with one of those planes.
Comment by Rafe —
May 11, 2005 @ 8:58 am
Check out Today’s Papers at Slate the past couple of days. It is a ground offensive and no Iraqi forces are participating.
Comment by Jim Henley —
May 11, 2005 @ 11:21 am
Andy B: “Hope” is the word, for sure.
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Rafe: Keep in mind that since Spring 1945, US “ground offensives” involve a lot of 1. Move forward. 2. Take fire. 3. Call in a sh;tload of artillery and airpower on the source of the fire. I’m not sure that, functionally, you and Nell are saying different things.
Trackback by Brad DeLong's Website —
May 12, 2005 @ 1:47 pm
Unqualified Offerings Is Disturbed
It writes: : The Dog That Hasn’t Barked?: Is it just me, or do none of the reports on the current offensive in northwestern Iraq advert to “Ccombined US and Iraqi forces,” as customary in Pentagon PR for most of a year? The reporting makes it sound …