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November 17, 2003

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I believe its fairly clear that lack of intel - hell lack of Americans fluent in Arabic, is one our our efforts Achilles heels. In the immediate postwar the problem was particularly bad when the Pentagon (eg Rummy & Cheney, not professionals who know better) were keeping experienced experts fluent in Arabic from State out of the country (which only stretched the Army's resources further to support the CPA). Juan Cole had a post up recently about hundreds of State personnel coming into Iraq in the last few weeks. Of course our Army in Iraq was staffed by taking personnel out of Afghanistan (so much for our War on Terror in Al Quad's actual backyard - but of course their backyard is growing thanks to our intrepid CIC, Osama bin Ladins 'useful idiot' Bush).
Lots of firepower and inadequate Intel is a recipe for futility, especially if the enemy is aware of the weakness and sharp enough to lead us astray, which for their purposes would be to encourage us to alienate the populace by targeting the uninvolved.
Cordesman's recent report covers this issue: fighting an insurgency without topnotch intelligence is murder both for our troops and for the populace.
My earlier feeling that we could not afford to fail in stabilizing and rehabilitating Iraq is giving way to despair: this administration is so far behind the curve in this war and so wedded to the use of force that even maintaining disorder is naively optimistic. Any normal administration would've at least fired a pack of miscreants, although since Cheney can't be moved and Bush can't face him down there isn't much point anyways.

Speak of the devil: a WaPo article on this problem is here, the Center for Army Lessons Learned .pdf report is here. Links from thespygame.blogspot.com

Read "The end of the Republic" by chalmers johnson.

I want to know what to do about it. Let's organize effective resistance.

While you are talking aout the "innocent" Iraqis dont you think you could mention how many AMERICAN soldiers lost their life in that crash? I mean that would be covering a broader story and all which doesnt exacty fit your mold of stories here. But, I am glad that I got a chance to see what narrow minded people think. So, thanks

Yours truly

Some One Who Is Willing To Fight For Their Beleifs.

I'm pissed and outraged about this outrage. Why the fuck give them 5 minutes to get out..isnt the idea to kill them.

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