Beat in Baquba
Thunder Run interviews LTC Fred Johnson of 3-2 Stryker in Baquba (I’ve given up trying to figure out how to spell that place and opting for minimalist). A couple of highlights:
“They’re beat in Baqubah and I think their leadership moved elsewhere, possibly to set up shop - I can’t say for sure, of course where that is or their intentions. There will still be attacks here and it’s just a matter of time, but not in the magnitude as before - they won’t hold the city hostage. We’re pretty certain fighters melted back into the populace and are waiting for an opportunity to attack. But every day there is progress in the city makes it more likely a citizen will point them out and pre-empt AQIs activities.”
…
I was having a discussion with an Irishjournalist the other day and she made a poignant statement of her country’s plight with the IRA and sectarianism there … a COIN operation that took 40 plus years to reconcile. Perspective - It’s all about perspective and keeping what’s going on here in some sort of context.In the end, the question will be asked what came of this war - 8 million free Kurds, a Shi’a majority that can determine their destiny rather than living in an apartheid-like state, and the reconciliation of disenfranchised Sunnis. Regardless of the reasons why we came here, the fact remains a great good has already come of it and the rest is up to the Iraqis.”
And a lot more.
Posted by Jules Crittenden at 5:04 pm on Friday, August 10, 2007
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