The interesting thing about this piece: The Fog of Peace, is that it describes the following with something of an air of surprise, or perhaps a hint of failure on the part of the operation:
Apache helicopter gunships zoomed toward a band of paramilitary fighters who were stealing crates of ammunition from an arms cache near Saddam Hussein's hometown, Tikrit. As the Iraqis tried to make a getaway, the Apaches opened fire, turning the paramilitaries' truck into a hunk of twisted metal and killing 14.This is not an old war episode. It took place Wednesday night, just a day before President Bush flew to the aircraft carrier Abraham Lincoln to announce the end of major combat operations in Iraq. And it illustrates the complicated mission American forces now face as they try to bring stability to Iraq.
But, really, anyone who expected that once the country was militarily subdued that there wouldn't continue to be problems and violence was awfully naive. There are going to confrontations and security problems the entire time we are there. Not only is this a major operation in country where some of the population is predisposed not to like us, the bottom line is that human nature is such that some people are going to loot, steal, engage in black marketeering, and attempt to take power that is not rightfully theres. This should not be a surprise.
Posted by Steven at May 2, 2024 07:47 AM | TrackBack