Seraphim
04-19-2004, 08:03 PM
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Marine Lance Cpl. Oscar Arias waits for his next orders on a quiet Sunday in Fallujah, Iraq. By M. Scott Mahaskey, Marine Corps Times
By Jim Michaels, USA TODAY
BAGHDAD — U.S. military commanders, frustrated by a weeklong truce and talks aimed at ending hostilities in Fallujah, say the pause in offensive operations is giving insurgents a chance to reorganize and rearm, military officers say.
"There is a sense of frustration across the board," said a high-ranking military officer who asked not to be identified. If fighting starts again, Marines say they fear they will face a stronger enemy. "You fight them now or you fight them later," the officer said.
The officer also said the discussions are elevating the status of the insurgents by implying they are equals with U.S. forces. "It's emboldened the enemy across the 'Sunni Triangle,' " he said. On Saturday, five Marines and at least 25 Iraqis were killed in a firefight near the Syrian border in Anbar province, which includes Fallujah, a city of 200,000.
Elements of the 1st Marine Expeditionary Force launched the offensive April 5 against insurgents in Fallujah, a pro-Saddam Hussein stronghold 35 miles west of Baghdad. The objective was to kill or capture Iraqi fighters suspected of killing and mutilating the bodies of four American security contractors. Since then, more than 30 Marines and at least 600 Iraqis have been killed in the city and province.
The cease-fire was called partly to answer Iraqi officials' concerns that the heavy casualties in the city were fueling anti-American anger. Members of the U.S.-appointed Iraqi Governing Council insisted that Paul Bremer, the chief U.S. civilian administrator, try to resolve the crisis through diplomacy.
Iraqi civilian negotiators say they are seeking a long-term political solution. "If you think about this as a military problem, then you can fix this problem in two or three days," said Hajim al-Hassani, a negotiator for the Governing Council. "If we want to do it the right way, we have to pursue a political solution."
Hassani acknowledged that some military officials are pushing for a continued offensive. But he said he hopes Bremer resists the argument.
Representatives from the Governing Council, the U.S. civilian authority and the U.S. military have been meeting with Fallujah's leaders. U.S. officials say they will end the cease-fire if the insurgents renew their attacks on Marines.
Hassani said the discussions center on handing over men suspected of killing the contractors. Fallujah representatives say they want the Iraqi judicial system to handle the matter, he said. Marines also want guarantees of safe passage throughout the city. And residents of Fallujah want military roadblocks removed so normal traffic can resume.
The dispute over how to deal with Fallujah reflects historical tensions between military and civilian authorities during war. Military officers critical of the talks in Fallujah declined to speak on the record, but they said Bremer should weigh military interests with other concerns. "I can imagine there was a lively discussion on how to achieve this," said Brig. Gen. Mark Kimmitt, deputy commander of U.S. military operations in Iraq, referring to the debate about how to quell the insurgency in Fallujah.
Contributing: César G. Soriano in Baghdad
Marine Lance Cpl. Oscar Arias waits for his next orders on a quiet Sunday in Fallujah, Iraq. By M. Scott Mahaskey, Marine Corps Times
By Jim Michaels, USA TODAY
BAGHDAD — U.S. military commanders, frustrated by a weeklong truce and talks aimed at ending hostilities in Fallujah, say the pause in offensive operations is giving insurgents a chance to reorganize and rearm, military officers say.
"There is a sense of frustration across the board," said a high-ranking military officer who asked not to be identified. If fighting starts again, Marines say they fear they will face a stronger enemy. "You fight them now or you fight them later," the officer said.
The officer also said the discussions are elevating the status of the insurgents by implying they are equals with U.S. forces. "It's emboldened the enemy across the 'Sunni Triangle,' " he said. On Saturday, five Marines and at least 25 Iraqis were killed in a firefight near the Syrian border in Anbar province, which includes Fallujah, a city of 200,000.
Elements of the 1st Marine Expeditionary Force launched the offensive April 5 against insurgents in Fallujah, a pro-Saddam Hussein stronghold 35 miles west of Baghdad. The objective was to kill or capture Iraqi fighters suspected of killing and mutilating the bodies of four American security contractors. Since then, more than 30 Marines and at least 600 Iraqis have been killed in the city and province.
The cease-fire was called partly to answer Iraqi officials' concerns that the heavy casualties in the city were fueling anti-American anger. Members of the U.S.-appointed Iraqi Governing Council insisted that Paul Bremer, the chief U.S. civilian administrator, try to resolve the crisis through diplomacy.
Iraqi civilian negotiators say they are seeking a long-term political solution. "If you think about this as a military problem, then you can fix this problem in two or three days," said Hajim al-Hassani, a negotiator for the Governing Council. "If we want to do it the right way, we have to pursue a political solution."
Hassani acknowledged that some military officials are pushing for a continued offensive. But he said he hopes Bremer resists the argument.
Representatives from the Governing Council, the U.S. civilian authority and the U.S. military have been meeting with Fallujah's leaders. U.S. officials say they will end the cease-fire if the insurgents renew their attacks on Marines.
Hassani said the discussions center on handing over men suspected of killing the contractors. Fallujah representatives say they want the Iraqi judicial system to handle the matter, he said. Marines also want guarantees of safe passage throughout the city. And residents of Fallujah want military roadblocks removed so normal traffic can resume.
The dispute over how to deal with Fallujah reflects historical tensions between military and civilian authorities during war. Military officers critical of the talks in Fallujah declined to speak on the record, but they said Bremer should weigh military interests with other concerns. "I can imagine there was a lively discussion on how to achieve this," said Brig. Gen. Mark Kimmitt, deputy commander of U.S. military operations in Iraq, referring to the debate about how to quell the insurgency in Fallujah.
Contributing: César G. Soriano in Baghdad