Knock Me Over with a Goddamn Feather
By Rebel Fighters Who Fled Attack May Now Be Active Elsewhere
Hmm. Really? Are you suggesting the insurgents may retreat in the face of an overwhelming conventional assault mounted by a professional military organization?
Shocked. I am shocked.
Hopefully, we won’t fool ourselves into thinking that destroying Falluja is going to end this war. The insurgents will go somewhere else. Because we lack the forces to control all of the urban areas, they will be able to set up other strongholds from which to launch attacks. Since the Iraqi forces continue to perform poorly, the basic facts on the ground won’t change. This isn’t to say that attacking Falluja was a bad idea; when such bases are established they need to be destroyed. However, one forceful action, taken six months late, won’t save a war already sunk into a sea of ineptitude.
Yglesias has more.
UPDATE: Spencer Ackerman has an outstanding summary of the situation and the insurgent tactics here. Doesn’t look good.