Thursday, May 11, 2006

 

Report on Iraq: It Don't Look Good

Central Command has a captured document up at its website which complains about the lack of success the enemy is having, especially in Baghdad. Any guess to how much coverage this is getting in the buggy whip media? A lot, a little, none? Do you really have to guess. Highlights:

Most of the mujahidin power lies in surprise attacks (hit and run) or setting up explosive charges and booby traps. This is a different matter than a battle with organized forces that possess machinery and suitable communications networks.

...the mujahidin ... are not considered more than a daily annoyance to the Shiite government.

The strength of the brothers in Baghdad is built mainly on booby trapped cars, and most of the mujahidin groups in Baghdad are generally groups of assassin without any organized military capabilities.

The policy followed by the brothers in Baghdad is a media oriented policy without a clear comprehensive plan to capture an area or an enemy center. Other word, the significance of the strategy of their work is to show in the media that the American and the government do not control the situation and there is resistance against them.

At the same time, the Americans and the Government were able to absorb our painful blows, sustain them, compensate their losses with new replacements, and follow strategic plans which allowed them in the past few years to take control of Baghdad as well as other areas one after the other. That is why every year is worse than the previous year as far as the Mujahidin’s control and influence over Baghdad.

As I've said for nearly a year, we've won in Iraq and are continuing to crush the dead enders, who know they have no hope of strategic victory but are merely putting on a deadly show to un-man the weak and diminish the will to fight among the less than loyal opposition here at home.

Worked in Viet Nam.

UPDATE: Jack Kelly at Irish Pennants reports on a search to see how many media outlets were covering this story--none. No wonder those predisposed to believe bad things about America think we're doing poorly in Iraq. The fact is that it's just the opposite.

Comments:
And remember, Roger is a real expert on Viet Nam. Just ask him.
 
Who has time for incremental progress in Iraq when it just came out that they are trying to build a data base of every call made in the whole country?

Well, you asked.
 
Pen register data base. Easy enough to do with co-operative telephone companies who have the information anyway.
 
Yes, that is the point. The government can access the information that the phone companies are required by law to keep. But, they need a warrant. Should the need arise, they can issue a warrant and access the required information.

Compiling a data base that the government has unlimited access to, absent of judicial review, is in my opinion unconstitutional.
 
No warrant necessary for pen register type information, which the NSA database is, because it's not a search, as I explain above.
And I thought the phone companies keep the records of call because that's what they need to bill people, not because of federal compulsion. I obviously don't know all the federal laws and regulations. I do know that your opinion that the program is unconstitutional is completely wrong.
 
We will see if I am wrong or not about the constitutionality. I think it is a matter of debate, which I look forward to the Congress engaging in.

The 1994 law that applies here specifically states that the phone companies must provide this information when presented with a court or other "lawful authorization."

So far, no one has stated what this was. Article II? Patriot Act? I think it should be specific. Even if it is granted by a special meeting of say the intelligence commitee, that would be enough of a check.

I doubt they even had that.

I do know that your opinion that the program is unconstitutional is completely wrong.

That is your opinion.
 
Yeah but law is my area of expertise, Bow a little to my 21 years experience.
 
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