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Destroying Fallujah to ‘Save It’
One of the concepts that emerged from the Vietnam War was that of destroying a village to save it.
The idea was that by leveling a place where people once lived, the area would be denied to the Viet Cong. The people? Well, they’d just have to find somewhere else. And you’re welcome, for your freedom!
The same cynical policy seems very much underway now in Iraq, in the U.S.-led campaign against Islamic State.
FallujahThe current focus is on the city of Fallujah. During Iraq War 2.0, the United States captured the city twice, the final time via a siege that would have embarrassed the Nazis outside Stalingrad. White phosphorus and depleted uranium weapons were used against a civilian population living amidst some groups of Sunni militias and al Qaeda terrorists. No one knows the civilian death count.
In Iraq War 3.0, 2016 edition, beleaguered Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi was quick to declare victory in mid-June after Shia militias reached the center of Fallujah, displacing the Islamic State (an official in the U.S.-led coalition said Iraqi forces had so far taken only half of Fallujah, but why does that matter.)
Whomever is winning, the fighting has forced more than 85,000 residents to flee in a humanitarian crisis you’ll need to work hard to learn more about. One of the few Western journalists actually on the ground in Fallujah, the Washington Post’s Loveday Morris (follow her at @LovedayM if you have any interest in Iraq at all), described the scene as “No tents, latrines, water tanks for some. Aid agencies just can’t keep up. In 4.5 years covering Syria and Iraq I’ve never seen conditions this bad… No words.”
RamadiIt will be years, if ever, before Fallujah is a functioning city again. How do we know? Because of Ramadi.
Ramadi was the city before Fallujah that was destroyed to free it from Islamic State. Some six months after that victory, the city remains a disaster zone. Estimates are that almost 80 percent of the buildings in Ramadi, including the majority of around 32,000 residential housing units, infrastructure, government departments and schools, have been damaged or destroyed. ISIS did its share of damage, but the U.S. launched thousands of airstrikes, artillery barrages and rocket attacks into the urban areas. Shia militias did the rest.
Special engineering committees were created to assess the damages, award compensation and schedule re-building. Forms are still being given out to members of the public who venture back into the ruins. According to local administrators, around $19.5 billion will be needed to rebuild the city.
Since the committees started work in May, they have received around 17,000 applications for compensation, says the mayor of Ramadi. About 50,000 are expected. Staff have managed to process 3,000 applications so far and have made the required site visits at a rate of only 30 and 50 per day.
So far, the Baghdad central government has only provided about one million dollars. That’s Ramadi. Fallujah awaits.
Copyright © 2020. All rights reserved. The views expressed here are solely those of the author(s) in their private capacity.
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John Poole said...
1The US military is Israel’s goon squad. We’re slaves of the Israelities. Mesopotamia-the cradle of Western Civilization looks like it will also be the grave of Western Civilization.
Hillary is already boning up what will be in her nuke arsenal and how to best use it in Israel’s favor.
Well, at least some record of human existence still exists racing towards the stars.
MIRACLE MILE – “We’ll be diamonds” (or dust).
06/21/16 8:59 AM | Comment Link
chuck said...
2A U.S. kill list will save u.s. from terror? Has Obama or Killery admitted in the past 7 years that Israel has Nukes?
06/21/16 11:47 AM | Comment Link
chuck said...
3Hillary has a new slogan. “Stronger Together”. Exceptionalism!
06/21/16 1:43 PM | Comment Link
bloodypitchfork said...
4quote”During Iraq War 2.0, the United States captured the city twice, the final time via a siege that would have embarrassed the Nazis outside Stalingrad. White phosphorus and depleted uranium weapons were used against a civilian population living amidst some groups of Sunni militias and al Qaeda terrorists. No one knows the civilian death count.”unquote
Hopefully..some day, the truth will confront the American people. And that truth is.. those animals who ran the USG and DOD during these times, are war criminals. PERIOD. They can deny it till hell freezes over. However, the evidence is still around.
Meanwhile, Obama must be feeling guilty. He just acknowledged the Drone program has killed innocent human beings. Of course..the USG’s estimate is a laughing stock.
06/21/16 8:27 PM | Comment Link
bloodypitchfork said...
5Meanwhile..what can one say other than…
HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA…. HOHOHOHOHOHOHO…HEEHEHEHEHEHEHEHEHE… HAHAHAHAHAHAHA…!
http://www.motherjones.com/politics/2016/06/trump-has-closed-door-meeting-1000-evangelicals
Living proof Murica is the DUMBEST..FUCKING..COUNTRY…ON …THE ..GODDAMNED PLANET.
06/21/16 8:36 PM | Comment Link
Bruce said...
6“Stronger Together”
https://pbs.twimg.com/media/Ck9fr4oWUAECuan.jpg
She means her lips; so she Cant LIE !
06/21/16 11:11 PM | Comment Link
teri said...
7Pictures of Major Cities Before and After US Aggression, Proxy War:
http://www.washingtonsblog.com/2016/06/58733.html
06/22/16 4:35 AM | Comment Link
bloodypitchfork said...
8teri said…
“Pictures of Major Cities Before and After US Aggression, Proxy War:”
teri, I’m sure Peter could post some “Before and after” pics of American towns devastated by US Corporate job shifts to other countries too.
06/22/16 2:29 PM | Comment Link
Anonymous said...
9Disgusting. Really…no words.
06/23/16 11:22 PM | Comment Link
rachael phillips said...
10Oh, for those happy days in Iraq under Bush!! I’ll never forget that wonderful day in 2007 when George Bush stood on the podium in Baghdad’s Liberty Square, with Prime Minister Al-Maliki on his left and Paul Wolfowitz, Richard Pearle, Doug Feith and Scooter Libby on his right. 100,000 grateful Iraqi’s — Sunnis, Shiites and Kurds — united as one — cheered and waved American flags. “Thank you Mr. President,” al-Maliki shouted. “You have brought freedom to Iraq! And thank you, wise Jewish men! Every generation must thank its Jews! The people of Iraq say ‘thank you’ to Mr. Wolfowitz, and Pearle and Mr. Feith and Mr. Scooter! You were the Jewish “brains” behind Mr. Bush! You said in 6 months there would peace and unity in Iraq! That gasoline will be only $1.00 a gallon! And you were right!! Your wise agenda has brought peace and prosperity to Iraq! Thank you, great wise Jews! And now — Americans — on to Kabul!” How the crowd cheered!!….. Oh wait. That never happened, did it? Must have been a dream…..!!
07/13/16 1:40 AM | Comment Link