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So you're telling me that it's better to have someone who don't speak your language point a gun at you than to have some who speaks your language point a gun at you... If you think that's better, I can't argue with that. However, I, personally, feel that if at least I can understand what the personal pointing a gun at me is saying, I feel I have a chance. Somehow, I don't think there are that many Arab-speaking US or UK troops on the ground. Also, US troops have this attitude of 'shoot first, ask later' - which is why the Reuters cameraman was killed (the US troops thought he was carrying a rocket launcher and point it at them!) You can't even reason with these monkeys!
There are a huge number of translators made up from the 'free iraqis' and members of the kuwait armed forces as well as ordinary volunteers from around the world and population itself.
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So, where do you think Najaf is? Bagdad? The point about terrorism is to create a sense of unease or terror in the population. It doesn't have to happen at your door step, it just has to happen and people know about it. People feel threatened by the threat of terrorism. The fact that the IRA targeted Warrington doesn't mean that other towns in mainland UK were save - quite the opposite!!
This isn't the northern most point of Iraq is it?
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Oil export was seen as the key to finance the rebuilding of Iraq. However, thanks to the poor security provided by the coalition arm forces, they can't protect this life-line for the Iraqis.
The oil lines run for hundreds of miles, its impossibel to defend. It still is essential but oil exports continue in the face of this.
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There's no sign of the invading armies can resolve the current unrest in the population. As time goes by, and as the invading arm forces loose their grip on situation, the soldiers will be pushed further and put on edge. Civilian caualties may not be a big number right now, but soon (and sooner than you'd like) they're going to go up. Watch this space.
There will always be unrest but this war is different in its purpose, and civilian casulties will not rise in any significant number. Most of the deaths will now come from conflict between different Iraqi factions and terrorists.
Don't forget this IS going very smoothly in Basra with the exception of the odd incident and terrorist attack, its gone better than the yanks even thought possible. However this brings up an interesting point, how can both forces (U.S and U.K) be adopting two different methods of policing? The British way and the one that has been an almost complete success has worked by trusting the community where as the Americans fortify themselves against it and shoot first if they feel in danger. You've probably seen the footage of them attacking a TV crew because they weren't happy with the filming.