From: George Sherwood 

On Sat, 25 Feb 2006 19:20:38 -0500, Mark wrote:

> Wow Rich, I just saw someone somewhere else quoting that "no independent
> battalions" misnomer, using that same snippet you did (but from a different
> source) so I actually just followed your link. Near the beginning it says:
> "The officials said the Iraqi security forces show no signs of cracking but
> rather have taken the lead in enforcing a curfew and restoring order in
> Samarra, where the bombing of a revered Shiite mosque this week set off a
> wave of reprisal killings..." then paragraphs immediately preceding your
> clip tell a completely different story:

I just received an email from an army guy I know in Samarra and it agrees
with what you posted not the others.

"The growing theme in the news stories is the failure of the Iraqi
Security Forces to stem the violence, which may be the case in other areas
of the country.  However, here, at the epicenter of the whole affair, the
Iraqi Police and MOI (Ministry of Interior) Commandos in Samarra are
guarding the mosque site, manning the checkpoints into the city and are
showing remarkable restraint even when pelted by rocks from angry crowds
(which while in the hundreds are not that large to begin with).  The local
and provincial government called for restraint and most of the religious
leaders - Sunni and Shia - did as well...and it seems to be working,
especially with a 20-hour curfew in effect.  Few are blaming the coalition,
and in fact we're mostly just monitoring the situation from our
bases."


All the people I know tell the same story, we are not seeing it fully here.
 Only the most negative parts.

George

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