Tuesday, July 8, 2003 | 8:42 a.m.
I DON'T KNOW ABOUT YOU, but my feelings of frustration have rapidly become anger during the past few days. Every morning the early news reports tell listeners of the killing of another American soldier in Iraq. Some mornings we hear about two or three soldiers being killed and a dozen more suffering wounds. This news is especially aggravating for a people who were told the major conflict was over two months ago.
The loss of Americans in Iraq may not be the results of a major war, but don't tell that to the loved ones who are notified of the death or serious wounding of a son, husband or close friend. Death at the hands of a guerrilla or terrorist is just as final as the loss of life in a firefight or major combat operation. Very simply, our military forces are in combat with a deadly enemy made up of Saddam Hussein supporters and foreign terrorists who arrived from Syria, Lebanon, Jordan, Egypt and Iran prior to and during the beginning of open warfare between Iraq and coalition forces.
We have been told that the killers aren't organized or directed by a single source of power. This may have been true a month ago but now we must ask if some of them have joined forces or have been attracted to each other in the dark shadows of guerrilla warfare. The midnight ambush of Americans by several gunmen or the bold daylight death of a soldier at the hands of a shooter in a university setting have the same results. Death. Just as threatening is the ability of the lone gunman to escape unscathed in a crowd of other Iraqis. We must ask how and why this escape is possible?
This activity reminds me of a conversation I had with a retired Israeli military officer prior to our attack in Iraq. He told me that our troops would face soldiers dressed as civilians and would become targets of suicide tactics. "These attacks most likely will continue after the government surrenders," he added.
Prior to the war, the United States let the world know that it intended not to destroy Iraq's infrastructure. Our precision weapons would spare most civilians, oil fields and pipelines, waterworks, power plants, bridges, etc. Not only did we conduct this kind of war but we also allowed the Republican Guard to collapse and avoid heavy casualties. They took off their uniforms and went home or into hiding with their weapons and explosives. Then they became looters and bombers destroying much of the infrastructure the Americans had allowed to go undamaged. Now they, along with foreign terrorists, are killing soldiers and intimidating other Iraqis to keep them from cooperating with the Americans attempting to restore order in their country. Our concern about restoring services and order has been interpreted as a sign of weakness. By now we should know this is t ypical of Middle Eastern thinking.
It doesn't take a genius to see what is happening, but suggesting a solution is very difficult. Only the military forces on the ground will be able to bait traps to ambush enemy ambushes and make terrorists and guerrillas know that to kill an American results in their own death sentences. Capturing or killing Saddam also must be a priority in Iraq or in any nearby country to which he might have fled.
It's about time all of the Iraqi people understand that there will be no more American mister nice guy until the killing comes to a halt. The United States representatives have to tell them in Arabic that we have had enough. Our patience has been tested but, as we attempt to rebuild their country, it's rapidly changing from frustration to anger. At least that message would relay my feelings.
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