The Big Magilla

Here we go again:

Tens of thousands of US and Iraqi soldiers are pushing on with simultaneous operations in Baghdad and to the north, south and west of the capital under Operation Phantom Thunder, a new plan aimed at rooting out Al-Qaeda fighters and other militants. The latest offensives, which began in the past week, follow the build-up of US military forces in Iraq to 156,000 soldiers and aim to deny militants sanctuary in the farmlands and towns surrounding Baghdad.

"If you've got it properly cordoned then they're going to flee into somebody's arms. It's a trap," US military spokesman Rear Admiral Mark Fox said.

"To the extent that you can eliminate them, we will." Hard fighting was expected in the next 45-60 days, he said.

Military commanders have said they anticipate greater casualties as their forces press on with a 4-month-old Baghdad security crackdown and other operations around the city.

Wow. I'll bet all those military commanders are now solidly in their comfort zones. They have territory to take, tactics to implement, commands to be given in a real life battlefield! And of course, they can use all those nifty codes words over communication, call in airstrikes and use new gadgets. Unfortunately they can also watch their soldiers die (I purposely didn't mentioned the dead civilians because the commanders could give a rip).

This would all be swell and good if it was going to solve a problem. It won't. This is an insurgency, not a front type war. They can never "surround" the enemy because the enemy is everywhere. They'll not be able to "hold" because there are not enough troops. They'll not be able to pacify because they are occupiers and the Iraqi forces are neither unified nor loyal. This big push is what they have pinned their hopes on.

But never fear. After this "offensive", they'll be another plan .... and another .... and another ......