Slowed To A Trickle
Sometimes, the absence of news is newsworthy.
In recent days, the number of photos coming out of Ramadi has slowed to a trickle. ...Which is one of the few indications that a major military offensive is getting underway.
If you recall, the Administration couldn't stop talking about the Fallujah offensive for a week before clamping down the hatches. In contrast, this new push (targeting a city much larger than Fallujah) is taking place in a vacuum.
It might be due to the recent elections, and the belief (or spin?) that insurgents will soon swap physical aggression for the political kind. It might involve the sting of embarrassment from the overblown promises and the miserable devastation left by the Fallujah campaign. For whatever the reason, there seem to be few eyes on the Anbar province right now ...and I'm sure the Washington political and military establishment couldn't be more pleased.
(By the way, this shot was indexed under "Ramadi" in Yahoo News, but it was actually taken Saturday on the Baghdad airport road.)
(image: Akram Saleh/Reuters in YahooNews; link credit: juancole.)
Nice!
Posted by: michael x | Feb 27, 2005 at 02:43 AM
The word "Death" on the tank really stands out to me and how it looks like a brand or logo. It shows how commonplace it is there that it can be used so lightly.
Posted by: Isaac | Feb 27, 2005 at 09:38 AM
Wow, another assault based on the 'success' of Falluhjah? Can't wait for the scores of grateful Iraqis, generously allowed to return to their flattened city, while thanking the American soldiers for warning them against eating anything they find, for fear of ingesting the numerous chemical leftovers from illegal weapons. Gosh this war plan just keeps getting better and better doesn't it?
Posted by: pjr | Feb 27, 2005 at 09:43 PM
Yes, clearly it would be better to allow any large, armed group of thugs to take over cities and run them as private fiefs, exporting terrorism to the rest of the country.
Posted by: Annoying Old Guy | Feb 28, 2005 at 04:06 PM
AOG: are you describing the insurgents or the occupying forces?
Posted by: pjr | Mar 01, 2005 at 10:06 PM
The guy looks just like Keith Obermann aiming at Dan Patrick (when he should be aiming at Doug Feith).
R.
Posted by: robert | Mar 02, 2005 at 05:36 AM
The guy looks just like Keith Obermann aiming at Dan Patrick (when he should be aiming at Doug Feith).
R.
Posted by: robert | Mar 02, 2005 at 05:36 AM
good article!! NICE!!!
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Posted by: kevin | Mar 03, 2005 at 06:27 AM