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Politics : Just the Facts, Ma'am: A Compendium of Liberal Fiction -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: tejek who wrote (52367)	10/22/2006 6:37:09 AM
From: Bill	Read Replies (2) \| Respond to of 90947

You tell me...

To: tejek who wrote (52367)	10/23/2006 1:17:20 PM
From: TimF	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 90947

The relative strength is such that the Iraqi army, esp. with the help of its allies, can probably take control over any area it wants to in Iraq. The insurgents and militias can't hold territory if the government wants it badly enough. However the government can't protect all areas simultaneously against a well planned strike by the insurgency. The Iraqi army is bigger than any militia or insurgent group in Iraq, but it isn't so much bigger that if it even dispersed its soldiers across the country it would have local superiority over its opponents if they decided to concentrate in specific areas. Even a powerful country like the US can't exert perfect control over all of its territory. If some armed group tried to take control over some small out of the way town for a few hours it would be possible for it to do so. Of course if armed groups had a habit of doing this in the US, its likely that they would be rendered ineffective. Its members mostly killed or captured, or at least dispersed. The difference is partially because of the greater skill and power of our military and police, but is mostly because "American insurgents" would be unlikely to support and assistance from any significant segment of the population. Or to put it another way the US is at peace (internally at least).