On Thursday, a roadside bomb killed 10 Marines near Fallujah. I read somewhere that Marines patrolling on foot in Iraq tend to space the troops 10 to 15 meters apart, to prevent multiple casualties, so this bomb must have been massive. Let’s never forget that Iraq was one of the best armed countries in the world, in the sense of light infantry equipment and ammunition. Estimates state that there were more than 600,000 tons of explosives situated in bunkers throughout the country. And let’s never forget US forces were ordered to stand around and watched many of those sites plundered by Iraqis while we zealously guarded the Oil Ministry. That bit of criminal incompetence continues to kill Americans weekly.

One of our regular posters, TK, posted a comment immediately after news of the attack and expressed his concern because his son is stationed with the unit that was hit. Current CENTCOM policy requires a complete communication shutdown in the event of any event causing US casualties. There is no telephone or email contact in or out, other than for purely military communications. Fortunately, his son managed to contact a family member and pass the word that he was fine.

Meanwhile, in Ramadi, the UPI reports….

Gunmen believed to belong to al-Qaida's Iraqi arm, led by Abu Musab al-Zarqawi, have taken control of large parts of Ramadi, west of Baghdad.

Witnesses said more than 250 gunmen Thursday seized parts of the mainly Sunni city, 75 miles west of Baghdad, after attacking a U.S. base and government buildings, including the governor's office, with Katyusha rockets.

There was no immediate information on casualties in the attack, which was described as the fiercest in many months.

You all probably remember Ramadi.

We lost it and then retook it in August 2004

We lost it in October, 2004, the took it back again. But we got smart, and handed security over to a group of ex-Iraq army officers and militia.

Ooops. That didn’t work. Americans seize it for the third time in February 2005

Insurgents seized it in June 2005. And it seems we’re still trying to get it back.

The death of a thousand cuts.