Article

2006-03-05 Iraq

U.S. Marines Wall in Iraqi City With Sand

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Posted by Hupomoger Clans9827 2006-03-05 13:03|| || Front Page|| [3 views since 2007-05-07] Top

#1 How about covering?

Posted by gromgoru 2006-03-05 16:52|| 2006-03-05 16:52|| Front Page Top

#2 Unfortunately, there seems to be only one effective way of stopping smuggling in an area: trade. That is, smuggling routes have long adapted to trade, and trade is trade.

So unless you give them a better deal, something more valuable to trade, they will continue to smuggle. The early East Coast of America was like that, too. It only finally stopped when the commercial trade became so great that the smugglers were just in the way to bigger profits.

Posted by Anonymoose 2006-03-05 16:55|| 2006-03-05 16:55|| Front Page Top

#3 I think what happens is that you get enough law enforcement personnel that you can make them an offer they can't refuse. This seems like a good stopgap until they can get some Kurdish Revenuers in place.

Posted by Nimble Spemble 2006-03-05 17:36|| 2006-03-05 17:36|| Front Page Top

#4 leaving only three ways in or out.
Hummmmm....
You got the easy way,
You got the old way and
You got the Marine way....

Adapt and we'll all get along just fine.

Posted by 6 2006-03-05 17:54|| 2006-03-05 17:54|| Front Page Top

#5 trade, huh, Moose? Are you thinking Semis full of Walmart toys...jeebus... give it a rest or I'll call .com on ya

Posted by Frank G">Frank G 2006-03-05 18:43|| 2006-03-05 18:43|| Front Page Top

#6 'moose does have a good point. There is no industry, little agriculture and few grazing lands in that part of Iraq. Unless you intend to implement Saddam-style selective welfare programs, there needs to be SOME way for these people to make a legitimate living.

Posted by lotp 2006-03-05 19:27|| 2006-03-05 19:27|| Front Page Top

#7 take away their payments as a way-station to Jihad and they have nothing? Cry me a river. Consequences are a bitch

Posted by Frank G">Frank G 2006-03-05 19:40|| 2006-03-05 19:40|| Front Page Top

#8 They've been doing that smuggling thing a lot longer than the current crop of jihad. Longer than the profit Mo.

Just sayin'

Posted by lotp 2006-03-05 20:10|| 2006-03-05 20:10|| Front Page Top

#9 Think ahead, Frank. Not just 5 years, but 25 years. Does anyone here think that Assad is still going to be around? What if instead of just another thug dictatorship, Syria gets turned into something reasonable?

If that happens, then this town will again become a trade gateway, from Syria into Iraq.

These people are not going to voluntarily give up what they have been doing for a millenium. So the best bet is to get them doing the legal version of what they do so well.

Sure, the Iraqi army can occupy them for a long time, but sooner or later, it's just not worth it to police people who don't want to be policed.

I mentioned the US East Coast, that was both a smuggler's dream, and had British law after law passed to try and stop it, with little effect because the people wanted to smuggle. What *did* kill it was when legal trade became such big money that it just nudged the smuggling out of the way.

Posted by Anonymoose 2006-03-05 20:41|| 2006-03-05 20:41|| Front Page Top

#10 true but "these people" haven't been doing legit trade for eons - they've been smuggling fighters, weapons, and cash to kill our troops and Iraq's fledgling try at democracy. They ned to pay and pay hard for this. Someday, their great grandchildren will say...."wow! they fucked up!"

trade is an easy profession to learn. Traitor is a hard label to lose

Posted by Frank G">Frank G 2006-03-05 21:12|| 2006-03-05 21:12|| Front Page Top

#11 Well then Frank, the soulution is simple: Let's make the place another Las Vegas. Moose is dead on.

Posted by Angineth Glaviper9578 2006-03-05 22:30|| 2006-03-05 22:30|| Front Page Top

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