U.S. Marines Preparing for 'Small War' in Falluja By Charles Aldinger
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - A force of 25,000 U.S. Marines that will take over the dangerous Falluja area of Iraq (news - web sites) from the Army's 82nd Airborne Division in March is preparing to both win the cooperation of Iraqis and fight insurgents, the Marine Corps commandant said on Wednesday.
Gen. Michael Hagee said Marines were historically better prepared to fight "small wars" than the Army and will put troops everywhere around Falluja, west of Baghdad, to seek friendship with the population while watching for deadly explosive devices.
"They know that the most lethal, dangerous weapons system on any battlefield is the United States Marine armed -- and that is one of the things that we will bring," Hagee told reporters.
Explosive devices have killed dozens of the more than 500 U.S. troops who have died in Iraq since last year's invasion. Many have been remotely exploded in and near Falluja in the Sunni Triangle area, a hotbed of anti-American activity and the one-time power base of toppled President Saddam Hussein (news - web sites).
"We know how to fight, and we are prepared to do that. But this is a security and stability operation, and we have to establish relations with the people there. That's where the intelligence is going to come from," Hagee said.
The U.S. Army earlier came under sharp criticism from Iraqis for what some saw as a heavy-handed approach in the area when it destroyed homes of suspected insurgents and blocked off troops from the population with razor wire.
That has begun to change under the 82nd Airborne and will change even more, Hagee said.
"One of the things that we will bring is boots on the ground because of what we do. We are a light infantry, expeditionary force and our battalions are fairly robust," he said.
'SMALL WARS' CAPABILITY
"We do bring this 'small wars' capability with us," Hagee added.
He pointed as well to the effort to obtain information from Iraqis in the area, relying on techniques dating back to the Vietnam war.
"Establish that relationship -- 'hearts and minds' was the term used in Vietnam. I think that's still accurate ... where the people will come to you and say 'Hey, the bad guy is around the corner here and I want to show you where he is.' That is starting to happen now," he said.
The Marines are part of a fresh force of about 110,000 U.S. troops rotating into Iraq this spring for at least a year to help secure the country as the United States plans to turn over authority to the Iraqi government by the end of June.
Hagee said the 82nd Airborne Division already had improved conditions on the ground for U.S. forces in Falluja, but warned that the threats from explosive devices and missile attacks against U.S. warplanes and helicopters continued.
The Marines, members of the 1st and 2nd Marine Expeditionary Forces based in California and North Carolina, will take with them about 3,600 military jeeps and trucks and about 3,000 will be armored.