Iraqi briefed on Falluja plans missing

NEAR FALLUJA, Iraq (CNN) -- A company commander of the Iraqi security forces who received a full briefing on the expected Falluja assault is missing from a military base where U.S. and Iraqi troops are preparing for the possible operation.

The captain, a Kurd with no known ties to the Sunni city of Falluja, is thought to have taken notes from the battle briefing late Thursday. U.S. Marines and his fellow Iraqi officers found no sign of him Friday morning, except for his uniform and a weapon on his cot.

Marines are concerned that the information he knows could be passed along to insurgents. U.S. military sources believe insurgents have friends in the military and government.

The captain commands a company of about 160 men. He is among 10,000 U.S. and Iraqi forces expected to take part in the operation.

Marines say the captain's disappearance won't alter the tactics or timing of the Falluja operation.

Coalition officials hope the missing captain, who was not named, has merely headed home.

CNN

They hope he just headed home? You'd think they'd keep better track of their company commanders who have battle plans.

The Marines can't be serious when they say this doesn't affect anything.


EDIT: I just read that William One Sac first posted the link here.

[edit on 6-11-2004 by curme]

Yikes!

Am I the only one with images of keystone cops running throught my head?

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