Article

2007-04-06 Iraq

Tension rises between Qaeda and insurgents in Iraq

Archived material is restricted to Rantburg regulars and members. If you need access email fred.pruitt=at=gmail.com with your nick to be added to the members list. There is no charge to join Rantburg as a member.

Posted by Steve 2007-04-06 12:57|| || Front Page|| [4 views since 2007-05-07] Top

#1 "They would kill any critic or whoever tries to show them their mistakes. Assaulting people's homes became permitted and calling people infidels also became popular."

You mean al Qaeda blows people up and calls those who disagree with them infidels?! That's outrageous! Why have we not known of this before? Someone should do something about this, but who?

Posted by Baba Tutu 2007-04-06 15:16|| 2007-04-06 15:16|| Front Page Top

#2 Look, in the sky...it's a bird. No, it's a plane. No, no, it's skin is stretched too tight for a plane. Why, it's San Fran Nan Pelosi, tooooooo the resQ.

Posted by wxjames 2007-04-06 16:09|| 2007-04-06 16:09|| Front Page Top

#3 A couple of changes to that article are in order:

Al Qaeda in Iraq wields wide influence in several western and central provinces, particularly in the vast Anbar region that stretches to Syria.

Should be:

Al Qaeda in Iraq wields diminishing influence in several western and central provinces, particularly in the vast Anbar region that stretches to Syria.

and:

The group called on al Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden to take more responsibility for al Qaeda in Iraq.

Should be:

The group noted al Qaeda's leader Osama bin Laden is apparently unable take more responsibility for al Qaeda in Iraq.

Posted by crosspatch 2007-04-06 16:52|| 2007-04-06 16:52|| Front Page Top

#4 United now by a common purpose. At each other's throats as soon as that common purpose were to go away.

Posted by gorb 2007-04-06 17:34|| 2007-04-06 17:34|| Front Page Top

#5 It has been a mistake to appease factions/year 1400 tribes following the lunatic cycle of international hatred on a Hitlerian scale indulged by them.

A point being, that we should let it be, or, make it Red on Red.

Posted by rhodesiafever 2007-04-06 19:14|| 2007-04-06 19:14|| Front Page Top

#6 My take on it is that the Iraqi Sunni Arabs have finally seen the writing on the wall - that if the US leaves, the Shiites and the Kurds are going to wipe them out. The old strategy was to get US troops to leave, so that they could roll right over the Kurds and the Iraqi Shiite Arabs, installing a new Saddam. The current strategy is to make the best deal they can before the US leaves, and try to prevent the US from leaving. It is based on their calculation that the insurgency cannot defeat the existing Iraqi government, and must therefore sue for peace.

Posted by Zhang Fei 2007-04-06 20:39|| http://timurileng.blogspot.com]">[http://timurileng.blogspot.com] 2007-04-06 20:39|| Front Page Top

#7 I'm the same, ZF. Incorporate and co-opt these fissures

Posted by Frank G">Frank G 2007-04-06 20:42|| 2007-04-06 20:42|| Front Page Top

#8 While I understand and approve of the need for victory in Iraq, it still remains rather appealing for us to simply consolidate our troops in any existing bases and let the blood flow for a few weeks or months. Allow the Iraqi people to see what sort of government they have and what sort of culture really exists within their borders when no external force is applied by those who seek to do good.

This would serve several functions:

1.) Improve the average Iraqi's appreciation for Coalition efforts within Iraq.

2.) Allow for intramural bloodletting in order to reduce the insurgent population.

3.) Highlight the writing on the wall for all Sunnis

4.) Give our troops a much needed break.

5.) Make crystal clear what awaits Iraq should there be a full-scale Coalition withdrawal.

6.) Let the American Democrats see what their demands for full troop withdrawal actually entail.

7.) Give greater exposure to Iranian meddling and the loss of life it causes.

8.) Serve to improve cooperation by a subsequently chastened Iraqi population and military.

These ungrateful and uncooperative bastards really need a dose of their own medicine. I say let them have a tastse while our troops get a much needed stand down. It might also prove useful in that, after this session of R&R, our troops could disperse prior to any action against Iran and thereby be less concentrated of a target for any Iranian reprsal during the ongoing festivities in Teheran.

Posted by Zenster">Zenster 2007-04-06 20:58|| 2007-04-06 20:58|| Front Page Top

23:56 Mac
23:39 Throger Thains8048
23:36 twobyfour
23:35 WTF
23:32 Jackal
23:27 Jackal
23:26 Procopius2k
23:19 Procopius2k
23:18 Frank G
23:14 3dc
23:08 trailing wife
23:05 trailing wife
23:04 WTF
22:59 Barbara Skolaut
22:53 Barbara Skolaut
22:53 C-Low
22:51 Barbara Skolaut
22:49 USN, ret.
22:49 Frank G
22:42 newc
22:42 trailing wife
22:41 Frank G
22:35 trailing wife
22:26 newc