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| Iraq |
| Security expert says Iraq an al-Qaeda training grounds |
| 2006-02-16 |
| A security expert has described the Iraq war as a gift for al-Qaeda, providing them with the perfect urban terrorist training ground. Professor Paul Rogers told delegates at the Royal United Services Institute that the consequences of creating such a theatre for terrorists to hone their skills would "haunt us over the next 20 to 30 years". He told the conference on politics and terrorism: "Iraq is very slowly becoming something of a Jihadist training zone for a new generation of Jihadists, rather like Afghanistan was in the 1980s against the Soviets. "You get young Jihadists from Afghanistan travelling to Iraq, getting combats training against the American troops in urban environments and then taking their skills elsewhere." Prof Rogers, from the Department of Peace Studies at Bradford University, added: "The real gift to al-Qaeda is a long-term urban combat training zone, not a rural one as previously. "That is going to come back and haunt us over the next 20 to 30 years." The two-day conference in Whitehall is due to hear from other experts on Islam and counter-terrorism, as well as Home Office minister Hazel Blears. |
| Posted by:Dan Darling |
| #11 chlorine in the gene pool |
| Posted by: Frank G 2006-02-16 23:28 |
| #10 I read (probably on StrategyPage) that US (or Coalition) forces killed and captured 24,000 in 2004 and 26,000 in 2005 Iraqi and foreign terrorists. That's comparable to Iraqi losses in the Iran-Iraq war but with the losses coming from a small portion of the population. That's not a loss rate the Baathists, Sadrites or foreigh terrorists can sustain. |
| Posted by: ed 2006-02-16 22:31 |
| #9 The fact is these newly trained terrorists usually become newly dead terrorists. This type of hand wringing is prevalent among the intellectual elite who usually have no "hands on" experience. |
| Posted by: Ray Robison 2006-02-16 22:19 |
| #8 Need the Groundhog Day pic. |
| Posted by: Captain America 2006-02-16 20:57 |
| #7 Riiiiiight. What he doesn't say that this was true in 04, but they are now dead or fled because of some kick ass operations. It was a test, and they flunked. |
| Posted by: mmurray821 2006-02-16 19:07 |
| #6 Isn't this the same guy Rantburg outed a couple of days ago because of his book urging dhimmitude? I think the book was published by Oxford Free Press. This guy is a self-appointed "expert" and a cheese-eating surrender monkey, regardless of his nationality. |
| Posted by: Old Patriot 2006-02-16 18:27 |
| #5 "added: "The real gift to al-Qaeda is a long-term urban combat training zone, not a rural one as previously." You will find "Allah's Waiting Room" to left, Please.... |
| Posted by: TomAnon 2006-02-16 13:52 |
| #4 Department of Peace Studies i.e. the Department of Surrender Your Daughters and Take What's Comming to You. Piss on Rogers and Bradford University for being so naively stupid. |
| Posted by: ed 2006-02-16 12:13 |
| #3 What a total cock-up of reality. An "expert", huh? Gee, according to Prof Rogers, from the Department of Peace Studies at Bradford University we have roll over and bare belly vs. kill jihadis. Okay. I wonder, back in WW-II... Would it have been roll over and bare belly vs. kill Nazis? Yeah, he's right - we chose wrong then, too. Now, with his freedom to be a moron and "security expert" secured for the last 60 yrs, we have totally clueless fuckwits like him giving lectures. Since I'm certain the good Professor's views were well-known before he was invited to speak, he doesn't exactly seem the shy and retiring type - regardless of his negative IQ - I eagerly await more jewels of wisdom emanating from this Wotta 'tard. |
| Posted by: .com 2006-02-16 12:12 |
| #2 They learn that god favours the well armed, well trained well-connected westerner. another jolt to their shattered superiority complex. |
| Posted by: Bright Pebbles 2006-02-16 11:55 |
| #1 If they are actually "getting combats training against the American troops", then it seems like most of them flunk the final exam. What kind of on-the-job training do they get? Suicide bombing? Roadside bomb placing? Neither of those tactics would seem to gain some unique benefit from the existence of the Iraq conflict. Israel, Turkey, Philippines, Indonesia, Kenya, Egypt, Pakistan - all have been subject to such 'training'. Sniping? Perhaps, but not real common and not at all clear the skilled ones are anything but Baathists. True military unit engagements? Even small, irregular units? The survivors learn what doesn't work very well. |
| Posted by: Glenmore 2006-02-16 08:59 |