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2004-11-28 Iraq-Jordan
Interview with Anthony Cordesman About Iraq
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Posted by Mike Sylwester 2004-11-28 2:54:44 PM|| || Front Page|| [1 views since 2007-05-07]  Top

#1 the insurgents were able to step up their attacks - Car bombings and kidnapings seem to be down sharply.

Otherwise nobody mentions that the only organized military force apart from the coalition is the Kurds. If things go 'tilt', it will be very bad for the Sunnis, unless and until someone comes to their aid, and its far from obvious who that would be.
Posted by phil_b 2004-11-28 3:33:23 PM||   2004-11-28 3:33:23 PM|| Front Page Top

#2 The jihadis MUST show they are relevant. But, the attacks are best catagorized as 'sporadic', i.e. a number of small events are happening. And, they also happen ONLY in areas where the Sunnis are.

They are getting weaker all of the time. The rat lines are being closed. Their 'sanctuary' in Fallujah has been lost with many, many men. Their leaders are 'on the run' with no safe haven. Their leaders are even whining and blaming the turbaned class for their losses.

The main thing they have going for them is their merciless, animalistic, heinously brutal tactics which strike fear in the populace. If the people don't turn these rats in out of fear, it will continue.
Posted by Brett_the_Quarkian 2004-11-28 4:49:55 PM||   2004-11-28 4:49:55 PM|| Front Page Top

#3 Tony's not to be beat when it comes to conventional military analysis, and numbingly detailed discussion of Gulf defense topics. He seems oddly of the lightweight/perfectionist/instant-gratification school, however, when it comes to Iraq. The odds clearly favor our side(s). The Sunnis are effed. A civil war against a blood-soaked minority with attitude problems of galactic dimensions needs to be harsher and more aggressive than the current one (no matter how idiotic or vehement the vapors from the Sunni elites). But there's no plausible path to victory for the enemy, given even a modicum of common sense and will on our side.

Arab-Israeli peace process? Tony emphasized this? Wow -- that's pure tinfoil-hat territory. Though it tracks with the nonsensical public rhetoric of CSIS's donors, I'd guess.
Posted by Verlaine 2004-11-28 7:13:08 PM||   2004-11-28 7:13:08 PM|| Front Page Top

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23:16 lex
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22:52 Barbara Skolaut
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22:34 Ian F
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21:59 Richard Aubrey
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21:46 Monk
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21:43 Random thoughts
21:38 Matt K.
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