Article

2007-12-17 Iraq

Iraqi tribesmen kill 22 Al-Qaeda terrorists

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 Fred 2007-12-17 00:00|| || Front Page|| [1 views ] Top
File under: al-Qaeda in Iraq

#1 Expensive for the tribesmen, but I'll bet it's going to make AQI think about things for a while. I don't think they could sustain more than a few like that.

How did the Iraqis do as well as they did against AQI? Are they trained better somehow? Doesn't seem quite right if so. Perhaps they have the advantage of being locals?

Posted by gorb 2007-12-17 02:19|| 2007-12-17 02:19|| Front Page Top

#2 Maybe the Iraqis inflate their body count?

Or maybe we've understated ours for so long, their numbers seem suspect.

Or maybe they just don't take prisoners...

Posted by Bobby 2007-12-17 06:27|| 2007-12-17 06:27|| Front Page Top

#3 Or maybe Al Quaeda is down to their C team now, at least in a lot of places. Their A team expended its strength against the Marines, their B team avoided the Marines and took on the Iraqi Army; what they have left can't even beat up a bunch of local tribesmen - but probably a number of those tribesmen were in Saddam's army but switched to fight with AQ for a while, and now have switched again, to the new strong horse.

Posted by Glenmore">Glenmore 2007-12-17 07:31|| 2007-12-17 07:31|| Front Page Top

#4 When militia tribesmen still manage to kick your ass, you know all you have left is the practice squad.

Posted by DarthVader">DarthVader 2007-12-17 07:55|| 2007-12-17 07:55|| Front Page Top

#5 I think the tribesmen were previously on the Qaeda side, so you had Qaeda tactics against Qaeda tactics. It's logical that should result in similar casualties for each side.

Posted by Fred 2007-12-17 11:53|| 2007-12-17 11:53|| Front Page Top

#6 Or if not on the al Qaeda side, at least not against them.

Posted by trailing wife">trailing wife 2007-12-17 12:35|| 2007-12-17 12:35|| Front Page Top

#7 i think the matter is that they don't take prisoners since the iraqi gov seems too just let them go after a few days. sounds like a good idea too me

Posted by sinse 2007-12-17 16:32|| 2007-12-17 16:32|| Front Page Top

23:11 Frank G
23:07 DMFD
22:59 DMFD
22:47 Anonymoose
22:46 Barbara Skolaut
22:31 Barbara Skolaut
22:27 mom
22:23 JosephMendiola
22:07 JosephMendiola
21:59 JosephMendiola
21:57 Alaska Paul
21:56 JosephMendiola
21:53 Frank G
21:53 JosephMendiola
21:46 JosephMendiola
21:41 SteveS
21:40 SteveS
21:39 doc
21:38 Pappy
21:38 doc
21:37 Shieldwolf
21:31 JosephMendiola
21:26 Pappy
21:25 Grumenk Philalzabod0723