Insurgents regrouped and refocused, analysts say

[leftchick]

http://www.sanluisobispo.com/mld/sanluisobispo/news/world/11742895.htm

~snip~

The specialists, including one with extensive experience in Iraq, suggested that Washington misinterpreted a lull in attacks after January's national elections as a sign that the Iraqi insurgency was dying out or relaxing its effort to force a foreign military retreat.

Instead, the experts said, the insurgents have shown patience as they regrouped, devised new strategies and repeatedly demonstrated an ability to thwart U.S.-led efforts to stabilize Iraq. The persistent campaign of attacks has demoralized the population while proving the insurgents can withstand repeated military offensives designed to defang them.

Events in Iraq this week showed the effectiveness of the insurgents' campaign. A car bomb exploded Tuesday outside a girls' school in Baghdad, killing six people, while eight U.S. troops were killed in separate attacks. A total of 14 Americans have been reported killed since Sunday, while about 60 Iraqis have died in shootings, car bombings and suicide attacks launched by the insurgents around the country.

~snip~

In spite of "risking their lives" to vote for a better future, Iraqis have not been impressed by the new government. Its inaction "has also demobilized the Iraqi population and encouraged a return to the alienation and cynicism that (previously) marked popular attitudes," Shipman said.

[dbt]

1. I have just had it up to HERE with the word "insurgents!"

I know it's technically correct, but it's just too clinical. Somehow, it sanitizes--glosses over--this bloody fucking mess that bu$hler created on a pile of LIES (not mistakes, not misstatements, not inadvertent omissions, but LIES. And, goddammit, he KNEW he was LYING).

The people in Iraq who are actively opposing the US presence through force of arms are RESISTANCE or GUERILLAS, words with a much meatier and more accurate connotation than "insurgents."

:rant:

[leftchick]

2. Like Juan Cole, guerrillas works for me...

We are so screwed and so are the Iraqis...

http://www.uruknet.info/?p=m12059&l=i&size=1&hd=0

~snip~

The guerrillas have widespread popular support in the Sunni Arab areas of Iraq, an area with some 4 million persons. Its cities and deserts offer plenty of cover for an unconventional war. Guerrilla movements can succeed if more than 40 percent of the local population supports them. While the guerrillas are a small proportion of Iraqis, they are very popular in the Sunni Arab areas. If you look at it as a regional war, they probably have 80 percent support in their region.

The guerrillas are mainly Iraqi Sunnis with an intelligence or military background, who know where secret weapons depots are containing some 250,000 tons of missing munitions, and who know how to use military strategy and tactics to good effect. They are well-funded and can easily get further funding from Gulf millionnaires any time they like.

The Iraqi guerrillas are given tactical support by foreign jihadi fighters. There are probably only a few hundred of them, but they are disproportionately willing to undertake very dangerous attacks, and to volunteer as suicide bombers.

There are simply too few US troops to fight the guerrillas. There are only about 70,000 US fighting troops in Iraq, they don't have that much person-power superiority over the guerrillas. There are only 10,000 US troops for all of Anbar province, a center of the guerrilla movement with a population of 820,000. A high Iraqi official estimated that there are 40,000 active guerrillas and another 80,000 close supporters of them. The only real explanation for the successes of the guerrillas is that the US military has been consistently underestimating their numbers and abilities. There is no prospect of increasing the number of US troops in Iraq.

[warrens]

3. Freedumb's on the march

ay-yup, ay-yup. Now they're babbling about setting up 600 checkpoints and locking the country down. You know what the rebels call checkpoints? Targets.

[ElsewheresDaughter]

4. near the Syrian border too. how convenient for bush*s next invassion

[mike_c]

5. just a few dead-enders, nothing to see here....

I wonder how many tranks Rumsfeld takes per day?

[AzDar]

6. BOTCHED.. just like everything else CuckooBananas has his hand in.

BRING OUR TROOPS HOME!!!