[LS]

Use whatever term you want. Insurgency works well---an attempt to overthrow a government (in this case, us). Count or don't count what you want. Bottom line, the odds are all in the favor of those putting down the resistance/insurgency.

[Sam the Sham]

Bottom line, the odds are all in the favor of those putting down the resistance/insurgency.

The first line of defense in counter insurgency warfare is a functioning civil government. The cop on the beat. Normal law enforcement. These things do not exist in Iraq. The local police forces have been intimidated into neutrality or are riddled with insurgent informers and sympathizers. What intelligence apparatus do we have in Iraq ? Do we have vast numbers of people with native fluency in Arabic who can do hearts and minds work and intelligence analysis ?

The odds are not in our favor.

[Alberta's Child]

Insurgency works well---an attempt to overthrow a government (in this case, us).

I was with you up until that inane comment. Some Iraqi who has lived in Tikrit or Fallujah for the last 25 years and who goes out and plants roadside bombs to overthrow a "government" that was not there a year ago and will not exist in 60 days may be a lot of things -- but he is hardly an "insurgent" by any stretch.