Iraq: Lots of Little Changes That Add Up

Strategy Page ^ | April 8, 2003 | Unattributed

[quidnunc]

More foreign terrorists are entering Iraq, as al Qaeda desperately tries to maintain its level of operations. This effort is faltering. Al Qaeda is having an increasingly difficult time getting Iraqis to participate in attacks that might kill Iraqis. This is apparently behind two recent large scale attacks on American troops. One was an ambush, involving over 40 attackers. Most of the attackers were killed when the American MP escort got into action. One of the MP NCOs who led this counterattack is likely to get a medal for her bravery, and the way she drilled her troops beforehand to prepare them for such an attack. The second major attack, on the Abu Ghraib prison, also failed, and left several dozen attackers dead or wounded. In both cases, the American troops went into action quickly and effectively, even though there had been few attacks like this previously. There aren’t likely to be many more. The Iraqi government has been quick to get news, and pictures, of such failed attacks onto television. This works much faster than the rumor network in discouraging others from launching such suicidal attacks on American troops. 

The most lethal terrorist weapon against Americans is still the IED (roadside bomb). But IEDs have become very frustrating to use. Some 90 percent of them are found and destroyed. Even if an IED get detonated in the presence of U.S. troops, there’s always the risk that nearby Iraqi civilians will get hit as well. Since the Americans are wearing body armor, and usually riding in armored vehicles, the civilians are more likely to get hurt or killed. Uninjured Americans and dead Iraqi civilians are a double negative for the terrorists, and they are having a hard time getting around this problem. 

Al Qaeda’s alliance with Sunni Arab nationalists appears to be coming apart. Some of the Sunni Arab gangs that once worked with al Qaeda cells, are now gunning for terrorists. Apparently, some of the Sunni Arabs had kin killed by al Qaeda attacks, and family obligation forced them to get some revenge, or become outcasts. In other cases, tribal elders declared the al Qaeda people unsuitable allies, which led to an armed dispute. 

-snip-

[Dilbert56]

Maybe they can replenish their decimated ranks with CBS cameramen.

[BeAllYouCanBe]

The Iraqi government has been quick to get news, and pictures, of such failed attacks onto television.

Too bad we here in the US of A will never see those pictures.

Ya know it just might incite us evil Americans.

[El Gato]

One was an ambush, involving over 40 attackers. Most of the attackers were killed when the American MP escort got into action. One of the MP NCOs who led this counterattack is likely to get a medal for her bravery, and the way she drilled her troops beforehand to prepare them for such an attack.

Bad G-2 on the part of the terrorists. They should have known better than to mess with a bunch of folks from Kentucky with guns. Especially the wimmin.

Heh Abdul, you just got killed by a girl. (At least 4 of them fell to the woman's M4, more to her grenade launcher). OoAh.