OR
Posted on 05/20/2005 9:55:47 AM PDT by quidnunc
Abu Musab al Zarqawi and his "al Qaeda in Iraq" are being picked apart. One result of this is more knowledge of exactly what al Zarqawi and his organization are doing, and why (or at least the reasons they give themselves). All this comes from the mass of recently captured documents, and arrest of people who have worked for al Zarqawi. All this has revealed that, in the last two years, al Zarqawi and his chief lieutenants have met, at least five times, in nearby Syria or Jordan, to plan their strategy. Such meetings inside Iraq are considered too dangerous because of the constant presence of American intelligence efforts, and the speed with which American troops react once they have the scent. One such meeting was held about a month ago, in Syria, and al Zarqawi ordered a maximum effort to kill Americans, even if many Iraqi women and children were killed in the process. That campaign did increase, by about twenty, the number of Americans killed, but it also killed over 500 Iraqis, and over 300 terrorists. Al Zarqawi apparently considers this a victory.
Al Zarqawi was always known as something of a thug, whose solution to any problem was the application of more violence. It was pure chance that he was the most senior al Qaeda guy in Iraq when Saddam fell. Al Zarqawi may not be a brilliant strategist, but he knows how to avoid capture, and gives rousing speeches to the troops. He is a true believer, and willing to kill anyone who gets in his way. The Sunni Arab Iraqis who are backing al Qaeda (with cash, safe houses, and technical assistance) face death as "traitors" if they try to withdraw this support. Even with that threat, many Iraqi Sunni Arabs are backing away from al Qaeda and the wild eyed al Zarqawi. Sometimes its because they have lost a family member to a terrorist attack, but often its because their clan or tribe, because of many such losses, has decided to give peace, and democracy, a chance.
-snip-
"Al Zarqawi was always known as something of a thug, whose solution to any problem was the application of more violence."
As opposed to the rest of AQ who are known as such reasonable fellows...
What is the reference in the title to "mental illness" in Iraq?
The "mental illness" of North Korea's leadership is far more real and much more serious.
OR
"Autopsies of suicide bombers has revealed that three of them had Downs Syndrome (a genetic disorder that results in mental retardation). Islamic countries tend to keep the mentally ill at home, living in extended families. Those who are able to get about, can come and go as they please, and some have apparently come to Iraq to die for Islam. This apparently explains the suicide car bombs that have been set off by remote control, even though a suicide bomber was at the wheel."
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