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Why Zarqawi Is All Alone
strategypage ^ | May 2, 2006 | James Dunnigan

Posted on 05/02/2006 10:50:14 AM PDT by Dog

May 2, 2006: Without much fanfare or publicity, American and British commandoes have taken apart al Qaeda's operation in Iraq. About the only non-Iraqi al Qaeda leader left in Iraq is military leader Abu Musab al Zarqawi, a Jordanian. In the last few months, American commandoes nearly caught Zarqawi at least three times. On April 16th and 25th, raids killed and captured over twenty al Qaeda members. Interrogations of the captured men indicated that Zarqawi was in the area. Also captured, before it showed up on an al Qaeda web site, was a video of Zarqawi, holding an American M249 light machinegun. Several of these have been lost, usually from vehicles hit by roadside bombs, and abandoned by their crews. In the video, Zarqawi pleaded for Iraqi Sunni Arabs to support him and not, as more and more Sunni Arabs are doing, the democratically elected government. Zarqawi believes, as does al Qaeda, that democracy is un-Islamic. Only God, through self-selected clerics, can run a country.

SOCOM (Special Forces Command) has had a task force going after al Qaeda in Iraq ever since Saddam was captured in early 2004. Since al Qaeda turned Zarqawi into a symbol for the movement in Iraq, SOCOM was especially keen on getting him. A special task force was set up to take on the al Qaeda leadership. This one is currently called Task Force 145 (previous tags were TF 626, TF 121 and at one point, no name at all). Currently, the task force is concentrating its operations southwest of Baghdad, in one of the last areas where al Qaeda and Saddam still have a lot of popular support. The two April raids were in the town of Yusufiyah.

Currently, TF 145 is divided into four sub units. Task Force West has several dozen commandoes from the U.S. Navy SEAL DevGroup, and a company of U.S. Army Rangers. Task Force Central has several dozen men from U.S. Army Delta Force and a company of Rangers. Task Force North has a about a dozen men from Delta Force, and a company of Rangers. Task Force Black has a few dozen SAS commandoes, with a company of British "Rangers" (the new Special Forces Support Group). TF 145 has a small headquarters element, plus a large intelligence operation, most of which is back in the United States, and connected in real time via satellite. There are also SOCOM helicopters and aircraft present.

The SOCOM intel effort has its hooks into everyone else's intelligence operations, and gets any info related to al Qaeda, and especially al Qaeda leadership. The basic drill is for one of the four smaller Task Forces to grab a likely bit of info and quickly plan and execute a raid. The rangers provide muscle (perimeter security, read guard) , as needed, and keep any other unfriendlies away, while the SEAL, Delta or SAS commandoes go in after the main target. The objective is to capture people alive, if possible, because interrogations and examination of documents starts immediately. The idea is to get fresh information that will lead to other al Qaeda people. Often this is the case, in which the commandoes and rangers are immediately off to another raid. Most of this takes place at night, and several raids may be carried out between dusk and dawn.

The Task Force has been so successful that, except for Zarqawi, there are no more foreigners (Saudis, Jordanians, etc) in the Iraqi al Qaeda leadership. It's all Iraqis, and these guys are proving just as vulnerable to informers as the foreigners (who stood out because of their accent and body language) were. Most Sunni Arabs are tired of all the violence, and are backing the government by passing on (and getting paid for) tips on where Zarqawi and his crew are hiding out.

TF 145 almost got Zarqawi last February, and in the last six months have been hammering al Qaeda, and it's Sunni Arab supporters heavily. There are still several well armed gangs and tribal militias in the "Sunni Triangle" of central Iraq, and some of these have been persuaded to make peace with the government in order to avoid a visit from TF 145. Iraqis are big fans of American action movies. And they note that a visit from TF 145 is just like the movies, except for the real bullets, blood and dead bodies. So far, two dozen senior al Qaeda leaders have been killed or (mostly) captured, while about 200 al Qaeda leaders, who have had direct contact with Zarqawi, have been taken as well.

The success of the Rangers in these operations has led to a request from SOCOM for a battalion of American paratroopers (most Rangers are recruited from the paratrooper divisions.) Actually, SOCOM wants three paratrooper battalions, each given extra training for SOCOM type missions, and then sent to Iraq for three month tours.

New tactics and techniques developed by TF 145 has led to the establishment of similar raiding units (company strength, a hundred or so Special Forces troops) for four of the major combatant commands (each of which is responsible for American military operations in a specific part of the world.)

The TF 145 operations have demonstrated once more that good intelligence, and rapid exploitation of that information, is the key to success. Often, the second raid of the night hits an al Qaeda safe house that has not yet learned of the one taken an hour or so earlier. This speed makes the raids safer for the attackers, and more successful as well.


TOPICS: Extended News; Foreign Affairs; News/Current Events; War on Terror
KEYWORDS: iraq; zarqawi
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1 posted on 05/02/2006 10:50:16 AM PDT by Dog
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To: Dog
Good post. Another reason why fighting this over there is keeping us safe at home. God bless our magnificent US military.
2 posted on 05/02/2006 10:56:59 AM PDT by AmusedBystander (Republicans - doing the work that Democrats won't do since 1854.)
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To: Dog
Already read this.... posted on ABC, NBC, CNN and the minor news network CBS. (sarcasm off)
3 posted on 05/02/2006 10:59:29 AM PDT by 11th Commandment
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To: Dog
Already read this.... posted on ABC, NBC, CNN and the minor news network CBS. (sarcasm off)
4 posted on 05/02/2006 10:59:56 AM PDT by 11th Commandment
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To: Dog

Do you mean to tell me that these guys are not getting search warrents first!


5 posted on 05/02/2006 11:00:15 AM PDT by baldeagle390 ("I've sent people to the gas chamber younger than you. I didn't want to...I felt I owed it to them.")
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To: Dog
So far, two dozen senior al Qaeda leaders have been killed or (mostly) captured, while about 200 al Qaeda leaders, who have had direct contact with Zarqawi, have been taken as well.

Everybody's got an attorney and a scheduled court hearing to determine if they should continue to be held in custody, right? I mean, it's not like it's a war or anything.

6 posted on 05/02/2006 11:03:54 AM PDT by siunevada (If we learn nothing from history, what's the point of having one? - Peggy Hill)
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To: Dog

Zarqs time is running out fast. Less and less people to help him and more and more who would turn him in.


7 posted on 05/02/2006 11:05:42 AM PDT by Names Ash Housewares
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To: AmusedBystander

Couldn't imagine being the S2 or S3 for this operation. You would have to be a fast writer and planner.


8 posted on 05/02/2006 11:08:18 AM PDT by art_rocks
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To: Dog

Not only is this an indication of how great America's fighting force is, but it's also an example of the futility of a culture which has to resort to techniques such as suicide bombing in order to fight it's enemy. Any culture that resorts to suicide bombing, in my mind, is simply defeating itself. In a war of attrition my money is on the side who are most interested in self preservation.


9 posted on 05/02/2006 11:09:48 AM PDT by Catholic Canadian (Formerly Ashamed Canadian - thank you Stephen Harper!)
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To: Dog
Can't wait for the "Kill the Zarkman" level on SOCOM3 ;)


10 posted on 05/02/2006 11:10:34 AM PDT by FreedomNeocon (Better to take what they can throw at us now,rather than take what they promise to throw at us later)
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To: Dog

Wonderful news. Thanks for the post.


11 posted on 05/02/2006 11:13:46 AM PDT by reagan_fanatic (Support American sovereignty - boycott employers of illegal aliens)
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To: art_rocks

Time to get very close to the borders. He is going to make a run for it soon if he already hasn't.


12 posted on 05/02/2006 11:14:31 AM PDT by EQAndyBuzz (Democrats = The Culture of Treason)
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To: siunevada
This must be the high crimes and misdemeanors that Tim Robbins accuses the president of.I guess Tim doesn't want to see terrorist killed without being read their rights or offered an attorney.
13 posted on 05/02/2006 11:15:48 AM PDT by rdcorso (There Is No Such Thing As A Neutral Person During A War With Radical Islam.)
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To: Dog

I thought we were failing horribly in Iraq? Quagmire and all that, you know.


14 posted on 05/02/2006 11:19:49 AM PDT by Reborn
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To: Reborn
Oops....was so shocked by the good news I forgot my SARCASM tag. ;-)
15 posted on 05/02/2006 11:21:37 AM PDT by Reborn
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To: Names Ash Housewares

When I heard his latest statement, that the American effort in Iraq was a shambles (paraphrase), I immediately thought it a pathetic attempt at garnering support. This just confirms it.

Frankly, I hope the MSM continues to ignore good news. When the aftermath is over, Iraq has a workable government, and we can exit, both the MSM and DimocRats such as Biden, et. al., will be shown for what they are and have no viable reply.

I can't wait!


16 posted on 05/02/2006 11:22:00 AM PDT by bcsco ("He who is wedded to the spirit of the age is soon a widower" - Anonymous)
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To: Dog
And they note that a visit from TF 145 is just like the movies, except for the real bullets, blood and dead bodies.

Well, the popcorn isn't as good either.

17 posted on 05/02/2006 11:23:55 AM PDT by Billthedrill
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To: Dog
".....In the video, Zarqawi pleaded for Iraqi Sunni Arabs to support him and not, as more and more Sunni Arabs are doing, the democratically elected government. Zarqawi believes, as does al Qaeda, that democracy is un-Islamic. Only God, through self-selected clerics, can run a country....."

Zarqawi: "Yes! Become a suicide bomber and help me kill and maim more Muslims so I can wage war against the Infidels".

18 posted on 05/02/2006 11:24:23 AM PDT by DoctorMichael (The Fourth Estate is a Fifth Column!!!!!!!!!)
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To: art_rocks
Couldn't imagine being the S2 or S3 for this operation. You would have to be a fast writer and planner.

Near-realtime planning/tasking/dissemination is one of those things that doesn't get much press, but is a huge priority in the military. As a force multiplier it's more important than precision-guided bombs (it's actually used for real-time target designation).

To cut down on overhead, I imagine that training and personal initiative is a big part of "planning" here -- and the S2/S3's main task is to provide crucial information.

As the numbers in this article show, our troops' ability to respond like this shifts the balance in a supposedly "asymmetric" war. High tech enhances our abilities, and the salamikazes cannot compete.

19 posted on 05/02/2006 11:25:05 AM PDT by r9etb
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To: Dog
Now we know why the Clintonistas want SecDef Donald Rumsfeld fired!

The SpecOPs are having TOO MUCH SUCCESS!

WAY TOO GO!
20 posted on 05/02/2006 11:30:51 AM PDT by Prost1 (Sandy Berger can steal, Clinton can cheat, but Bush can't listen!)
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