When al Qaeda could not, in 2007, exercise any real control over the parts of Iraq they claimed as part of the new Islamic State, it was the last straw. The key supporters, battered by increasingly effective American and Iraqi attacks, dropped their support for al Qaeda, and the terrorist organization got stomped to bits by the "surge offensive" of last year. The final insult was delivered by the former Iraqi Sunni Arab allies, who quickly switched sides, and sometimes even worked with the Americans (more so than the Shia dominated Iraqi security forces) to hunt down and kill al Qaeda operators.
This is why I love being on your ping list, freema ~ it's just so...cheerful ;~)
27 posted on 05/27/2008 4:50:10 PM PDT by 4woodenboats
(defendourtroops.org defendourmarines.org freeevanvela.com)