New Al-Qaeda Documents Reveal A New Strategy
Captain Ed Morrissey brings us this story via Yahoo News. As we have been stating over the last couple of days, al-Qaeda's possible connection to Iran would create more problems for us right now, and it appears that this is a strategy that al-Zarqawi was open to.
A blueprint for trying to start a war between the United States and Iran was among a "huge treasure" of documents found in the hideout of terrorist leader Abu Musab al-Zarqawi, Iraqi officials said Thursday. ...
While the coalition was continuing to suffer human losses, "time is now beginning to be of service to the American forces and harmful to the resistance," the document said.
The document said the insurgency was being hurt by, among other things, the U.S. military's program to train Iraqi security forces, by massive arrests and seizures of weapons, by tightening the militants' financial outlets, and by creating divisions within its ranks.
"Generally speaking and despite the gloomy present situation, we find that the best solution in order to get out of this crisis is to involve the U.S. forces in waging a war against another country or any hostile groups," the document said, as quoted by al-Maliki's office.
According to the summary, insurgents were being weakened by operations against them and by their failure to attract recruits. To give new impetus to the insurgency, they would have to change tactics, it added.
"We mean specifically attempting to escalate the tension between America and Iran, and American and the Shiite in Iraq," it quoted the documents as saying, especially among moderate followers of Grand Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani, the most influential Shiite cleric in Iraq.
"Creating disputes between America and them could hinder the U.S. cooperation with them, and subsequently weaken this kind of alliance between Shiites and the Americans," it said, adding that "the best solution is to get America involved in a war against another country and this would bring benefits."
Yes, indeed this would prove to be a turning point for them, if this strategy were able to be executed fully. But as this document and plan are now in our custody, we can head them off before they can move further on this tactic. Captain Ed Morrissey points out that such a strategy is not unfamiliar to those that have been paying attention to al-Qaeda's efforts in Iraq. He points to a document released by CENTCOM regarding al-Qaeda's plight in Iraq from May 8th of this year:
At the same time, the Americans and the Government were able to absorb our painful blows, sustain them, compensate their losses with new replacements, and follow strategic plans which allowed them in the past few years to take control of Baghdad as well as other areas one after the other. That is why every year is worse than the previous year as far as the Mujahidin’s control and influence over Baghdad.
The terrorists know that they are fighting a losing battle, and the effort to continue showing how little control the Iraqis and coalition forces have over the situation is waning. Those forces, as stated in the above paragraph, shows we can handle the constant attacks. We are able to sustain whatever is handed to us or the Iraqis, and continue pushing our strategy forward. For those that are still wondering where the "death throes" are that Vice President Cheney alluded to last year, here is your evidence.
Al-Qaeda is trying to open up a new front in this war by bringing Iran into the mix. Not that Iran is not already there. They are sending IEDs, explosives, munitions, and fighters over their borders. But with President Ahmadinejad claiming he has 40,000 suicide troops ready to move on American and coalition forces, this may be the point that al-Qaeda wishes to exploit. A flood of such fighters into Iraq could very well present problems for us. Of course, this could also be problematic for the Iranians, too.
With face-to-face talks on the table with the United States, and the possibility of averting a new sort of "cold war" with the Middle East, this time (I am not holding my breath that these talks will be successful, mind you) if Iran throws her hat into this fight right now, nothing prevents us from engaging Iran militarily. That means that the first targets we will hit are going to be the nuclear facilities they have that we are aware of. Tehran may end up being target number two.
(I cannot speculate too much on this our particular response for the sheer fact that I do have not served in the military. Strategy is not my forte; that belongs to Thomas. He is far better at it than I am, and he has contacts that serve him better than they do me.)
Regardless, this is the strategy for al-Qaeda now. It is not a pleasant notion for us. But it was predictable for al-Qaeda to move in this direction. With allies around the world in short supply, al-Qaeda knows that it needs help. With even fewer allies willing to allow them sanctuary, al-Qaeda knows that it is running out of options. To open up any sort of strategic dialogue with Iran could be a boon to them. On the other hand, it could prove to be their ultimate mistake especially if we take the gloves off, and go for Iran's throat next. I am almost positive that the negotiators engaging in the face-to-face talks will be discussing Iran's interference in the Iraq theater of operations. We know they are involved, and I am sure the warning will be issued that they keep their nose out of it lest it be bitten off.
Marcie
ADDENDUM: 3:43 p.m. Arizona Time
Mr. Hinderacker at PowerLine corrects my numbers. I stated earlier today that almost 200 terrorists have either been killed or captured since al-Zarqawi's death. That is incorrect. According to Mr. Hinderacker, the numbers are much greater:
UPDATE: General William Caldwell offered more information about the post-Zarqawi raids earlier today:
American and Iraqi forces have carried out 452 raids since last week's killing of terrorist leader Abu Musab al-Zarqawi, and 104 insurgents were killed during those actions, the U.S. military said Thursday.
In addition to the dead terrorists, 759 were captured, which no doubt will lead to more raids. Significantly, 143 of the raids were carried out solely by Iraqi forces.
Captain Ed Morrissey brings us this story via Yahoo News. As we have been stating over the last couple of days, al-Qaeda's possible connection to Iran would create more problems for us right now, and it appears that this is a strategy that al-Zarqawi was open to.
A blueprint for trying to start a war between the United States and Iran was among a "huge treasure" of documents found in the hideout of terrorist leader Abu Musab al-Zarqawi, Iraqi officials said Thursday. ...
While the coalition was continuing to suffer human losses, "time is now beginning to be of service to the American forces and harmful to the resistance," the document said.
The document said the insurgency was being hurt by, among other things, the U.S. military's program to train Iraqi security forces, by massive arrests and seizures of weapons, by tightening the militants' financial outlets, and by creating divisions within its ranks.
"Generally speaking and despite the gloomy present situation, we find that the best solution in order to get out of this crisis is to involve the U.S. forces in waging a war against another country or any hostile groups," the document said, as quoted by al-Maliki's office.
According to the summary, insurgents were being weakened by operations against them and by their failure to attract recruits. To give new impetus to the insurgency, they would have to change tactics, it added.
"We mean specifically attempting to escalate the tension between America and Iran, and American and the Shiite in Iraq," it quoted the documents as saying, especially among moderate followers of Grand Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani, the most influential Shiite cleric in Iraq.
"Creating disputes between America and them could hinder the U.S. cooperation with them, and subsequently weaken this kind of alliance between Shiites and the Americans," it said, adding that "the best solution is to get America involved in a war against another country and this would bring benefits."
Yes, indeed this would prove to be a turning point for them, if this strategy were able to be executed fully. But as this document and plan are now in our custody, we can head them off before they can move further on this tactic. Captain Ed Morrissey points out that such a strategy is not unfamiliar to those that have been paying attention to al-Qaeda's efforts in Iraq. He points to a document released by CENTCOM regarding al-Qaeda's plight in Iraq from May 8th of this year:
At the same time, the Americans and the Government were able to absorb our painful blows, sustain them, compensate their losses with new replacements, and follow strategic plans which allowed them in the past few years to take control of Baghdad as well as other areas one after the other. That is why every year is worse than the previous year as far as the Mujahidin’s control and influence over Baghdad.
The terrorists know that they are fighting a losing battle, and the effort to continue showing how little control the Iraqis and coalition forces have over the situation is waning. Those forces, as stated in the above paragraph, shows we can handle the constant attacks. We are able to sustain whatever is handed to us or the Iraqis, and continue pushing our strategy forward. For those that are still wondering where the "death throes" are that Vice President Cheney alluded to last year, here is your evidence.
Al-Qaeda is trying to open up a new front in this war by bringing Iran into the mix. Not that Iran is not already there. They are sending IEDs, explosives, munitions, and fighters over their borders. But with President Ahmadinejad claiming he has 40,000 suicide troops ready to move on American and coalition forces, this may be the point that al-Qaeda wishes to exploit. A flood of such fighters into Iraq could very well present problems for us. Of course, this could also be problematic for the Iranians, too.
With face-to-face talks on the table with the United States, and the possibility of averting a new sort of "cold war" with the Middle East, this time (I am not holding my breath that these talks will be successful, mind you) if Iran throws her hat into this fight right now, nothing prevents us from engaging Iran militarily. That means that the first targets we will hit are going to be the nuclear facilities they have that we are aware of. Tehran may end up being target number two.
(I cannot speculate too much on this our particular response for the sheer fact that I do have not served in the military. Strategy is not my forte; that belongs to Thomas. He is far better at it than I am, and he has contacts that serve him better than they do me.)
Regardless, this is the strategy for al-Qaeda now. It is not a pleasant notion for us. But it was predictable for al-Qaeda to move in this direction. With allies around the world in short supply, al-Qaeda knows that it needs help. With even fewer allies willing to allow them sanctuary, al-Qaeda knows that it is running out of options. To open up any sort of strategic dialogue with Iran could be a boon to them. On the other hand, it could prove to be their ultimate mistake especially if we take the gloves off, and go for Iran's throat next. I am almost positive that the negotiators engaging in the face-to-face talks will be discussing Iran's interference in the Iraq theater of operations. We know they are involved, and I am sure the warning will be issued that they keep their nose out of it lest it be bitten off.
Marcie
ADDENDUM: 3:43 p.m. Arizona Time
Mr. Hinderacker at PowerLine corrects my numbers. I stated earlier today that almost 200 terrorists have either been killed or captured since al-Zarqawi's death. That is incorrect. According to Mr. Hinderacker, the numbers are much greater:
UPDATE: General William Caldwell offered more information about the post-Zarqawi raids earlier today:
American and Iraqi forces have carried out 452 raids since last week's killing of terrorist leader Abu Musab al-Zarqawi, and 104 insurgents were killed during those actions, the U.S. military said Thursday.
In addition to the dead terrorists, 759 were captured, which no doubt will lead to more raids. Significantly, 143 of the raids were carried out solely by Iraqi forces.
posted by Syd And Vaughn | 1:15 PM
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