US Army admits Iraqis outnumber foreign fighters

[cal04]

US Army admits Iraqis outnumber foreign fighters as its main enemy

Iraqis, rather than foreign fighters, now form the vast majority of the insurgents who are waging a ferocious guerrilla war against United States forces in Sunni western Iraq, American commanders have revealed. Their conclusion, disclosed to the Sunday Telegraph in interviews over 10 days in battle-torn Anbar province, contradicts the White House message that outsiders are the principal enemy in Iraq.

Of 1,300 suspected insurgents arrested over the past five months in and around Ramadi, none has been a foreigner. Col John Gronski, senior officer in the town, Anbar's provincial capital, said that almost all insurgent fighting there was by Iraqis. Foreigners provided only money and logistical support. "The foreign fighters are staying north of the river, training and advising, like the Soviets were doing in Vietnam," he said. Although there are tensions between Iraqi insurgents and foreigners from the group al-Qaeda in Iraq, led by the Jordanian zealot Abu Musab al-Zarqawi, there are also alliances of convenience.

Col Gronski identified Mohammed Bassim Hazim, a former Ramadi taxi driver known as Abu Khattab, as the leader of the town's insurgency. Abu Khattab has become an "affiliate" of Zarqawi's group, many of whose members are Iraqis, and has been responsible for most of the 1,770 attacks against US and Iraqi forces in the past three months.
Ramadi, unlike neighbouring Fallujah, where 10 marines were killed by a bomb on Friday, has never been taken over by rebels. But it remains disputed turf at best. Thirty-four troops have died there since the beginning of September. Insurgent casualties have been much heavier - more than 180 in the same period in the town's eastern half alone.

American troop strengths have doubled in the past year with a US Army armoured battalion now supplementing a US Marine light infantry battalion. Lt Col Michael Herbert, a brigade intelligence officer, said Abu Khattab has become an almost mythical figure. "He is the face of the insurgency in Ramadi. He has been behind the majority of the attacks." He was arrested by US forces last year but released, apparently due to lack of evidence and because his significance was not then appreciated. His photograph shows him wearing a Guantanamo-style orange jumpsuit. The insurgents have the support of most locals. "They have the ability to move freely around the city," said Capt Twain Hickman, the commander of India Company of the 3/7 US Marines battalion. "That means they can attack at a time of their choosing."

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http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=/news/2005/12/04/wirq04.xml&sSheet=/portal/2005/12/04/ixportal.html

[Barrett808]

1. This really is pretty big, even if DU has known this for months and months

The Telegraph getting on side is potentially a big deal.

[IndianaGreen]

3. This also means that the claims that our operations near the Syrian

border are geared to stopping foreign infiltration are totally bogus!

[TomInTib]

4. I believe those operations are an attempt to secure ...

the immediate area for some permanent bases at Syria's front door.

[Barrett808]

13. Or to provoke Syria...

...we've already heard sporadic reports of firefights between US and Syrian soldiers.

[bullimiami]

2. no shit. theyve been lying about it all along.

the commander in thief is a liar, what comes out of his military is a pack of lies.

[xray s]

5. General Pace....your troops are doing it again!

Off message! Off message!

They just don't want to conform to the official play book.

[0007]

22. Perhaps Pace baby is a better and bigger liar than Rummy

if that possible!

The New York Times asserted that "the U.S. is planning a long-term military relationship with the emerging government of Iraq, one that would grant the Pentagon access to military bases and project American influence into the heart of the unsettled region." The report, citing anonymous sources, referred to one base at Baghdad's international airport, another near Al-Nasiriyah in the south , the third at the H-1 airstrip in the western desert, and the fourth at Bashur AB in the north.

[leesa]

6. The US Army and MSM have admitted this many times.

This is not new.

[Igel]

23. It's new to those that have never heard it. That's about it.

I'm trying to suspend judgment and believe that the Telegraph reporter just learned to read last week and was too poor to own a radio or tv.

[LibDemAlways]

7. Of course Iraqis are the so-called

"insurgents." They are fighting back against illegal invaders and occupiers. Would Americans do any less under the circumstances? "The insurgents have the support of most locals"....well, why not? They are the locals.

It's a goddamned shame our US military is being abused by the Bush Crime Family - sent on a neocon mission of conquest that was destined to be a complete clusterfuck.

[Why Syzygy]

11. would we?

Would we Americans fight against illegal invaders?
When does that start? I want to get in line.

[stop the bleeding]

8. Aaarrrfff - "the insurgency is in it's last throes" said by Lord Cheney

[journalist3072]

9. Shrub admitted this during his speech the other day. He said:

"The third group is the smallest, but the most lethal: the terrorists affiliated with or inspired by Al Qaeda."

So George Bush basically admitted we really aren't fighting Al Qaeda in Iraq, b/c they're not there in massive numbers.

[dogman]

10. Yes he's admitting they aren't Al Queda.

By saying "affiliated with or inspired by Al Qaeda." he is finally admitting what most here have said all along. I was surprised at some of the truth he told that was ignored by the press. I figured it was just like when he said he never linked Saddam to Al Queda and was telling the truth all along. Dumb shits like Tweety will say, Gosh he was never claiming we were fighting the terrorists. And no one will hold him accountable for the fighting them there so we don't fight them here BS.

[Why Syzygy]

duped . eom

[Why Syzygy]

12. wait a minute

we are not fighting 'terrorists', but we are 'fighting' 'terror'? (euphemisms)

.... wtf .... how in tarnation can one fight TERRORISM without fighting TERRORISTS?

:nuke:

[Barrett808]

14. I thought it was "Enemies of the Legitimate Iraqi Government" now n/t

[Why Syzygy]

15. Good point

however. That would assume there actually IS a 'legitmate' Ira*qi government. Which we know there is not.

'Enemies' would suggest that there are those who are in support, as opposed to those who are against. Who is supporting the legitmate Ira*qi government? Ira*qi people? Who? I want that answer.

[Harper_is_Bush]

16. This doesn't seem big to me...

I thought various US commanders had been saying this for a long time.

edit:
However, it is a very revealing story with a lot of new information. It's going bad over there, even worse than I thought.

And btw lurking repukes, no that does not make me happy. I'd rather see Iraq settle down peacefully, even if Bush gets a poll jump for it.

[daleo]

17. Shhh...don't say Viet Nam

"The foreign fighters are staying north of the river, training and advising, like the Soviets were doing in Vietnam," he said.

The Telegraph seems to be doing a bit more legitimate reporting lately.

[Historic NY]

18. A lot are former Baathist Party members....

since they have been excluded they now form the basis of the insurgency. Many also have had extensive military training.


http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ba'ath_Party

[madmark]

19. What jihadis there are in iraq are there because the iraqi insurgents let

them be there. The moment the US is out, and the jihadis utility to the iraqi's diminishes and iraqi insurgents view the jihadis as rivals for power, they will kill all the jihadis.

[HuffleClaw]

20. as usual

its a FOREIGN news source that we learn this from...

[Bush_Eats_Beef]

21. So the enemy is them freedom-lovin' liberator-welcomin' IRAQIS...

...uh oh.