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| Iraq-Jordan |
| IRAQ: Factional Fighting in Fallujah |
| 2004-07-06 |
| From Strategy Page: July 6, 2004: Iraqâs interim government sees foreign interference as the major cause of current security problems. There is al Qaeda leader, Abu Musab al-Zarqawi, from Jordan. While Jordan is a friend of Iraq, many Jordanians are not. Al-Zarqawi is seen as particularly nasty, because his suicide bombs have killed hundreds of Iraqis, and few foreigners. But the Iraqis are making a major stink about interference from Iran and Syria. Iran has always considered itself the âleaderâ of Shia Moslems world-wide (even though the chief Shia holy places are in Iraq.) Worse, conservative Shia clerics in Iran have a stranglehold on the Iranian government, and use their control of the Iranian security services and military to bankroll Iraqi Shia leaders who would support an Islamic republic in Iraq. But most Iraqi Shia are not interested in an Islamic republic. This makes Iranian interference doubly unpopular. Syriaâs Baath Party has a decades old feud with the Iraqi Baath Party over who would control the party. Moreover, the Baath Party was originally conceived as an organization that would unite all Arab nations in a secular empire. But at the moment, Syria appears to want democracy to fail in Iraq, lest Syrians get ideas of deposing the Syrian Baath Party. In the last week, there have been four American bombing attacks on terrorist âsafe housesâ in Fallujah. These attacks are being made with the approval of the interim Iraqi government, and apparently via information obtained using government contacts inside Fallujah. Meanwhile, inside Fallujah, there is an ugly competition growing between al Qaeda, Islamic fundamentalist, and Baath Party factions. There have been some confrontations between these groups, and it is feared that the various militant factions will be fighting each other before long. And the problem with that is? |
| Posted by:Mercutio |
| #12 Naw, Cowboys NEVER use traps against the bad guys, no? Not just cowboys... |
| Posted by: Pappy 2004-07-06 11:42:48 PM |
| #11 Anonymous4021....Dude, the mook needs a blackhat!!! ;) |
| Posted by: anymouse 2004-07-06 7:06:58 PM |
| #10 Suits me just fine,let the dogs rip each other apart. |
| Posted by: Raptor 2004-07-06 5:42:48 PM |
| #9 http://www.violently-happy.net/musings/pix/revackbar.jpg ? |
| Posted by: Anonymous4021 2004-07-06 5:08:55 PM |
| #8 There have been some confrontations between these groups, and it is feared that the various militant factions will be fighting each other before long. Good. Instead of expending U.S. ammo killing sundry Fallujah terrorists, money can be saved by allowing them to kill each other off with their own bullets. |
| Posted by: Bomb-a-rama 2004-07-06 5:06:44 PM |
| #7 Let me see.... We back-off from Fallujah (knowing that the Jehadniks are there), but are still on the outskirts with 2 Marine Regiments and a M1 Battalion... Hmmmm. And now, Fallalujah in Jehad Central Station. It almost sounds like a trap. Naw, Cowboys NEVER use traps against the bad guys, no? |
| Posted by: Brett_the_Quarkian 2004-07-06 5:04:06 PM |
| #6 Fallujah will be one of the big security issues that the new government will face. For Allawi's govt to survive, the factions (al Q, Saudi, Syrian, Iranian, ex Baathist, etc etc) will have to be neutralized and/or eliminated. This is going to be an awkward process. I hope that Allawi climbs on the steep learning curve and does not get thrown. He will have to deal with ammo dump mosques, and I imagine that there will be a lot of behind the scenes trades and such as the arabs do their business. I am cautiously optimistic. Al Jazeera needs some heat for the actions that they take. Again, something may come behind the scenes. If we took out some of those so-called cameramen, then it would be an anti-arab thing. If the new govt can handle it, then so much the better. We must keep in mind that this transition to a secular or somewhat secular and independent Iraq is one tall order, and a success will reap great rewards for the US, as well as much of the world, whether they realize or admit it or not. |
| Posted by: Alaska Paul 2004-07-06 4:01:18 PM |
| #5 Anyone willing to bet on these blokes hesitating about entering mosques while in pursuit of suspects? [crickets chirping] Didn't think so. |
| Posted by: Zenster 2004-07-06 3:30:10 PM |
| #4 LH...that's funny. Maybe we can get the "Jackass" MTV filmakers over there to catch it all. |
| Posted by: anymouse 2004-07-06 3:11:24 PM |
| #3 Do not understimated Al-Jazeera. They will find an angle to blame the coming Iraqi/foreigners/martians deaths on the US. |
| Posted by: Anonymous4617 2004-07-06 2:55:23 PM |
| #2 This will be a problem for al Jazeera. What will they do when they are invited by their friends to watch an ambush of their buddies? These guys don't have the same restraint as the US military. Could be a win for us if the al Jazeera body count starts to rise. |
| Posted by: RWV 2004-07-06 2:38:06 PM |
| #1 And the problem with that is? Uh, that there isn't enough popcorn? |
| Posted by: Liberalhawk 2004-07-06 2:11:29 PM |