ISSUES....
Inside, confidential, off the record

 

From the front

A lieutenant colonel with the 82nd Airborne Division who recently returned from Iraq privately filled us in on the situation in Baghdad and elsewhere in Iraq.

The insurgency is being run by former Iraqi Republican Guards and Iraqi intelligence service personnel who have lots of money and who use a combination of Islamist extremism and thuggery to recruit insurgents.

Captured insurgents who were interrogated often appear to be "brainwashed by Salafists," as one strain of Islamist extremism is called, into conducting bombings or shooting attacks on U.S. and allied troops, the officer said.

"When I would ask them why they are fighting us, they say, 'Because you are here,' " said the officer, who favors getting U.S. troops out of Iraq sooner rather than later. "And I would say, 'Why don't you stop shooting at us, and we'll leave.' "

The insurgents also use blackmail to gain recruits, often paying Iraqis to help in supporting operations, such as driving cars used in attacks. Then, the insurgent recruiters photograph the Iraqi during the attack and threaten to release to the photo to the new Iraqi government or U.S. forces if he does not continue working with insurgents.

The officer said he worked closely with local sheiks in trying to promote stability, with mixed results. Some promised cooperation but failed to work with the new Iraqi government or U.S. forces.

Other leaders have turned against the insurgents and the small number of foreign terrorists.

- Bill Gertz and Rowan Scarborough/Inside the Ring/ Washington Times/10 13 06

Petroleumworld 10 16 06

ISSUES....

Is an independent journalist effort from Petroleumworld, on Inside, Confidential
and Off The Record Information, its views are not necessarily those of Petroleumworld

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