The new "counter-insurgency tactics" you keep mentioning but fail to define specifically are that the sunni insurgents basically decided on their own to turn on Al Qaeda. This actually happened before Petraeus took command. The sunni insurgents have long been moderate muslims and strongly oppose the fanatical version of Islam Al Qaeda was imposing. Petraeus was smart enough to capitalize on the situation. It was more a mistake by Al Qaeda then a pre-planned American move. As I mentioned before and you failed to respond or acknowledge, it is not without a cost either. The shiite government is bitter about American tactics allowing sunni insurgents to keep all the Al Qaeda weapons caches they find.
Most of this is Anbar province. The surge is what has brought relative peace to Baghdad, by chasing out Al Qaeda and clamping down on shiite militias.
Current Events » in reply to I'm sorry, you thought I considered that a serious question.
re: I'm sorry, you thought I considered that a serious question.
The whole thread (25 posts)
- "Optimism grows in Iraq."
- So why are you complaining?
- You mean the silent army is re-grouping
- how's the Silent But Deadly army doing? (n/t)
- An old joke.
- You hope. (n/t)
- why stick with what's working?
- re: what's working
- And where do you get that information?
- re: what's working
- why stick with what's working?