[link|http://www.centcom.mil/sites/uscentcom1/Shared%20Documents/Extremist%20Page/full_translation_done_may_3.aspx|Maybe it's time for al Qaeda to cut and run]

Excerpts from captured al Qaeda document:

1. It has been proven that the Shiites have a power and influence in Baghdad that cannot be taken lightly, particularly when the power of the Ministries of Interior and Defense is given to them, compared with the power of the mujahidin in Baghdad. During a military confrontation, they will be in a better position because they represent the power of the state along with the power of the popular militias. Most of the mujahidin power lies in surprise attacks (hit and run) or setting up explosive charges and booby traps. This is a different matter than a battle with organized forces that possess machinery and suitable communications networks. Thus, what is fixed in the minds of the Shiite and Sunni population is that the Shiites are stronger in Baghdad and closer to controlling it while the mujahidin (who represent the backbone of the Sunni people) are not considered more than a daily annoyance to the Shiite government. The only power the mujahidin have is what they have already demonstrated in hunting down drifted patrols and taking sniper shots at those patrol members who stray far from their patrols, or planting booby traps among the citizens and hiding among them in the hope that the explosions will injure an American or members of the government. In other words, these activities could be understood as hitting the scared and the hiding ones, which is an image that requires a concerted effort to change, as well as Allah's wisdom...

4. The policy followed by the brothers in Baghdad is a media oriented policy without a clear comprehensive plan to capture an area or an enemy center. Other word, the significance of the strategy of their work is to show in the media that the American and the government do not control the situation and there is resistance against them. This policy dragged us to the type of operations that are attracted to the media, and we go to the streets from time to time for more possible noisy operations which follow the same direction.

This direction has large positive effects; however, being preoccupied with it alone delays more important operations such as taking control of some areas, preserving it and assuming power in Baghdad (for example, taking control of a university, a hospital, or a Sunni religious site).

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...

When and if a Sunni units from the National Guard are formed, and begin to compete with the mujahidin and squeeze them, we will have a problem; we either let them go beyond the limits or fight them and risk inciting the Sunnis against us through the Party's and the Committee's channels.


[link|http://www.angelfire.com/ca3/marlowe/iraq.html#20060514|Angelfire link] (turn off Javascript to avoid popups)

[link|http://fnmarlowe-politics-world.blogspot.com/2006/05/i-admit-it-iraqs-quagmire.html|Comment at blogger.com]

For the life of me I can't figure out [link|http://z.iwethey.org/forums/render/content/show?contentid=253201|what your point there is]. It just doesn't parse. It's just a bunch of disjointed knee jerk reactions. Do you really expect me to respond to knee jerk reactions? It all makes about as much sense as Ahmenijad's recent screed.

Actually, I thought you must've been stoned out of your gourd when you posted it. But now you actually expect a response? Try reading it - when you're sober - and then tell me you think there's something to respond to in there.

The only halfway coherent thoughts I could pull out of all that were: one, you've got Bush Derangement Sydrome really bad, and two, you seem to think substance abuse is a victimless crime. When I get around to it, I'll give the whole notion of victimless crimes the righteous pummeling it deserves. Starting with alcohol abuse.

Regarding the Bush Derangement Syndrome: get a grip. Your perception is not the same thing as reality.

As for the rest, could you please rephrase, in more... er... syntactically straightforward terms?

Or, here's another approach. Try formulating *your* way of looking at things into a brief essay. What's *your* fundamental premise? Do you even know? Because *I* can't make out where you're coming from at all.

As Winston Churchill would say, your pudding has no theme.