Iraqi insurgency 847626 224825389 2008-07-10T16:13:28Z Vindheim 889666 None of the sources referred to support the statementy that PKK has been involved in fighting the coalition forces in Iraq. {{Articleissues|POV=August 2007|OR=August 2007|synthesis=August 2007|tone=September 2007}} [[Image:Al Anbar 2004.jpg|right|thumb|200px|An Iraqi insurgent in [[al-Anbar]] in early 2004.]] {{Campaignbox Iraq War}} {{Campaignbox Persian Gulf Wars}} The '''Iraqi insurgency''' or Resistance is composed of groups using armed resistance against the US-led [[Multinational force in Iraq|Coalition]] that is currently in [[Iraq]]. These groups may also oppose the newly created [[Government of Iraq from 2006|Iraqi government]]. The fighting appears both as a resistance to the USA led coalition as well as a [[civil war in Iraq]] among the diverse groups in the population. The insurgents are involved in [[asymmetric warfare]] and a [[war of attrition]]. The period of the insurgency has seen numerous human rights violations by both insurgent groups and the coalition forces. <ref>{{citation|url=http://hrw.org/reports/2005/iraq1005/|title=Civilian Victims of Resistance Groups in Iraq|publisher=[[Human Rights Watch]]}}</ref> The insurgency began shortly after the 2003 [[Multinational force in Iraq|Coalition]] invasion of Iraq and before the establishment of a new Iraqi government. From at least 2004, and as of May 2007, the insurgency has primarily targeted Coalition armies and, latterly, Iraqi security forces seen as collaborators with whom they consider the enemy. During this period, only 10% of significant attacks have targeted Iraqi civilians. These have, however, caused the largest number of victims (see [[Tactics of the Iraqi insurgency]]).<ref>"Meeting Resistance: New Doc Follows Iraqis Fighting U.S. Occupation of Their Country" |Democracy Now! |http://www.democracynow.org/article.pl?sid=07/10/18/1419205 |Retrieved 21/10/07|"Know Thine Enemy" |New York Times|October 21, 2007|Retrieved 21/10/07</ref> Many militant attacks have been directed at the [[police]] and [[new Iraqi Army|military force]]s of the [[Government of Iraq from 2006|new Iraqi government]]. They have continued during the transitional [[reconstruction of Iraq]], as the new Iraqi government tries to establish itself. As in most [[guerrilla warfare]], civilians on all sides bear the brunt of the violence. According to a February-March 2007 poll, 51% of the Iraqi population approve of the attacks on Coalition forces.<ref>{{citation|url=http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/17687430/|title=Poll: Iraqis pessimistic about war’s outcome|publisher=MSNBC|year=March 2007}}</ref> When broken down along sectarian lines, over 90% of the [[Arab]] [[Sunni]] approve of the attacks. Iraq's deep sectarian divides have been a major dynamic in the insurgency, with support for the insurgents varying amongst different segments of the population. ==Composition== The Iraqi insurgency is composed of at least a dozen major organizations and perhaps as many as 40 distinct groups. These groups are subdivided into countless smaller [[covert cell|cells]]. According to the Chief of the British General Staff, General Sir [[Richard Dannatt]], speaking in September 2007, <blockquote>The militants (and I use the word deliberately because not all are insurgents, or terrorists, or criminals; they are a mixture of them all) are well armed – probably with outside help, and probably from Iran. By motivation, essentially, and with the exception of the Al Qaeda in Iraq element who have endeavoured to exploit the situation for their own ends, our opponents are Iraqi Nationalists, and are most concerned with their own needs – jobs, money, security – and the majority are not bad people.<ref name=Speech>{{cite web|title=Address to the International Institute for Strategic Studies|date=[[2007-09-21]]|publisher=[[UK Ministry of Defence]]|url=http://www.mod.uk/DefenceInternet/AboutDefence/People/Speeches/ChiefStaff/20070921AddressToTheInternationalInstituteForStrategicStudies.htm}}</ref></blockquote> [[Image:Deadliest Roadside Bombing.jpg|thumb|right|200px|A roadside bombing in Iraq on August 3, 2005.]] Because of its clandestine nature, the exact composition of the Iraqi insurgency is difficult to determine, but the main groupings are: *[[Ba'ath party|Ba'athists]], the supporters of [[Saddam Hussein]]'s former regime including army or intelligence officers. Generally the platform for individuals with Pan-Arab theories, as is visible from traditional Ba'athist sympathy for [[Palestinians]] as well as its tendency to maintain warm relations with other Arab states. *[[Nationalism|Nationalists]], Iraqis who believe in Iraqi [[self-determination]] based on the ideas behind its creation. These policies may not necessarily espouse a Pan-Arab ideology although they do advocate traditional Iraqi sentiments such as the country's territorial integrity over [[Kuwait]] and [[Khusestan]]. Historical figures of this movement include the pre-Ba'athist leader of Iraq [[Abd al-Karim Qasim]] and his government. *Iraqi Sunni [[Islamism|Islamists]], the indigenous armed followers of the [[Salafi]] movement, as well as any remnants of the Kurdish [[Ansar al-Islam]]: individuals with a Sunni-only policy opposed to non-Sunnis though not allined to one specific ethnic group. Though opposed to the US-led invasion, these groups are not wholly sympathetic towards the former Ba'ath Party as its members included non-Sunnis. *[[Shi'a]] militias, including the southern, Iran-linked [[Badr Organization]], the [[Mahdi Army]], and the central-Iraq followers of [[Muqtada al-Sadr]]. These groups have Shia religious theries and as such, neither advocate the dominance of a single ethnic group, nor the traditional ideologies behind the Iraqi state (eg. these particular Shi'ites do not support the capture of Khustestan or other border areas with Iran, but rather promote warm relations with Iran's Shi'ite government). *Foreign Islamist volunteers, including those often linked to [[al Qaeda]] and largely driven by the Sunni [[Wahhabi]] doctrine (the two preceding categories are often lumped as "[[Jihad]]ists"); *Various [[socialist]] revolutionaries (such as the [[Iraqi Armed Revolutionary Resistance]]). *Non-violent resistance groups and political parties (not part of the armed insurgency). {{Expand-section|date=August 2007}} ===Ethnic Arab=== ====Ba'athists==== [[Image:Flag of the Ba'ath Party.png|thumb|[[Ba'ath Party]] flag]] The Ba'athists include former [[Baath Party|Ba’ath Party]] officials, the [[Fedayeen Saddam]], and some former agents of the Iraqi intelligence elements and security services, such as the [[Mukhabarat]] and the [[Special Security Organization]]. Their goal, at least before the capture of Saddam Hussein, was the restoration of the former Ba'athist regime to power. The pre-war organization of the Ba'ath Party and its militias as a cellular structure aided the continued pro-Saddam resistance after the fall of Baghdad, and Iraqi intelligence operatives may have developed a plan for [[guerrilla warfare|guerrilla war]] following the toppling of Saddam Hussein from power. Following Saddam's capture, the rhetoric of the Ba'athist resistance gradually shifted to become either nationalist or Islamist, with the goal of restoring the Ba'ath Party to power was seemingly out of reach. Many former Ba'athists have adopted an Islamist façade in order to attract more credibility within the country, and perhaps support from outside Iraq. Others, especially following the January 2005 elections, became more interested in politics. <!-- Commented out because image was deleted: [[Image:Fedayeen-Saddam.jpg|thumb|right|250px|Fedayeen Saddam, irregular soldiers loyal to the former Iraqi Ba'athist regime.]] --> The fall of Baghdad effectively ended the existence of the [[Fedayeen Saddam]] as an organized paramilitary. Several of its members died during the war. A large number survived, however, and were willing to carry on the fight even after the fall of Saddam Hussein from power. Many former members joined guerrilla organizations that began to form to resist the U.S-led coalition in Iraq. By June, an insurgency was underway in the central and northern Iraq, especially in an area known as the [[Sunni Triangle]]. Some units of the Fedayeen also continued to operate independently of other insurgent organizations in the Sunni areas of Iraq. On [[November 30]], [[2003]], a U.S. convoy traveling through the town of [[Samarra]] in the [[Sunni Triangle]] was ambushed by over 100 Iraqi guerillas, reportedly wearing trademark Fedayeen Saddam uniforms. Following the execution of [[Saddam Hussein]], Deputy Leader of the Iraqi Baath Party and former Vice President of Iraq [[Izzat Ibrahim ad-Douri]] became a leading candidate to succeed him as Leader of the Iraqi Baath Party. Ad-Douri had taken over the running of the Iraqi Baath Party following Saddam Hussein's capture in 2003 and had been endorsed by a previously unknown group calling itself [[Baghdad Citizens Gathering]].<ref>[http://www.iht.com/articles/ap/2006/12/31/africa/ME_GEN_Jordan_Saddam_Execution.php A group of Iraqi Baathists pledges allegiance to Saddam's fugitive deputy, naming him leader] ''[[International Herald Tribune]]'', 31 December 2006</ref><ref>[http://www.jpost.com/servlet/Satellite?cid=1167467631042&pagename=JPost%2FJPArticle%2FShowFull Jordan Baathists pledge loyalty to Saddam deputy] ''[[Jerusalem Post]]'', 31 January 2006</ref> On 3 January 2007 the website of the banned Iraqi Baath Party confirmed that he was new leader of the party.<ref>[http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/6226977.stm Saddam aide is new Baath leader] [[BBC News]], 3 January 2007</ref><ref>[http://www.accessmylibrary.com/coms2/summary_0286-28895025_ITM Wanted: the iceman: the last of Saddam's inner circle still at liberty continues to taunt his would-be captors with frequent sightings and leads a ruthless band of Ba'athist resistance.], Access My Library, 1 December 2006</ref> Increasing Syrian influence in the Iraqi Baath Party may well have a major effect on result in a fragmentation of Baathist parts of the resistance.<ref>[http://www.guardian.co.uk/Iraq/Story/0,,1980915,00.html Battle for New Leader Likely] ''[[The Guardian]]'', 1 January 2007</ref> ====Nationalists==== <!-- Unsourced image removed: [[Image:Shosei Koda.jpg|thumb|[[Tenzheem Qa'adah al-Jihad]] members with [[Shosei Koda]].]] --><!-- Unsourced image removed: [[Image:Hostage kim.jpg|thumb|[[Jama'at al-Tawhid wa'l Jihad]] members with [[Kim Sun-il]] giving Korea 24 hours to withdraw Korean troops out of Iraq.]] -->Nationalists from the Sunni Arab regions are drawn from former members of the Iraqi military as well as other Sunnis. Their reasons for opposing the Coalition vary from a rejection of the Coalition presence as a matter of principle to the failure of the multinational forces to fully restore [[public services]] and to quickly restore complete [[sovereignty]]. Some Iraqis who have had relatives killed by Coalition soldiers may also be involved in the insurgency. Some of these groups pursue the restoration of the power previously held by the Sunni minority in Iraq, who controlled all previous Iraqi regimes since the departure of the British in the 1950s. One former minister in the interim government, [[Ayham al-Samarai]], "launched a new political movement, saying he aimed to give a voice to figures from the legitimate Iraqi resistance.'The birth of this political bloc is to silence the skeptics who say there is no legitimate Iraqi resistance and that they cannot reveal their political face,' he told a news conference."<ref>[http://www.aljazeerah.info/News%20archives/2005%20News%20Archives/June/29%20n/Iraqis%20Unhappy%20with%20the%20Bush%20vow%20to%20stay%20on.htm Iraqis Unhappy with the Bush vow to stay on]. aljazeerah.info News archives</ref> There are some groups of Sunni Islamists who have taken a more explicitly anti-Shi'a role and frequently engage in revenge killings; these are mainly vigilante groups of local significance (as are most of their Shi'a counterparts). One notable leader of the insurgency among nationalist Sunni is former aide to Saddam Hussein and a former Regional Baath Party Organiser [[Mohammed Younis al-Ahmed al-Muwali]] who has been crossing the border between Iraq and Syria disbursing funds, smuggling weaponry and organising much of the fighting in the central area of Iraq.<ref>[http://www.accessmylibrary.com/coms2/summary_0286-28895025_ITM Wanted: the iceman: the last of Saddam's inner circle still at liberty continues to taunt his would-be captors with frequent sightings and leads a ruthless band of Ba'athist resistance.], Access My Library, 1 December 2006</ref><ref>[http://www.guardian.co.uk/Iraq/Story/0,,1980915,00.html Battle for New Leader Likely] ''[[The Guardian]]'', 1 January 2007</ref> ===Sunni Islamist=== ====Salafi==== The [[Sunni]] [[Islamism|Islamists]] are composed of Iraqis belonging to the [[Muslim Brotherhood|Ikhwan movement]] or the [[Salafi]] branch of [[Sunni Islam]], who advocate a return to the pure Islam of the time of the [[Muhammad|Prophet Mohammed]] and oppose any foreign non-Muslim influence. Hard-line clerics and remaining underground cells of the [[Muslim Brotherhood]] in Iraq have helped provide support for the indigenous [[militant]] [[Islamist]] movement.<ref name="MBI">http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/world/iraq/iip.htm</ref> Emerging as the most public face supportive of the resistance, is the founder of the ultra-conservative [[Association of Muslim Scholars]], Sheikh [[Hareth al-Dhari]].{{Fact|date=August 2007}} ===Shia Islamist=== The Shia militias have presented [[Nouri al-Maliki]] with perhaps the greatest conundrum of his administration given [[Mahdi Army#October 2006 battle|the capture]] of [[Amarah]]. American officials have pressed him hard to disarm the militias and rid the state security forces of their influence. Yet Mr. Maliki has hesitated to move against them, particularly the Mahdi Army and Badr Organization, for fear of alienating fundamentalist Shia leaders inside his fractious coalition.<ref name=newyorktimes-10-20>{{cite news|title=Attack on Iraqi City Shows Militia’s Power|date=[[2006-10-20]]|publisher=[[The New York Times]]|url=http://www.nytimes.com/2006/10/20/world/middleeast/21iraqcnd.html?ex=1318996800&en=a542d37a1dff56f9&ei=5088&partner=rssnyt&emc=rss}}</ref> ====Badr Organization==== One major Shiite militia in Iraq is the [[Badr Organization]], the military wing of the [[Supreme Islamic Council of Iraq]]. The group is currently based in [[Karbala, Iraq]], and is also active in areas throughout southern Iraq. The group was formed by the Iranian Government to fight the Saddam Hussein-controlled Iraq during the [[Iraq-Iran War]]. Originally, the group consisted of Iraqi exiles who were banished from Iraq during the reign of Saddam Hussein. After the war ended in 1988, the organization remained in Iran until Saddam Hussein was overthrown during the [[2003 invasion of Iraq]]. Following the invasion, the brigade then moved into Iraq, became members of the new Iraq Army, and aided coalition forces in fighting other Iraqi insurgents. In December of 2005, the group and their leaders in the Supreme Islamic Council of Iraq participated in [[Iraqi legislative election, December 2005|parliament elections]], under the pro-Shiite coalition known as the [[United Iraqi Alliance]], and managed to get 36 members into the Iraqi Parliament. Despite their aid, the group has also reportly engaged in attacks against coalition forces in Iraq as well.{{Fact|date=June 2008}} ====Muqtada al-Sadr==== Supporters of the young Shi'a Islamist [[cleric]] [[Muqtada al-Sadr]] are largely impoverished men from the Shi'a urban areas and slums in Baghdad and the southern Shi'a cities.<ref name=al-Sadr_supporter_demographics>{{cite news |first=Jack |last=Fairweather |title=Sadr City slum divided over firebrand cleric as calm returns |url=http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=/news/2004/04/14/wirq214.xml |work=Telegraph.co.uk |publisher=Telegraph Group|date=2004-04-14 |accessdate=2006-10-06}}</ref> The [[Mahdi Army]] area of operation stretches from [[Basra]] in the south to the [[Sadr City]] section of [[Baghdad]] in central Iraq (some scattered Shi'a militia activity has also been reported in [[Baquba]] and [[Kirkuk]], where Shi'a minorities exist).{{Fact|date=August 2007}} Sadr was suspected by U.S. and Iraqi authorities of ordering the assassination of a returning moderate Shia cleric, [[Imam]] [[Abdul Majid al-Khoei]], in Najaf on [[April 12]], [[2003]].<ref>[http://www.guardian.co.uk/Iraq/Story/0,2763,935768,00.html "The moderate mullah who knew the Shias must change" ''The Guardian'' April 13, 2003]; [http://www.usatoday.com/news/world/iraq/2003-04-13-war-clerics_x.htm "Shiite groups call on forces to protect top clerics" ''USA Today'' 4/13/2003]</ref> On [[April 5]], [[2004]], a warrant was issued for Sadr's arrest in connection with this killing; this, in addition to the closing of his newspaper al-Hawza on [[March 29]], the arrest of one of his aides and other actions to suppress his movement, led to an armed attack by the Mahdi Army in April 2004. This initial attack in southern Iraq was suppressed by June. A second attack by his militia, centered in a mosque in [[Najaf]], began in August; this was resolved in an agreement brokered by [[Grand Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani]]. Since that point, Sadr's opposition to the multinational occupation has been mainly in the realm of politics. Since the handover of sovereignty, the Mahdi Army has been maintained as an organized force. Sadr supporters also continue to engage in peaceful resistance such as the large protests in Baghdad on [[April 9]], [[2005]]. Supporters of Muqtada al-Sadr are driven by a variety of beliefs and grievances which combine both the nationalist and ultra-conservative religious tendencies of the movement. They believe that the U.S. and UK are foreign occupiers and oppressors, that they have failed to live up to their promises, and that [[Shariah|Islamic law]] must eventually be established in Iraq. Al-Sadr's movement also opposes any breakup of Iraq along ethnic, religious, or other lines. During his group's active militant phase, Al-Sadr enjoyed wide support from the Iraqi people. A poll by the [[Iraq Center for Research and Studies]] found that 32% of Iraqis "strongly supported" him and another 36% "somewhat supported" him, making him the second most popular man in Iraq, behind only Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani.{{Fact|date=August 2007}} The Mahdi Army is believed to have around 60,000 members.[http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/01/10/AR2007011002581_pf.html][http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/iraq/2003467318_iraqsaudi08.html] After the December 2005 elections in Iraq, al-Sadr's party got 32 new seats giving him substantial political power in the divided Iraqi Parliament. In January 2006, he used these seats to swing the vote for prime minister to [[Ibrahim al-Jaafari]], giving al-Sadr a legitimate stake in the new Iraqi government and allying al-Jaafari with the controversial cleric. On November 27, 2006, a senior American intelligence official told reporters that the Iranian-backed group [[Hezbollah]] had been training members of the [[Mahdi Army]]. The official said that 1,000 to 2,000 fighters from the Mahdi Army and other Shia militias had been trained by Hezbollah in [[Lebanon]], and a small number of Hezbollah operatives have also visited Iraq to help with training. [[Iran]] has facilitated the link between Hezbollah and the Shia militias in Iraq, the official said. "There seems to have been a strategic decision taken sometime over late winter or early spring by [[Damascus]], [[Tehran]], along with their partners in ait Lebanese Hezbollah, to provide more support to Sadr to increase pressure on the U.S.," the American intelligence official said.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.nytimes.com/2006/11/28/world/middleeast/28military.html?_r=1&oref=slogin |title=Hezbollah Said to Help Shia Army in Iraq |author=Michael R. Gordon, Dexter Filkins|publisher=[[New York Times]] |date=November 27, 2006}}</ref> ===Political=== ====Marxists==== On May 15, 2007 a [[Communist]] insurgency group called the [[Iraqi Armed Revolutionary Resistance]] distributed leaflets in the Mid-Euphrates area around Najaf, Hilla and Karbala calling for “resistance against American, British and Zionist occupiers in order to liberate Iraq and form a free socialist, democratic alternative,” according to the Al-Badeel Al-Iraqi website. The group, which described itself as a “movement of Iraqi Communists and Marxists experienced in armed struggle, leftist Iraqi nationalists, and their supporters,” claimed responsibility for an attack against U.S. troops at the Khan Al-Nus area between Najaf and Karbala on Sunday. The leaflets, which carried a photo of Argentine/Cuban Marxist revolutionary [[Che Guevara]], announced the launch of the resistance in the Mid-Euphrates and condemned the “puppet government, the so-called Council of Representatives, terrorist Salafis, militias, the Interior Ministry, Iraqi traitors who came on American tanks, the American and British mercenaries, contractors, and their servants from the South Lebanese Army.” Printed in both Arabic and English, the statement said car bombs and roadside bombs killing Iraqis are planted by the above groups to damage the reputation of Iraqi resistance groups.<ref>[http://www.iraqslogger.com/index.php/post/2790/Iraqi_Marxist_Resistance_Group_Declared Iraqi Marxist Resistance Group Declared], [[Iraq Slogger]], [[May 17]], [[2007]]</ref> ===Foreign participants=== When [[Operation Red Dawn|Saddam Hussein was captured]] in December 2003, several documents were found in his possession. One particular document, which was apparently written after he lost power, appeared to be a directive to his Ba'athist loyalists warning them to be wary of [[Islamist]] [[mujahideen]] and other foreign Arabs entering the country to join the insurgency. The directive supposedly shows Saddam having concerns that foreign fighters would not share the same objectives as Ba'ath loyalists (i.e. the eventual return of Saddam to power and the restoration of his regime). A US official commenting on the document stressed that while Saddam urged his followers to be cautious in their dealings with other Arab fighters, he did not order them to avoid contact or rule out co-operation. [[Bruce Hoffman]], a Washington counter-terrorism expert stated that the existence of the document underscores the fact that "this is an insurgency cut of many different cloths...[and] everybody's jockeying for their position of power in the future Iraq." Many experts believe that fighters from other countries who have flocked to Iraq to join the insurgents are motivated by animosity toward the United States and the desire to install an Islamic state in place of the [[Baath Party|Ba'ath Party]]'s [[secular]] [[regime]].<ref>[http://www.theage.com.au/articles/2004/01/15/1073877963219.html Saddam warning on Islamist forces], ''[[The Age]]'', [[January 16]], [[2004]].</ref> Foreign fighters are mostly of Arab fighters from neighboring countries, who have entered Iraq, primarily through the porous desert borders of Syria and Saudi Arabia, to assist the Iraqi insurgency. Many of these fighters are [[Wahhabism|Wahhabi]] fundamentalists who see Iraq as the new "field of [[jihad]]" in the battle against U.S. forces. It is generally believed that most are freelance fighters, but a few members of [[Al-Qaeda]] and the related group [[Ansar al-Islam]] are suspected of infiltrating into the Sunni areas of Iraq through the mountainous northeastern border with [[Iran]]. The U.S. and its allies point to [[Jordan]]ian-born Al-Qaeda in Iraq leader [[Abu&nbsp;Musab&nbsp;al-Zarqawi]] as the key player in this group. Zarqawi was considered the head of an insurgent group called [[Al-Tawhid Wal-Jihad]] ("Monotheism and Holy War") until his death on [[June 7]], [[2006]], which according to U.S. estimates numbers in the low hundreds. Usage of the term "foreign fighters" has received criticism as being Western-centric because, taken literally, the term would encompass all non-Iraqi forces, including Coalition forces.<ref>[http://www.countercurrents.org/iraq-fisk301003.htm "This is a Resistance Movement, Whether We Like It or Not"] by Robert Fisk. Democracy Now, [[30 October]] [[2003]].</ref> Zarqawi himself has taken to taunting the American occupiers about the irony of the term: "Who is the foreigner, O cross worshippers? You are the ones who came to the land of the Muslims from your distant corrupt land." (Communiqué of [[10 May]] [[2005]]<ref>[http://www.globalterroralert.com/pdf/0505/zarqawi0505-11.pdf Communication for Al-qaeda's Jihad committee in Mesopotamia]</ref>). Zarqawi's group has since announced the formation of the Ansar platoon, a squad of Iraqi suicide bombers, which an AP writer called "an apparent bid to deflect criticism that most suicide bombers in Iraq are foreigners."<ref>[http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,160247,00.html Al Qaeda in Iraq to Recruit Locals for Attacks], [[Fox news]], [[June 21]] [[2005]].</ref> While it is not known how many of those fighting the U.S. in Iraq are from outside the country, it is generally agreed that foreign fighters make up a very small percentage of the insurgency. [[Major General]] [[Joseph Taluto]], head of the [[42nd Infantry Division (United States)|42nd Infantry Division]], said that "99.9 per cent" of captured Insurgents are Iraqi.<ref>Phil Sands, [http://archive.gulfnews.com/articles/05/06/09/168406.html 'Good and honest' Iraqis fighting US forces] [[September 6]] [[2005]], 06:25 (UAE)</ref> The estimate has been confirmed by the Pentagon's own figures; in one analysis of over 1000 insurgents captured in Fallujah, only 15 were non-Iraqi.<ref>[http://www.atimes.com/atimes/Middle_East/FK20Ak03.html "The Sunni-Shi'ite power play"], [[Pepe Escobar]], ''Asian Times'', November 20, 2004]</ref> According to the ''[[Daily Telegraph]]'', information from military commanders engaging in battles around Ramadi exposed the fact that out of 1300 suspected insurgents arrested in five months of 2005, none were non-Iraqi, although [[Colonel]] [[John Gronski]] stated that foreigners provided money and logistical support: "The foreign fighters are staying north of the [Euphrates] river, training and advising, like the [[Union of Soviet Socialist Republics|Soviets]] were doing in [[Vietnam War|Vietnam]]"<ref>[http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=/news/2005/12/04/wirq04.xml&sSheet=/portal/2005/12/04/ixportal.html " US Army admits Iraqis outnumber foreign fighters as its main enemy"] Telegraph 03/12/2005</ref> In September 2006, the ''[[Christian Science Monitor]]'' reported, "It's true that foreign fighters are in Iraq, such as the late Abu Musab al-Zarqawi. But they are a small minority of the insurgents, say administration critics. Most Iraqi mujahideen are Sunnis who fear their interests will be ignored under Iraq's Shia-dominated government. They are fighting for concrete, local political goals - not the destruction of America." The paper quoted University of Michigan history professor [[Juan Cole]]: "If the Iraqi Sunni nationalists could take over their own territory, they would not put up with the few hundred foreign volunteers blowing things up, and would send them away or slit their throats."<ref>Peter Grier, "Is war in Iraq a shield against attacks at home?" ''Christian Science Monitor'' (18 September 2006) p. 3.</ref> In 2005, the Washington-based Centre for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) concluded that foreign fighters accounted for less than 10% of the estimated 30,000 insurgents and argued that the US and Iraqi Governments were "feeding the myth" that they comprised the backbone of the insurgency.<ref>Brian Whitaker and Ewen MacAskill|Report attacks 'myth' of foreign fighters|The Guardian|September 23, 2005|http://www.guardian.co.uk/Iraq/Story/0,2763,1576666,00.html|Retrieved 21/10/07</ref> Despite the low numbers of foreign fighters their presence has been confirmed in several ways and Coalition forces believe the majority of suicide bombings are believed to be carried out by non-Iraqi foreigners. [[Kenneth Katzman]], a Middle East expert with the [[Congressional Research Service]][http://www.ecssr.ac.ae/CDA/en/ProfileBank/ViewProfile/0,1421,1250-00,00.html], stated in June 2005: "I still think 80 percent of the Insurgents, the day to day activity, is Iraqi - the roadside bombings, mortars, direct weapons fire, rifle fire, automatic weapons fire...[but] the foreign fighters attract the headlines with the suicide bombings, no question."<ref>[http://www.lasvegassun.com/sunbin/stories/w-me/2005/jun/30/063006836.html "Foreigners Blamed for Iraq Suicide Attacks"] ''Las Vegas Sun'' June 30, 2005</ref> In September 2005, Iraqi and US forces conducted a counter-insurgency operation in the predominantly [[Turkmen]] town of [[Tal Afar]]. According to an [[Associated Press|AP]], report, an Iraqi Army Captain claimed that Iraqi forces arrested 150 non-Iraqi Arabs (Syria, Sudan, Yemen and Jordan) in the operation;<ref>[http://msnbc.msn.com/id/9173345/from/RL.1/ AP report]</ref> the American army claimed 20% of arrests were foreign combatants,<ref>[http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/library/news/2005/09/mil-050911-rferl03.htm "Iraq: Operation In Tal Afar A Success, But For How Long?"], Radio Free Iraq</ref> while [[Donald Rumsfeld]] on [[PBS]] confirmed that foreign combatants were present.<ref>[http://www.pbs.org/newshour/bb/middle_east/july-dec05/iraq_9-21.html "Violence Escalates In Iraq"], PBS, September 21, 2005</ref> However, not all accounts of the battle mention these arrests,<ref>For example, this [http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/09/10/AR2005091001308_pf.html Washington Post report] doesn't, although, this [http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/09/02/AR2005090202250.html Washington Post report] refers to foreign fighters amongst the insurgents in Tal Afar.</ref> and U.S. Army commander Colonel [[H. R. McMaster]] said the "vast majority" of Insurgents captured there were "Iraqis and not foreigners."[http://english.aljazeera.net/NR/exeres/FFFE08A7-D75C-45F5-AB51-206EA2D48668.htm] Iraqi journalist Nasir Ali claimed that there were "very few foreign combatants" in Tal Afar and charged "Every time the US army and the Iraqi government want to destroy a specific city, they claim it hosts Arab fighters and Abu Musab al-Zarqawi."[http://english.aljazeera.net/NR/exeres/FFFE08A7-D75C-45F5-AB51-206EA2D48668.htm] Turkmen Resistance: There have been a few reports of Iraqi Turkmen becoming violent to there Coaltion invaders, on Monday, September 20, 2004 a news report reported the following article: Official story: Arab militants have taken Tal Afar, the city of hundreds of thousands hostage, Iraqi government troops and US soldiers free it. Real story: US and Peshmerga actions fostered the birth of an Iraqi Turkmen Sunni fundie resistance, one that is not at all dissimilar to the Fallujah one - controlling the city, controlling the US-paid police, attacking US soldiers, defeating the Kurdish Peshmerga whom the US sent as cannon fodder, beheading hostages, beating other hostages, suicide bombing, loose cooperation with Islamic resistance elsewhere. There are allegations that the U.S. government has attempted to inflate the number of foreign fighters in order to advance the theory that the insurgency is not a local movement.{{Fact|date=September 2007}} U.S. Army Specialist Tony Lagouranis spoke about his job identifying many of the bodies after the assault on [[US occupation of Fallujah|Fallujah]]: :We had women and children, old men, young boys. So, you know, it’s hard to say. I think initially, the reason that we were doing this was they were trying to find foreign fighters. [U.S. commanders] were trying to prove that there were a lot of foreign fighters in Fallujah. So, mainly, that’s what we were going for, but most of them really didn’t have I.D.‘s but maybe half of them had I.D.’s. Very few of them had foreign I.D.’s. There were people working with me who would—in an effort to sort of cook the books, you know they would find a Koran on the guy and the Koran was printed in Algeria, and they would mark him down as an Algerian, or you know guys would come in with a black shirt and khaki pants and they would say, well, this is the Hezbollah uniform and they would mark him down as a Lebanese, which was ridiculous, but—you know... [AMY GOODMAN: So, what did you say?] Well, I was only a specialist, so actually, you know, I did say something to the staff sergeant, who was really in charge, and you know, I just got yelled down you know, shot down. <ref>[http://www.democracynow.org/article.pl?sid=05/11/15/1632233 Interview with U.S. Army Specialist Tony Lagouranis] on [[Democracy Now!]]</ref> ====Foreign fighter nationality distribution==== In July 2007, the [[Los Angeles Times]] reported that 45% of all foreign militants targeting U.S. troops and Iraqi civilians and security forces are from Saudi Arabia; 15% are from Syria and Lebanon; and 10% are from North Africa. 50% of all Saudi fighters in Iraq come as suicide bombers. In the last six months, such bombings have killed or injured 4,000 Iraqis.<ref>{{citation|url=http://fairuse.100webcustomers.com/fairenough/latimesA98.html|title=Saudis' role in Iraq insurgency outlined|publisher=[[LATimes]]|year=July 2007}}</ref> According to a U.S. military press briefing on October 20, 2005, 312 foreign nationals from 27 different countries had been captured in Iraq from April to October of 2005.<ref>[http://www.aeaweb.org/annual_mtg_papers/2007/0105_1430_1601.pdf The National Origins of Foreign Fighters in Iraq], by Alan B. Krueger, Princeton University and NBER, 30 December 2006.</ref> This represents a component of the Iraqi resistance movement, which also includes a nationalist movement encompassing over 30 Shia and Sunni militias. Foreign Insurgents captured in Iraq in the 7-month period April&ndash;October 2005: {|width="65%" | {|cellborder="0" |+ ''Sorted by number of fighters captured'' ! Nationality ||No. |- |{{flagcountry|Egypt}} ||align="right" |78 |- |{{flagcountry|Syria}} ||align="right" |66 |- |{{flagcountry|Sudan}} ||align="right" |41 |- |{{flagcountry|Saudi Arabia}} ||align="right" |32 |- |{{flagcountry|Jordan}} ||align="right" |17 |- |{{flagcountry|United States}} ||align="right" |15 |- |{{flagcountry|Iran}} ||align="right" |13 |- |{{flagcountry|Palestine}} ||align="right" |12 |- |{{flagcountry|Tunisia}} ||align="right" |10 |- |{{flagcountry|Algeria}} ||align="right" | 8 |- |{{flagcountry|Libya}} ||align="right" | 7 |- |{{flagcountry|Turkey}} ||align="right" | 6 |- |{{flagcountry|Lebanon}} ||align="right" | 3 |- |{{flagcountry|India}} ||align="right" | 2 |- |{{flagcountry|Qatar}} ||align="right" | 2 |- |{{flagcountry|UAE}} ||align="right" | 2 |- |{{flagcountry|United Kingdom}} ||align="right" | 2 |- |{{flagcountry|Denmark}} ||align="right" | 1 |- |{{flagcountry|France}} ||align="right" | 1 |- |{{flagcountry|Indonesia}} ||align="right" | 1 |- |{{IRL}} ||align="right" | 1 |- |{{flagcountry|Israel}} ||align="right" | 1 |- |{{flagcountry|Kuwait}} ||align="right" | 1 |- |{{flagcountry|Macedonia}} ||align="right" | 1 |- |{{flagcountry|Morocco}} ||align="right" | 1 |- |{{flagcountry|Somalia}} ||align="right" | 1 |- |{{flagcountry|Yemen}} ||align="right" | 1 |- |Total ||align="right" |619 |} | {|cellborder="0" |+ ''Sorted alphabetically by nationality'' ! Nationality ||No. |- |{{flagcountry|Algeria}} ||align="right" | 8 |- |{{flagcountry|Denmark}} ||align="right" | 1 |- |{{flagcountry|Egypt}} ||align="right" |78 |- |{{flagcountry|France}} ||align="right" | 1 |- |{{flagcountry|India}} ||align="right" | 2 |- |{{flagcountry|Indonesia}} ||align="right" | 1 |- |{{IRL}} ||align="right" | 1 |- |{{flagcountry|Iran}} ||align="right" | 13 |- |{{flagcountry|Israel}} ||align="right" | 1 |- |{{flagcountry|Jordan}} ||align="right" |17 |- |{{flagcountry|Kuwait}} ||align="right" | 1 |- |{{flagcountry|Lebanon}} ||align="right" | 3 |- |{{flagcountry|Libya}} ||align="right" | 7 |- |{{flagcountry|Macedonia}} ||align="right" | 1 |- |{{flagcountry|Morocco}} ||align="right" | 1 |- |{{flagcountry|Palestine}} ||align="right" |12 |- |{{flagcountry|Qatar}} ||align="right" | 2 |- |{{flagcountry|Saudi Arabia}} ||align="right" |32 |- |{{flagcountry|Somalia}} ||align="right" | 1 |- |{{flagcountry|Sudan}} ||align="right" |41 |- |{{flagcountry|Syria}} ||align="right" |66 |- |{{flagcountry|Tunisia}} ||align="right" |10 |- |{{flagcountry|Turkey}} ||align="right" | 6 |- |{{flagcountry|UAE}} ||align="right" | 2 |- |{{flagcountry|United Kingdom}} ||align="right" | 2 |- |{{flagcountry|United States}} ||align="right" | 15 |- |{{flagcountry|Yemen}} ||align="right" | 1 |- |Total ||align="right" |619 |} |} ====Abu Musab al-Zarqawi==== {{see|Al-Qaeda in Iraq}} {{Original research|date=September 2007}} <!-- Commented out because image was deleted: [[Image:Zarqawi1.jpg|thumb|right|Abu Musab al-Zarqawi video screenshot.]] --> The extent of Zarqawi's influence is a source of much controversy. Zarqawi was reported killed in action in March 2004 in "a statement signed by a dozen alleged insurgent groups".<ref>[http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2004/03/05/iraq/main604191.shtml Rebels: Top Iraq Terrorist Dead, Statement Says Al-Zarqawi Not Behind Recent Bombings Or Letter - CBS News<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref> His Jordanian family then held a funeral service on his behalf, although no body has been recovered and positively identified. Iraqi leaders have denied the presence of Zarqawi in Fallujah prior to the U.S. attack on that city in November 2004. Zarqawi's existence has even been questioned.<ref>[http://www.atimes.com/atimes/Middle_East/FJ15Ak02.html Asia Times - Asia's most trusted news source for the Middle East<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref> Actual involvement of Zarqawi in significant terrorist incidents is not usually proven, although his group often claims it perpetrated bombings. As al-Qaeda is an "opt-in" group (meaning that everyone who agrees to some basic Wahhabi moral tenets and the fundamental goals may consider himself a member), it is most likely that "Al-Qaeda in Iraq" is a loose association of largely independent cells united by a common strategy and vision, rather than a unified organization with a firm internal structure.{{Fact|date=August 2007}} On [[June 8]], [[2006]], Iraqi officials confirmed that Zarqawi was killed by two 500 lb laser guided bombs dropped from an F-16 the previous evening.{{Fact|date=August 2007}} [[Abu Ayyub al-Masri]], an Egyptian who was trained in Al-Qaeda camps in Afghanistan has taken his place.{{Fact|date=August 2007}} A document <ref>http://www.usatoday.com/news/world/iraq/2006-06-15-zarqawi-text_x.htm</ref> found in Zarqawi's safe house indicates that the guerrilla group was trying to provoke the U.S. to attack Iran in order to reinvigorate the resistance in Iraq and to weaken American forces in Iraq.<ref>[http://www.usatoday.com/news/world/iraq/2006-06-15-raid-blueprint_x.htm USATODAY.com - Iraqi leaders: Memo details al-Qaeda plans<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref> "The question remains, how to draw the Americans into fighting a war against Iran? It is not known whether American is serious in its animosity towards Iraq, because of the big support Iran is offering to America in its war in Afghanistan and in Iraq. Hence, it is necessary first to exaggerate the Iranian danger and to convince America and the west in general, of the real danger coming from Iran...". The document then outlines 6 ways to incite war between the two nations. Iraqi national security adviser [[Mowaffak al-Rubaie]] said the document, shows [[al-Qaeda in Iraq]] is in "pretty bad shape." He added that "we believe that this is the beginning of the end of al-Qaeda in Iraq."{{Fact|date=August 2007}} Journalist [[Jill Carroll]], detailing her captivity in Iraq, described how one of her captors, who identified himself as Abdullah Rashid and leader of the Mujahideen Shura Council in Iraq. He told her that "The Americans were constantly saying that the mujahideen in Iraq were led by foreigners... So, the Iraqi insurgents went to Zarqawi and insisted that an Iraqi be put in charge." She continued by stating: "But as I saw in coming weeks, Zarqawi remained the insurgents' hero, and the most influential member of their council, whatever [[Abu Nour|Nour]]/[[Abdullah Rashid|Rashid]]'s position... At various times, I heard my captors discussing changes in their plans because of directives from the council and Zarqawi."<ref>[http://www.csmonitor.com/2006/0821/p01s01d-woiq.html Hostage: The Jill Carroll Story – Part 6 • Reciting Koranic verses | csmonitor.com<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref> ====Schism between foreign fighters and Iraqi Resistance==== Large-scale terrorist attacks against civilians carried out by foreign fighters, as well as the interpretation of Islam that they attempt to impose on the local population in areas under their control, have increasingly turned Iraqis against them, in some cases breaking out into open fighting between different groups in the insurgency.<ref>[http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A28105-2004Oct12.html Insurgent Alliance Is Fraying In Fallujah (washingtonpost.com)<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref><ref>[http://www.economist.com/world/displaystory.cfm?story_id=5213863 Arab world, Iraq and al-Qaeda | Unfamiliar questions in the Arab air | Economist.com<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref><ref>[http://www.worldthreats.com/middle_east/Foreign%20Fighters%20Reviled.htm W O R L D T H R E A T S - Foreign Fighters Now Reviled by Fallujah Residents<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref> There are signs that local Islamist insurgent groups have also increasingly caused the population to turn against them<ref>[http://www.salon.com/news/feature/2004/05/22/najaf/index1.html "Najaf is dying" - Page 2 - Salon.com<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref><ref>[http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A18911-2004May11.html Some in Najaf Protest Sadr (washingtonpost.com)<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref><ref>[http://www.newsday.com/news/nationworld/world/wire/sns-ap-iraq-protest,0,2250615.story?coll=sns-ap-world-headlines]{{Dead link|date=March 2008}}</ref><ref>[http://thescotsman.scotsman.com/international.cfm?id=482652004 The Scotsman<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref> Opinions differ on how broad this schism is. Terrorism expert [[Jessica Stern]] warned that "in the run-up to the war, most Iraqis viewed the foreign volunteers who were rushing in to fight against America as troublemakers, and Saddam Hussein's forces reportedly killed many of them."<ref>[http://www.ksg.harvard.edu/news/opeds/2003/stern_terrorism_nyt_082003.htm Jessica Stern in the New York Times: How America Created a Terrorist Haven<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref> This opinion contradicts Iraqi scholar [[Mustapha Alani]], who says that these foreigners are increasingly welcomed by the public, especially in the former Ba'athist strongholds north of Baghdad.{{Fact|date=August 2007}} While some have noted an alliance of convenience that existed between the foreign fighters and the native Sunni resistance, there are signs that the foreign militants, especially those who follow Zarqawi, are increasingly unpopular among the native resistance. In the run-up to the December 2005 elections, Sunni fighters were warning al Qaeda members and foreign fighters not to attack polling stations. One former Ba'athist told Reuters, "Sunnis should vote to make political gains. We have sent leaflets telling al Qaeda that they will face us if they attack voters." And a Sunni resistance leader specifically commented on Zarqawi: "Zarqawi is an American, Israeli and Iranian agent who is trying to keep our country unstable so that the Sunnis will keep facing occupation."<ref>http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20051211/wl_nm/iraq_election_Resistance_dc_1</ref> By early 2006, the split between the Sunni groups and the Zarqawi-led foreign fighters had grown dramatically, and Sunni forces began targeting al Qaeda forces for assassination. One senior intelligence official told the ''Telegraph'' that Zarqawi had fled to Iran as a result of the attacks.<ref>[http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=/news/2006/02/06/wirq06.xml Insurgents turning against al-Qa'eda in Iraq - Telegraph<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref> In response to al Qaeda killings in Iraq, Sunni insurgents in al-Anbar province led by former Ba'athist intelligence officer Ahmed Ftaikhan formed an anti-al-Qaeda militia called the Anbar Revolutionaries. All of the militia's core members have relatives who have been killed by al-Qaeda in Iraq, and they have sought to prevent foreign jihadis from entering the country. The group "claims to have killed 20 foreign fighters and 33 Iraqi sympathizers.".<ref>[http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=/news/2006/03/11/wirq11.xml Sunni insurgents 'have al-Zarqawi running for cover' - Telegraph<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref> The schism became all the more apparent in when a tape claiming to be from the Mujahedeen Shura Council urged Osama Bin Laden to replace Al Qaida in Iraq's current head with an Iraqi national. The Mujahedeen Shura Council, however, issued a statement shortly afterwards denying the authenticity of this tape. On July 19 2007 seven domestic resistance groups informed journalists in [[Damascus]] that they were forming a united front independent of Al-Qaeda.<ref>[http://www.guardian.co.uk/Iraq/Story/0,,2129675,00.html Insurgents form political front to plan for US pullout | Iraq | Guardian Unlimited<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref> ===Non-violent groups=== Apart from the armed insurgents, there are important [[non-violent]] groups that go against the Coalition soldiers without using violence. The ''[[National Foundation Congress]]'' set up by Sheikh [[Jawad al-Khalisi]] includes a broad range of religious, ethnic, and political currents united by their opposition to the Coalition soldiers in Iraq. Although it does not reject armed resistance, which it regards as any nation's right, it favors non-violent politics and criticizes the formation of militias. It opposed institutions designed to implement American plans, such as the former [[Iyad Allawi]] government and the U.S.-organized national conference designed as the antecedent to a parliament.<ref>[[Jonathan Steele]], [http://www.commondreams.org/views04/0716-12.htm The Iraqi Leader Seeking a Peaceful Path to Liberation: A New Party unites Shi’as, Sunnis, Kurds and Christians]. Guardian/UK, [[July 16]] [[2004]].</ref> Although the [[Coalition Provisional Authority|CPA]] enforced a 1987 law banning unions in public enterprises, [[trade union]]s such as the ''[[Iraqi Federation of Trade Unions]]'' (IFTU) and Iraq's ''[[Union of the Unemployed]]'' have also mounted effective opposition to the Coalition.<ref>David Bacon, [http://www.fpif.org/commentary/2004/0407upsurge.html Iraq's Labor Upsurge Wins Support from U.S. Unions]. FPIF Commentary. [[July 28]] [[2004]].</ref> Trade unions, however, have themselves been subject to attacks from the insurgents. [[Hadi Saleh]] of the IFTU was assassinated under circumstances that pointed to a Ba'athist insurgent group on [[3 January]] [[2005]]. No trades unions support the armed Insurgents.<ref>David Bacon, [http://news.pacificnews.org/news/view_article.html?article_id=fb8395c4d2b0853d7f8fe2c2017f8f16 Murdered Iraqi Trade Unionist Trapped Between U.S. and Resistance]. News Analysis, Pacific News Service, [[January 26]] [[2005]].</ref> Another union federation, the [[General Union of Oil Employees]] (GUOE) opposes the Coalition forces in Iraq and calls for immediate withdrawal but was neutral on participation in the election. Whereas the GUOE wants all Coalition troops out immediately, both the IFTU and the [[Federation of Workers Councils and Unions in Iraq|Workers Councils']] call for replacement of U.S. and British forces with neutral forces from the UN, the Arab League and other nations as a transition.<ref>[http://uslaboragainstwar.org/downloads/USLAW%20on%20Iraqi%20Labor.pdf USLAW Statement on the Iraqi Labor Solidarity Tour of U.S.]</ref> Many unions see the war as having two dimensions: military and economic. The GUOE has won strikes against both the Governing Council for pay raises and against [[Halliburton]] over the use of foreign workers. {{Fact|date=February 2007}} ==Tactics== {{main|Tactics of the Iraqi insurgency}} The '''tactics of the Iraqi insurgency''' vary widely. Majority of Jihadist elements use car bombs, kidnappings, hostage-taking, shootings and other types of attacks to target Iraqis and U.S. forces with little regard for civilian casualties. US Government data shows that, since at least April 2004, an average of 74% of all insurgent attacks are directed against coalition forces with only 10% directed against civilians. {{Fact|date=March 2008}}. ==Awareness of US public opinion== One study has compared the number of insurgent attacks in Iraq to the number of "anti-resolve" statements in the US media, the release of public opinion polls, and geographic variations in access to international media by Iraqis. The purpose was to determine if insurgents responded to information on "casualty sensitivity." The researchers found that insurgent attacks spiked by 5 to 10% after increases in the number of negative reports of the war in the media. The authors identified this as an "emboldenment effect" and concluded "insurgent groups respond rationally to expected probability of US withdrawal."<ref>Radha Iyengar and Jonathan Monten, [http://www.nber.org/papers/w13839 "Is There an "Emboldenment" Effect? Evidence from the Insurgency in Iraq,"] [[National Bureau of Economic Research]] Working Paper No. 13839, March 2008 (free version at [http://people.rwj.harvard.edu/~riyengar/insurgency.pdf "Is There an “Emboldenment” Effect? Evidence from the Insurgency in Iraq"])</ref> ==Iraq public opinion== {{Original research|date=September 2007}} A series of several polls have been conducted to ascertain the position of the Iraqi public further on Al Qaeda in Iraq and the U.S. presence. Some polls have found the following: *Polls suggest the majority of Iraqis disapprove of the presence of Coalition forces.<ref>[http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/09/27/AR2006092701435.html Poll: Iraqis Back Attacks on U.S. Troops - washingtonpost.com<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref> *A majority of both Sunnis and Shi'as want an end to the U.S. presence as soon as possible, although Sunnis are opposed to the Coalition soldiers being there by greater margins.<ref>[http://www.zogby.com/news/ReadNews.dbm?ID=957 Survey Finds Deep Divisions in Iraq; Sunni Arabs Overwhelmingly Reject Sunday Elections; Majority of Sunnis, Shias Favor U.S. Withdrawal, New Abu Dhabi TV / Zogby Poll Reveals]. Zogby International, [[January 28]] [[2005]].</ref> Polls conducted in June 2005 suggest that there is some sentiment towards Coalition armies being in Iraq. According to the ''Boston Globe'' ([[10 June]] [[2005]]): "a recent internal poll conducted for the U.S.-led Coalition found that nearly 85 percent of the population supported the terrorist attacks, making accurate intelligence difficult to obtain. Only 15 percent of those polled said they strongly supported the U.S.-led coalition."<ref>Bryan Bender, [http://www.boston.com/news/world/middleeast/articles/2005/06/10/Resistance_seen_forcing_change_in_iraq_strategy/] Resistance seen forcing change in Iraq strategy, New aim to bring Sunnis into fold. Globe Staff, [[June 10]] [[2005]].</ref> A later 2005 poll by British intelligence said that 45% of Iraqis support attacks against Coalition forces, rising to 65% in some areas, and that 82% are "strongly opposed" to the presence of Coalition troops.<ref>Sean Rayment, Defence Correspondent, [http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=/news/2005/10/23/wirq23.xml&sSheet=/news/2005/10/23/ixworld.html]</ref> Demands for U.S. withdrawal have also been signed on by one third of Iraq's Parliament.<ref>Abdel-Wahed Tohmeh, [http://www.zmag.org/content/showarticle.cfm?SectionID=15&ItemID=8138 83 MPs Ask al-Jaafari to Put a Timetable for the Withdrawal of Foreign Troops]. [[June 22]] [[2005]].</ref> These results are consistent with a January 2006 poll that found an overall 47% approval for attacks on US-led forces. That figure climbed to 88% among Sunnis. Attacks on Iraqi security forces and civilians, however, were approved of by only 7% and 12% of respondents respectively. 87% favored a U.S. withdrawal, but only 23% believe the U.S. would actually withdraw if asked. 80% believed the U.S. plans permanent bases in Iraq.<ref>[http://www.worldpublicopinion.org/pipa/articles/home_page/165.php?nid=&id=&pnt=165&lb=hmpg1 World Public Opinion<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref> A September 2006 poll of both Sunnis and Shias found that 71% of Iraqis wanted the U.S. to leave within a year, with 65% favoring an immediate pullout and 77% voicing suspicion that the U.S. wanted to keep permanent bases in Iraq.<ref>[http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/09/26/AR2006092601721.html Most Iraqis Favor Immediate U.S. Pullout, Polls Show - washingtonpost.com<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref> 61% approved of attacks on U.S. forces.<ref>[http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/09/27/AR2006092701435.html Poll: Iraqis Back Attacks on U.S. Troops - washingtonpost.com<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref> A later<ref>http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/17687430/ poll from March 2007</ref> suggests the percentage of Iraqis who approve of attacks on Coalition forces has dropped to 51%. U.S. and British forces tend to suffer fewer casualties in the Shia and Kurdish areas outside the "Sunni triangle." Many, however, especially in the Shia community, although supportive of the overthrow of Saddam Hussein, are very unhappy with the coalition staying in Iraq.{{Fact|date=August 2007}} Farther north in the Kurdish areas, there is some pro-U.S. sentiment and a strong opposition to the insurgency.{{Fact|date=August 2007}} Support for the insurgency is less strong in the Shi'a areas of the country than in the Sunni areas since the Shi'as, like the Kurds, did not dominate the ruling factions of the old regime. Shi'as have also been influenced by a moderate clerical establishment under Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani that has advocated a political solution. However, Muqtada al-Sadr has drawn support from a portion of the Shi'a community, mainly young and unemployed men in urban areas. Sadr's support varies region by region; while likely not drawing considerable support in Najaf (a stronghold of the clerical establishment which was occupied by Sadr's militia and has been the scene of some of the heaviest fighting), some polls have indicated Sadr's support among the Shi'as of Baghdad may be as high as 50%.{{Fact|date=August 2007}} However, this support did not translate into direct electoral winnings for Sadr supporters during the January 2005 elections. Spontaneous peaceful protests against the coalition forces have appeared in Shi'a areas.{{Fact|date=August 2007}} The Shi'a intellectuals and the upper classes, as well as the inhabitants of rural regions in the south and followers of more moderate clerics such as al-Sistani, tend to cooperate with the Coalition and the Iraqi interim government and eschew militant protest.{{Fact|date=August 2007}} Sistani's political pressure is largely credited with enabling the elections of January 2005.{{Fact|date=August 2007}} The Shi'a and Kurdish populations of Iraq have had long histories of strained relations with past Iraqi regimes, which have long been dominated by the Sunni. Their favored status in Iraq since the 2003 U.S.-led invasion is also a factor attributed to the fewer instances of attacks against Coalition forces in Shi'a and Kurdish regions of the country.{{Fact|date=September 2007}} This is in contrast to the more radical al-Sadr, who draws his support from the lower classes and much of the Shia urban population. Both united, however, on the United Iraqi Alliance ticket that brought in the largest share of the votes in the January 2005 elections.{{Fact|date=August 2007}} ==Scope and size of the Insurgency== [[Image:Ramadi01.jpg.jpg|thumb|Insurgents with a banner in Ramadi.]] The most intense Sunni resistance activity takes place in the cities and countryside along the Euphrates River from the [[Syria]]n border town of [[Al-Qa'im (town)|al-Qaim]] through [[Ramadi]] and [[Fallujah]] to [[Baghdad]], as well as along the Tigris river from Baghdad north to [[Tikrit]]. Heavy guerilla activity also takes place around the cities of Mosul and [[Tal Afar]] in the north, as well as the "[[Triangle of Death (Iraq)|Triangle of Death]]" south of Baghdad, which includes the "-iya" cities of Iskandariya, Mahmudiya, Latifiya, and Yusufiya. Lesser activity takes place in several other areas of the country. The insurgents are believed to maintain a key supply line stretching from Syria through al-Qaim and along the Euphrates to Baghdad and central Iraq, the Iraqi equivalent of the [[Ho Chi Minh trail]]. A second "ratline" ("rats" a common U.S. slur for Iraqis) runs from the Syrian border through Tal Afar to Mosul. [[Image:Iraqcontrol.JPG|thumb|Provincial control of Iraq as of January 2007 {{legend|green|Coalition control}} {{legend|red|Sunni insurgent control}} {{legend|orange|Shiite militia influence}} {{legend|yellow|Contested provinces|border=1px}} ]] Although estimates of the total number of Iraqi guerrillas varies by group and fluctuates under changing political climate, the latest assessments put the present number at between 100,000 and 130,000 fighters along with numerous supporters and facilitators throughout the Sunni Arab community.{{Fact|date=August 2007}} At various points U.S. forces provided estimates on the number of fighters in specific regions. A few are provided here (although these numbers almost certainly have fluctuated): *Fallujah (mid-2004): 2000-5000 (in a November 2004 operation, the Fallujah insurgency has been destroyed or dispersed, but has staged a comeback, albeit not to former strength, in the course of 2005) {{Fact|date=August 2007}} *[[Samarra]] (December 2003): 2000 {{Fact|date=August 2007}} *[[Baquba]] (June 2004): 1000 {{Fact|date=August 2007}} *Baghdad (December 2003): 1000 (this number may have increased by a significant amount){{Fact|date=August 2007}} Guerilla forces operate in many of the cities and towns of [[al-Anbar]] province, due to mostly ineffective Iraqi security forces in this area.{{Fact|date=August 2007}} There is extensive guerilla activity in [[Ramadi]], the capital of the province, as well as [[al-Qaim]], the first stop on an insurgent movement route between Iraq and Syria. In 2006, reports suggested that the Anbar capital Ramadi had largely fallen under insurgent control along with most of the Anbar region, as a result the [[United States|US]] is sending an extra 3,500 marines to reestablish control of the region.<ref>[http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/13033643/]{{Dead link|date=March 2008}}</ref><ref>[http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/13039231/]{{Dead link|date=March 2008}}</ref> In the early part of 2007 the insurgency suffered serious setbacks in Ramadi. With the help of the [[Anbar Salvation Council]], incidents fell from an average of 30 attacks per day in December 2006 to an average of fewer than four in April 2007.<ref>http://www.latimes.com/news/printedition/asection/la-fg-kidcops7may07,1,648855.story?coll=la-news-a_section</ref> [[Baghdad]] is still one of the most contested regions of the country, even after the 2007 troop surge more than two thirds of Baghdad is under the control of various Sunni insurgent groups and the Shiite Mahdi Army.<ref>[http://abcnews.go.com/International/wireStory?id=3241467&CMP=OTC-RSSFeeds0312 "Troop Drive Said Faltering in Iraq"] ABC News 6/4/07</ref> Combatants are waging intense guerrilla warfare against the US Army and some Sunni neighborhoods such as Adhamiya are largely under insurgent control. Suicide attacks and car bombs are near daily occurrences in Baghdad. The road from Baghdad to the city airport is the most dangerous in the country, if not the world. Iraqi security and police forces had also been significantly built up in the capital and, despite being constantly targeted, had enjoyed some successes such as the pacification of [[Haifa Street]], which however subsequently saw a massive surge of insurgent activity.<ref>[http://home.bellsouth.net/s/editorial.dll?pnum=1&bfromind=1057&eeid=4934130&_sitecat=1505&dcatid=0&eetype=article&render=y&ac=1&ck=&ch=ne&s=in AT&T<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref> and after the failed Coalition [[Operation Together Forward]] fell under Sunni insurgent control. As time passed the insurgent grasp on Mosul has strengthened and by mid-2007 insurgents had control of virtually all the city with the exception of the few Coalition bases scattered throughout the city and their immediate surroundings.<ref>[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TuxomuhYvHQ&mode=related&search= YouTube - Iraqi Mujahideen in Control of Mosul<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref> Recent intelligence suggests that the base of foreign paramilitary operations has moved from Anbar to the religiously- and ethnically-mixed [[Diyala Governorate|Diyala province]]. By July 2007 Diyala had fallen under almost total Insurgent control, and had become the Headquarters for the Sunni dominated [[Islamic State of Iraq]] which has issued a proclamation declaring the regional capital Baqubah its capital. In response to a law allowing for the partitioning of Iraq into autonomous regions, members of the Mutayibeen Coalition (''[[Khalf al-Mutayibeen]]''{{Verify source|date=July 2007}}<!-- alternate spelling: "Helf" Alternate trans.: "Mutayibeen Alliance"? Also appears in the [[Islamic State of Iraq]]s "mission statement" as "Pact of the Scented People"? Singular: mutayib -->), one of Iraq's largest Sunni insurgent groups, allegedly claimed the creation of an Islamic state encompassing parts of 6 of Iraq's 18 provinces on October 15.<ref>[http://www.ft.com/cms/s/e239159e-5c6a-11db-9e7e-0000779e2340.html FT.com / In depth - Call for Sunni state in Iraq<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref> Yet another show of defiance came on [[October 18]] when Sunni resistance brazenly paraded in Ramadi. Similar parades were held two days later in several towns across western Iraq, two of which occurred within two miles of US military bases. By October 2006, small radicalized militias had seemed to overshadow the larger and more organized Sunni groups which had composed the insurgency previously.<ref>[http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/10/18/AR2006101801865.html Militias Splintering Into Radicalized Cells - washingtonpost.com<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref> As disagreements emerged in pre-existing resistance groups for reason ranging from the rift in the Sunni forces between foreign and Iraqi fighters, competition between Mahdi Army and Badr Brigade, and anger over various decisions such as Muqtada al Sadr's agreement to join the political process, dozens of insurgency groups sprung up across the country, though particularly in Baghdad where the US army has listed 23 active militias. Residents have described the capital as being a patchwork of militia run fiefs.{{Fact|date=October 2007}} As a result of the insurgency’s splintering nature, many established leaders seemed to lose influence.{{Fact|date=October 2007}} This was particularly illustrated on October 19, when members of the Mahdi army briefly seized control of Amarah. The attack, while demonstrating the influence of the Madhi army, is believed to have originated as a result of contention between local units of the Madhi army and the allegedly Badr brigade run security forces, and the timing suggested that neither Al Sadr nor his top commanders had known or orchestrated the offensive.<ref>[http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20061020/ap_on_re_mi_ea/iraq_061020115132;_ylt=A9G_RwXBLzlFuUQBLwFX6GMA;_ylu=X3oDMTBiMW04NW9mBHNlYwMlJVRPUCUl]{{Dead link|date=March 2008}}</ref> ==Effect of attacks and casualties== {{main|Casualties of the conflict in Iraq since 2003}} {{see|List of insurgents killed in Iraq}} Insurgents reportedly launch hundreds of attacks each month against U.S. forces. Insurgency groups overtime have moved to more sophisticated methods such as [[shaped charge]]s, which concentrate bomb attacks, and [[Far-infrared laser|infrared lasers]], which cannot be easily jammed. These attacks contribute to the rate of civilian casualties which in turn further the country's insecurity and limited supply of electricity, water and oil.<ref>{{cite web |url= http://www.fareedzakaria.com/articles/articles.html |author= Fareed Zakaria |title= Don't Make Hollow Threats |date= 2005-08-22}}</ref> As of [[January 29]], [[2007]], 3,080 U.S. soldiers, 130 British soldiers and 123 soldiers from other nations (allied with the coalition) have died in Iraq. 22,834 U.S. soldiers had been wounded.<ref>{{cite web |url= http://icasualties.org/oif/ |author= Pat Kneisler, Michael White, and Evan D. |publisher= Iraq coalition casualties count |title= Operation Enduring Freedom Fatalities |date= 2007-01-29 |accessdate= 2007-09-23}}</ref> With this, over 8,000 American soldiers have deserted since the beginning of the conflict in Iraq, as reported by [[The Pentagon]].<ref>{{cite web |url= http://www.usatoday.com/news/washington/2006-03-07-deserters_x.htm |title= 8,000 desert during Iraq war |author= Bill Nichols |publisher= USA Today |date= 2006-07-03 |accessdate= 2007-09-25}}</ref> Servicemen report desertion as being connected to the war with Iraq, though The Pentagon suggests the rate of desertion is below normal peace-time levels.{{Fact|date=February 2007}} As of 2007, Iraqi forces reportedly lost more than 6,000 policemen and more than 2,000 soldiers killed, according to the Wikipedia count. Since Coalition forces do not usually release death counts, it is difficult to determine the exact number of insurgents killed by the Coalition or Iraqi forces. Through September 2007 more than 19,000 insurgents were reported to have been killed in fighting with Coalition forces and tens of thousands were captured (including 25,000 detainees in U.S. military custody at the time), according to military statistics released for the first time.<ref>[http://www.usatoday.com/news/world/iraq/2007-09-26-insurgents_N.htm 19,000 insurgents killed in Iraq since '03]</ref> ==Iraqi Coalition counter-insurgency operations== {{main|Coalition military operations of the Iraq War}} Over 500 [[counter-insurgency]] operations have been undertaken by the US-led Coalition or the Iraqi government. These include Operation Option North and [[Operation Bayonet Lightning]] in [[Kirkuk]], [[Operation Desert Thrust]], [[Operation Abilene]] and Operation All American Tiger throughout Iraq, [[Operation Iron Hammer (Iraq 2003)|Operation Iron Hammer]] in [[Baghdad]] and [[Operation Ivy Blizzard]] in [[Samarra]] - all in [[2003 in Iraq|2003]]; [[Operation Market Sweep]], [[Operation Vigilant Resolve]] and [[Operation Phantom Fury]] in [[Fallujah]] in [[2004 in Iraq|2004]]; [[Battle of Al Qaim|Operation Matador]] in [[Ambar]], [[Operation Squeeze Play]] and [[Operation Lightning]] in Baghdad, [[Operation New Market]] near [[Haditha]], [[Operation Spear]] in [[Karabillah]] and the [[Battle of Tal Afar]] - all in [[2005 in Iraq|2005]]; [[Operation Swarmer]] in Samarra and [[Operation Together Forward]] in Baghdad in [[2006 in Iraq|2006]]; and [[Operation Law and Order]] in Baghdad, [[Operation Arrowhead Ripper]] in [[Baqouba]] and [[Operation Phantom Strike]] throughout Iraq - all in [[2007 in Iraq|2007]]. ==See also== {{portal|United States Marine Corps|USMC_logo.svg}} {{portal|Iraq War|Flag_of Iraq.svg}} {{portal|Iraq|Flag of Iraq.svg}} *[[United States occupation of Fallujah]] *[[United States military in Iraq]] *[[Casualties of the conflict in Iraq since 2003]] *[[Post-invasion Iraq, 2003–2006]] *[[2004 in Iraq]] *[[2005 in Iraq]] *[[2006 in Iraq]] *[[2007 in Iraq]] *[[Al Qaeda in Iraq]] *[[Consolation payment]] *[[Civil war in Iraq]] *[[Juba (sniper)]] *[[Hillbilly armor]] *[[Zarqawi PSYOP program]] *[[Challenge Project]] *[[Operation Phantom Fury]] *[[List of revolutions and rebellions|List of rebellions]] ==References== {{reflist}} ==External articles== ===General=== *[http://www.comw.org/warreport/fulltext/03alexander.pdf "The Iraqi Insurgent Movement"] Christopher Alexander, Charles Kyle and William McCallister, [[November 14]], [[2003]] *"[http://www.mideasti.org/articles/doc89.html The Sunni Insurgency in Iraq]" by Dr. [http://ksgfaculty.harvard.edu/ahmed_hashim Ahmed S. Hashim], Center for Naval Warfare Studies - [[August 15]], [[2003]] *[http://www.comw.org/pda/0603insurgency.html Insurgent Iraq: Links to full-text online articles and reports about the Iraqi Insurgency]. Compiled by [http://www.comw.org/pda/ ''Project on Defense Alternatives''], March 2006. Updated [[22 August]] [[2006]]. **"[http://www.comw.org/pda/0507bm34.html 400 Days and Out: A Strategy for Solving the Iraq Impasse]". Carl Conetta, [http://www.comw.org/pda/ ''Project on Defense Alternatives''], [[19 July]] [[2005]]. *[http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/insurgency/ ''Frontline: The Insurgency''][[PBS]] [[Frontline (PBS)|Frontline]]'' [[February 21]], [[2006]] *"[http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/ops/iraq_insurgency.htm Iraqi Insurgent Groups]". ''GlobalSecurity.org'', 2005. *"[http://www.wadinet.de/news/dokus/Electronic_Propaganda_Study.pdf Electronic Propaganda in Iraq]". wadinet.de ([[PDF]]) *"[http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/03/17/AR2006031702087_pf.html Iraq's Insurgents: Who's Who]". ''Washington Post'', [[19 March]] [[2006]]. *[http://smh.com.au/flash/mcgeough/main.html multimedia article by Australian Journalist Paul McGeogh of the ''Sydney Morning Herald''] *[http://www.usip.org/pubs/specialreports/sr134.html "Who Are the Insurgents? Sunni Arab Rebels in Iraq"] United States Institute of Peace Special Report, April 2005 *[http://www.carlisle.army.mil/usawc/Parameters/04spring/tomes.pdf Robert R. Tomes, Relearning Counterinsurgency Warfare], ''Parameters'' Spring 2004 ===Books=== *[http://ksgfaculty.harvard.edu/ahmed_hashim Hashim, Ahmed S]. [http://www.cornellpress.cornell.edu/cup_detail.taf?ti_id=4447 ''Insurgency and Counter-Insurgency in Iraq''.] [[I.B. Tauris]]. ISBN 0801444527. *[http://www.ibtauris.com/ibtauris/display.asp?K=510000000741472&sf_01=CAUTHOR&st_01=chehab&sf_02=CTITLE&sf_03=KEYWORD&m=1&dc=1 Chehab, Zaki. ''Iraq Ablaze: Inside the Insurgency''.] I B Tauris & Co Ltd. ISBN 1845111109. *Enders, David. ''Baghdad Bulletin: Dispatches on the American Occupation'' University of Michigan Press ([[April 4]], [[2005]]) ISBN 0-472-11469-7 *[http://www.ibtauris.com/ibtauris/display.asp?K=510000000937692&aub=Paul%20Rogers&cid=ibtauris&m=1&dc=1 Rogers, Paul. ''Iraq and the War on Terror: Twelve Months of Insurgency.''] [[I.B. Tauris]]. ISBN 1-84511-205-9. ===News articles=== *"[http://globalpolicy.igc.org/security/issues/iraq/resist/2004/0919overview.htm An Inventory of Iraqi Resistance Groups]." ''Al-Zawra'' (Baghdad). [[September 19]], [[2004]]. *Biedermann, Ferry. "[http://www.globalpolicy.org/security/issues/iraq/occupation/2003/0816rebel.htm Portrait of an Iraqi Rebel]." ''Salon.'' [[August 16]], [[2003]], via globalpolicy. *"[http://www.middle-east-online.com/english/?id=11043 Crushing Iraq's insurgency may take up to 10 years]." ''Middle East Online'' (UK). [[August 23]], [[2004]]. *"[http://www.nytimes.com/2004/08/29/international/middleeast/29province.html?ex=1094443200&en=96e2321a0b21bd8f&ei=5006&partner=ALTAVISTA1 In Western Iraq, Fundamentalists Hold U.S. at Bay]." ''New York Times.'' [[August 29]], [[2004]]. *"[http://english.aljazeera.net/NR/exeres/6A9C138C-A809-4B04-AB2D-E2FB092237F4.htm Najaf assault turns allies against US]." ''Reuters.'' [[August 13]], [[2004]]. *"[http://english.aljazeera.net/NR/exeres/D00F7C29-F9CF-45FE-89E5-DA85C8181CF5.htm Families return to devastated Falluja]." ''Al-Jazeera.'' [[May 1]], [[2004]]. *"[http://english.aljazeera.net/NR/exeres/59D0FB50-77CE-4EF8-BCD2-C65D9D6851E0.htm Falluja breathes easy]." ''Al-Jazeera.'' [[May 1]], [[2004]]. *"[http://www.tehrantimes.com/Description.asp?Da=5/1/2004&Cat=2&Num=023 U.S. War Crimes: Torture of Iraqi Prisoners Exposed]." ''Tehran Times.'' [[May 1]], [[2004]]. *"[http://www.nytimes.com/2004/04/08/international/middleeast/08SHIA.html NYT: Shia uprising may not be confined to al-Sadr followers]." ''New York Times.'' [[April 8]], [[2004]]. Registration-free copies at [http://www.contracostatimes.com/mld/cctimes/news/8383333.htm ''Contra Costa Times''] and [http://www.smirkingchimp.com/article.php?sid=15688 ''Smirking Chimp'']. *[[Robert Fisk|Fisk, Robert]]. "[http://news.independent.co.uk/world/fisk/story.jsp?story=508891 Iraq on the brink of anarchy]." ''[[The Independent]]'' (Fallujah). [[April 6]], [[2004]]. *"[http://www.freep.com/news/nw/iraq27e_20040727.htm Diplomats stunned by abduction wave, Workers held in bid to force companies to leave]." ''Detroit Free Press.'' [[July 27]], [[2004]]. *"[http://www.mg.co.za/Content/pd.asp?ao=121350 Al-Sadr's star fades among Iraqis]." ''Mail & Guardian.'' [[August 30]], [[2004]]. *"[http://www.twincities.com/mld/twincities/news/nation/9599104.htm?1c Saddam's Baath Party is back in business]." ''Knight Ridder Newspapers.'' [[September 7]], [[2004]]. *"[http://bostonreview.net/BR29.5/hashim.html Why the insurgency won't go away]." ''Boston Review.'' October, 2004. *"[http://frontpagemagazine.com/Articles/ReadArticle.asp?ID=19899 Secrets of Terror]", Interview with Ryan Mauro, the author of the book ''Death to America: The Unreported Battle of Iraq'' ISBN 1-4137-7473-3 ===Supportive of the Resistance=== *[http://www.fightbacknews.org/2007/06/antiwartour.htm Fight Back! July 2007 - U.S. anti-war activist on speaking tour, tells of meeting with Iraqi resistance] *[http://fightbacknews.org/2007/03/voices.htm Fight Back! March 2007 - Voices of the Iraqi Resistance: Leaders of the Iraqi National Resistance Speak at an International Solidarity Conference] *[http://www.albasrah.net/moqawama/english/iraqi_resistance.htm Iraqi Resistance Reports] from [http://www.albasrah.net/ albasrah.net]. *[http://comitesirak.free.fr/present.htm With the Resistance of Baathist Iraq!]. *[[Stephen Soldz|Soldz, Stephen]]. "[http://psychoanalystsopposewar.org/ORR.htm Iraq Occupation and Resistance Report]." *"[http://english.aljazeera.net/NR/exeres/642D3A90-2175-4779-ACAE-A48FB3ECDC00.htm Iraqi resistance hailed in Brazil]" ''Al-Jazeera.'' [[August 24]], [[2004]]. *Iraqi Resistance News and Discussion from [http://iraqwar.mirror-world.ru/tiki-index.php Mirror of the World Foundation]. *[http://www.usnews.com/usnews/news/articles/050623/23euroleft.htm Eurolefties fund Iraq insurgency], ''[[U.S. News & World Report]]'', [[June 23]], [[2005]] ===Profiles of insurgent groups=== *[http://www.globalsecurity.org/intell/world/iraq/fedayeen.htm Global Security: Saddam's Martyrs "Men of Sacrifice" Fedayeen Saddam] *[http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/3483089.stm BBC: Abu Musab al-Zarqawi] *[http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/world/para/ansar-al-sunna.htm Global Security: Jaish Ansar al-Sunna] {{Iraq War}} {{War on Terrorism}} {{Asia in topic|Terrorism in}} {{Armed Iraqi Groups in the Iraq War and the Iraq Civil War}} [[Category:2003 in Iraq]] [[Category:Conflicts in 2003]] [[Category:2004 in Iraq]] [[Category:Conflicts in 2004]] [[Category:2005 in Iraq]] [[Category:Conflicts in 2005]] [[Category:2006 in Iraq]] [[Category:Conflicts in 2006]] [[Category:2007 in Iraq]] [[Category:Conflicts in 2007]] [[Category:21st century]] [[Category:Al-Qaeda in Iraq]] [[Category:Al-Qaeda activities]] [[Category:Islamic terrorism]] [[Category:National liberation movements]] [[Category:Politics of Iraq]] [[Category:Political neologisms]] [[Category:Rebellions in Asia]] [[Category:Religion and violence]] [[Category:Revolutions]] [[Category:United States-Iraqi relations]] [[Category:War on Terror|War on Terrorism]] [[Category:Wikipedia articles in need of updating]] [[Category:Iraqi insurgency|*]] [[ar:جماعات مسلحة عراقية]] [[da:Irakiske oprørere]] [[es:Resistencia iraquí]] [[fr:Guérilla irakienne]] [[hr:Irački gerilci]] [[nl:Opstanden in Irak sinds 2003]] [[no:De irakiske opprørerne]] [[pt:Insurgência iraquiana]] [[sh:Irački pobunjenici]] [[fi:Irakin vastarinta]] [[sv:Upprorsrörelsen i Irak]] [[zh:伊拉克游击战]]