Brit reporter on Iraq
 

Anyone seen this yet?

"Who exactly are the Iraqi resistance? In a remarkable essay, Ghaith Abdul-Ahad joins the front-line anti-American fighters in Kerbala, Falluja and Sadr City, and discovers that they are not always the well-trained, highly motivated fanatics we imagine ."

Is this surprising?

Not at all, only to hear it reported in the press. It is interesting to read - one of those word pictures you can easily see.

Absolutely, sorry if I came across as negative.

That article pretty much confirmed what I suspected.

Amateur Hour.

TR

Ever since the Pancho Villa days there was a fine line separating "guerillas" from "bandidos". All along I have felt we were dealing more with lawlessness than insurgency. This is not to say that insurgency doesn't exist.

I suspect that insurgency can often partially consist of telling bandidos which way to point their guns, and maybe supplying them with some drugs or other marginal benefits.

Very much reminded me of descriptions of Aidid's militia in Somalia.

Does this mean that the US should, if they are not doing so already, concentrate on Civil Affairs to attempt to minimilize the number of people without jobs or activities to keep them engaged?

Solid