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View Full Version : Al Queda Gaining Strength in Iraq



Conley
11-06-2011, 09:00 AM
BAGHDAD — As the United States prepares to withdraw its troops from Iraq by year’s end, senior American and Iraqi officials are expressing growing concern that Al Qaeda’s offshoot here, which just a few years ago waged a debilitating insurgency that plunged the country into a civil war, is poised for a deadly resurgence.

Qaeda allies in North Africa, Somalia and Yemen are seeking to assert more influence after the death of Osama bin Laden and the diminished role of Al Qaeda’s remaining top leadership in Pakistan. For its part, Al Qaeda in Iraq is striving to rebound from major defeats inflicted by Iraqi tribal groups and American troops in 2007, as well as the deaths of its two leaders in 2010.

Although the organization is certainly weaker than it was at its peak five years ago and is unlikely to regain its prior strength, American and Iraqi analysts said the Qaeda franchise is shifting its tactics and strategies — like attacking Iraqi security forces in small squads — to exploit gaps left by the departing American troops and to try to reignite sectarian violence in the country.

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/11/06/world/middleeast/leaving-iraq-us-fears-new-surge-of-qaeda-terror.html?_r=1&hp

This was going to happen no matter when we left. If the pockets of AQ are small enough it will be some good experience for the local Iraqi forces to get some combat experience and learn to police their own country.

Mister D
11-06-2011, 09:24 AM
I agree. I would expected AQ to try to gain an advantage. Seriously, who didn't see this coming?

Conley
11-06-2011, 09:28 AM
I agree. I would expected AQ to try to gain an advantage. Seriously, who didn't see this coming?


Exactly, the questions was not if AQ would move in but how well the local Iraqi forces repel them. That remains to be seen. It will be interesting to see over the next few years how much AQ activity comes out of Iraq and Libya. Really I think most would agree Libya is the more concerning of the two and more likely to become their HQ of sorts. There is probably a lot of local resentment towards AQ in Iraq, not so much in Libya.

Mister D
11-06-2011, 09:36 AM
I agree. I would expected AQ to try to gain an advantage. Seriously, who didn't see this coming?


Exactly, the questions was not if AQ would move in but how well the local Iraqi forces repel them. That remains to be seen. It will be interesting to see over the next few years how much AQ activity comes out of Iraq and Libya. Really I think most would agree Libya is the more concerning of the two and more likely to become their HQ of sorts. There is probably a lot of local resentment towards AQ in Iraq, not so much in Libya.


Well, Libya could turn out OK. The thing is we simply rolled the dice. Yeah, no doubt AQ wore out whatever welcome and wasted any sympathy it may have had in Iraq.

Conley
11-06-2011, 09:40 AM
I agree. I would expected AQ to try to gain an advantage. Seriously, who didn't see this coming?


Exactly, the questions was not if AQ would move in but how well the local Iraqi forces repel them. That remains to be seen. It will be interesting to see over the next few years how much AQ activity comes out of Iraq and Libya. Really I think most would agree Libya is the more concerning of the two and more likely to become their HQ of sorts. There is probably a lot of local resentment towards AQ in Iraq, not so much in Libya.


Well, Libya could turn out OK. The thing is we simply rolled the dice. Yeah, no doubt AQ wore out whatever welcome and wasted any sympathy it may have had in Iraq.


Right. We just don't know what consequences our actions will have. I should have said of the two I think AQ is more likely to grab a foothold in Libya. I certainly hope it doesn't become their headquarters. As you say, who knows?

Captain Obvious
11-06-2011, 11:00 AM
Why would anyone be surprised? Of course al Quaida is going to be drawn into the vacuum in Iraq after we depart.

Same shit will happen in Afghanistan.

It's what they do.

Mister D
11-06-2011, 12:00 PM
Why would anyone be surprised? Of course al Quaida is going to be drawn into the vacuum in Iraq after we depart.

Same shit will happen in Afghanistan.

It's what they do.


Well put.

donttread
11-02-2023, 06:36 PM
BAGHDAD — As the United States prepares to withdraw its troops from Iraq by year’s end, senior American and Iraqi officials are expressing growing concern that Al Qaeda’s offshoot here, which just a few years ago waged a debilitating insurgency that plunged the country into a civil war, is poised for a deadly resurgence.

Qaeda allies in North Africa, Somalia and Yemen are seeking to assert more influence after the death of Osama bin Laden and the diminished role of Al Qaeda’s remaining top leadership in Pakistan. For its part, Al Qaeda in Iraq is striving to rebound from major defeats inflicted by Iraqi tribal groups and American troops in 2007, as well as the deaths of its two leaders in 2010.

Although the organization is certainly weaker than it was at its peak five years ago and is unlikely to regain its prior strength, American and Iraqi analysts said the Qaeda franchise is shifting its tactics and strategies — like attacking Iraqi security forces in small squads — to exploit gaps left by the departing American troops and to try to reignite sectarian violence in the country.

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/11/06/world/middleeast/leaving-iraq-us-fears-new-surge-of-qaeda-terror.html?_r=1&hp

This was going to happen no matter when we left. If the pockets of AQ are small enough it will be some good experience for the local Iraqi forces to get some combat experience and learn to police their own country.

If we were going to change the ME with war, it would be changed by now. But Biden he needs a war as a reelection ploy so we may well have one and the more options the better