Iraq battling more than 200,000 insurgents: intelligence chief

[aikido15]

AFP

01/03/05 -- BAGHDAD, Jan 3 (AFP) - Iraq's insurgency counts more than 200,000 active fighters and sympathisers, the country's national intelligence chief told AFP, in the bleakest assessment to date of the armed revolt waged by Sunni Muslims.

"I think the resistance is bigger than the US military in Iraq. I think the resistance is more than 200,000 people," Iraqi intelligence service director General Mohamed Abdullah Shahwani said in an interview ahead of the January 30 elections.

http://207.44.245.159/article7603.htm

[chicagojoe]

1. I think the insurgency hasn't really kicked it into gear yet.

My concern for our troops grows daily. I don't think the shit has even come close to the fan yet.

[aikido15]

2. I think you're right...

unfortunately.

[Downtown Hound]

3. I swear to God, I get so tired of being right all the time

Gee, the number of insurgents sure has shot up in recent months, hasn't it? I l aways knew that those 5,000, 10,000 numbers were complete bullshit. Hell, let's just let some DU'ers run the country. We could do a lot better than this current crop of dumbasses.

[purduejake]

4. No thanks! I'll send aid, but I don't want to touch Iraq!

edit: just another sign of an impending draft! Get ready, folks!

[Downtown Hound]

5. Neither do I

I'd pull out as soon as possible. It would save a lot of lives. And it's what we're going to end up doing anyway. The sooner we do, the more lives we'll save.

[aikido15]

6. I could for that...

an IMMEDIATE pull out, it's the only answer to this insanity.

[purduejake]

7. Although I think we've already set the stage....

for a big civil war that is inevitable if we pull out right away. At this point I guess it's pointless to say we shouldn't have invaded in the first place. I agree, though. Pull 'em out.

[bling bling]

8. What was it that Bush said? Oh yeah, "Bring It On!!"

I still can't believe that the majority of the soldiers on the ground there voted for Bush. If that is true, I guess, at least it is mostly his followers who are doing his dirty work. But I feel sick for the Iraqi civilians and non-Bush-worshipping soldiers who were forced into being a part of this disaster.

Worst. President. Ever. Ever. Ever. Ever.

[Lone_Star_Dem]

9. I'm sure it's more than 200,000, myself.

After what we did in Fallujah I hate to think how many people who were unsure decided to turn against us. What the hell did this administration expect to happen?

[dutchdoctor]

10. This is no insurgency.. this is civil war.

Interesting that the number is so close to the number of Fallujans that became homeless after the U.S. army destroyed their entire city (250.000). Coincidence?

[annabanana]

11. Iraq is battling U.S.

Not all Shi'ites are such big friends of our troops.

[Hekate]

12. Molly Ivins: "This will be the 'peace' from Hell"

After the great "Mission Accomplished" photo-op with its attendant gloating and strutting about how quick and easy it was to bring down Saddam, Molly Ivins said she loathed being the prophet of doom but that her prediction was that the aftermath was going to be "the peace from Hell."

Was she ever right.

Hekate

[Hekate]

13. The goddess Nemesis

In early 2003 career diplomat John Brady Kiesling resigned his post in protest of the Bush Regime's policies. On his last night in Athens he gathered with his friends at the ancient Temple of Nemesis.

He talked about the goddess, how Nemesis punishes those who overstep boundaries; how she played a part in the war between the Greeks and the Persians.

Then Kiesling poured a glass of wine on the ground and said, "God help the United States of America."

Think 200,000 furious Iraqis makes the point?

Hekate

[Moderator]

14. duplicate topic, please discuss here

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=102&topic_id=1117575