80% of Iraqi insurgents are foreign????????

[RethugAssKicker]

I overheard this bing said by some general on CSPAN this morning.

My understanding is that only about 5% of the fighters are not Iraqis.

Is this BS or what ?

[sicksicksick_N_tired]

1. He must have mis-spoke because it's the other way around, at least.

I don't know what else to say.

[AlCzervik]

2. thats not true, like 80% of the 5% are from Saudi Arabia and not--i repeat not from Iran.

Petreaus said at the hearing "75% of FF in Iraq are from SA".

[acmavm]

3. Who knows? We've killed enough civilians maybe that's all

that's left.

[Kelly Rupert]

4. The percentage of foreign insurgents has been increasing,

with "insurgent" meaning "those attacking United States soldiers." Sunnis are beginning to find Americans to be a secondary threat (with Shi'a militias and al-Qaeda terrorists higher on the "bad guy" list), and the Shi'a largely prefer to duke it out with each other (in areas where they've managed to extinguish most Sunni force).

80%, though? There's a figure I haven't heard.

[EFerrari]

5. Keep in mind that he's a Liar for the Pentagram. n/t

[fasttense]

6. Looks like bush is as incapable of protecting

the borders of the country we occupy as is he is incapable of protecting the US borders.

[Lasher]

7. Total absolute BS

This is part of the never-ending references to al Qaida in Iraq who by implication are supposed to be the same al Qaida that attacked us in 2001. This is why you see so much emphasis on insurgents who are foreign to Iraq.

The Brookings Institution's Iraq Index tells a different story. If you scroll down to page 27 of that document you can see that there was a total of only 800 to 2000 foreign insurgents there as of November 2006. And during June thru August this year there were 40 to 60 foreigners per month illegally crossing into Iraq to support the insurgency.

It is also interesting to note the nationalities represented.

[RethugAssKicker]

8. Thanks for the chart

I figured as much... that the bastard was lying!!

[Lasher]

10. Mmkaay.

I've posted it here before but I think it's worth putting up every now and then. Note that the Brookings Institution supplies ample footnotes to identify their source data. They also update the document as new information becomes available.

[KharmaTrain]

9. Operative Word: Insurgents

First of all, who the hell are "insurgents"? Seems this term is as fluid as boooshie's grey matter. Are these the ones who only get shot in the back of the head? Or are they former allies we've armed that now are boogiemen? And didn't we beat these "dead-enders" when we got Al Zarqwai? The definition changes to suit the latest regime scare tactic.

The fact is anyone who opposes our involvement is an Insurgent...that appears to be 80% or more of the Iraqi people...and over 60% of the American people.

[Lasher]

11. in SUR juhnt

a person who rises in forcible opposition to lawful authority, esp. a person who engages in armed resistance to a government or to the execution of its laws; rebel.

[KharmaTrain]

13. Then What's A Freedom Fighter?

Reminds me of the old Vietnam argument. Your insurgent is my freedom fighter. By this definition Washington was an insurgent.

Now let's put the shoe on the other foot...if this country had been invaded by a foreign power, would you consider someone who put up resistance as a rebel or a hero? It's all perspective.

Lastly, whose a "lawful authority" in this mess? It sure isn't a regime that invaded based on cooked intel and equating Iraq with 9/11.

The only lawful authority I have hopes in will be in the World Court in the Hague.

Cheers...

[Lasher]

14. And what's a patriot?

a person who loves, supports, and defends his or her country and its interests with devotion.

But wait a minute: How could George Washington and his insurgent/freedom fighter allies have been patriots since they were rising up against their country (England)? Or was the US a country already just because they said it was? And if so, what about the Confederate patriot/insurgent/freedom fighters in the US civil war?

My head hurts. Think I'll have a cold beer and get ready to watch WVU whup up the enemy insurgent South Florida tonight.

[Javaman]

12. Well, you have to take it in context...

since we occupy the nation, everyone else, therefore is a foreigner, more so, since 20% of the population still wants us to stay, they are considered de-facto citizens.

See? it's that easy to figure out... :crazy: