Define: "Sort of an affiliate of Al Qaida"

[theHandpuppet]

Isn't this just stretching things a bit? "Sort of an affiliate of Al Qaida"? Is that like "sort of Al Qaida of Iraq thrice removed"? Or is this just one of those times they know they have to squeeze the words "Al Qaida" in the sentence somewhere, somehow?

http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/I/IRAQ_MISSING_SOLDIERS?SITE=OHCIN&SECTION=AMERICAS&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT
Commander: at Least 2 U.S. Troops Alive

By ROBERT H. REID
Associated Press Writer

BAGHDAD, Iraq (AP) -- The top U.S. commander in Iraq said he believes he knows who kidnapped three U.S. soldiers last weekend and that at least two of them are still alive, the Army Times newspaper reported.

"We know who that guy is," Gen. David Petraeus said in an interview posted Saturday on the Army Times Web site. He did not give the man's name but described him as "sort of an affiliate of al-Qaida. He's the big player down in that area. We've tangled with him before."

MORE

[blitzen]

1. hah!!! i was gonna post this....you beat me to it n/t

[kenny blankenship]

2. We know they're related to Al-Qaida.

I just used them together in a sentence for example. See how close they appear to Al-Qaida there? Barely more than an inch separates them from Al-Qaida, if that. That's as close as you can get without needing to put a turban on your ayatollah.

[Kagemusha]

3. The serious answer would be, an independent who deals with "AQ in Iraq"

Doesn't really take orders but is involved in the proverbial sunflower conspiracy, facing the same enemies and not being an enemy of Al Qaeda. The thug equivalent of a regional power, the Syria to Al Qaeda in Iraq's Soviet Union, etc.

My understanding is that Saddam lined the roads between certain cities, including the area where this took place, with Sunnis so that he could control them and block Shiite revolts more easily. In spite of constant resistance against US forces, insurgents are still operating in the area to this day, pretty undaunted.

[arcane1]

4. definition: "Kevin Bacon" n/t

[Igel]

5. To built on Shadow Warrior's post ...

I think it's possible Petraeus was also saying the guy is in charge of one of the factions in the ISI. Given the cooperation and PR cover the ISI provides, AQ/Mesopotamia's a bit more diffuse than AQ in general is.

[uppityperson]

6. Member of the Wa'nabi organization

say it out loud if you don't get it

[liberal N proud]

7. It's like Saddam had was sort of responsible for 9/11

You can just make the facts up as you go along if you want. Make them fit your needs for the propaganda.

[Dr.Phool]

8. Maybe they're in the same bowling league.

They're sort of affiliated.