Perhaps my post last night portrayed a tad too negative view of the war against Islamist terror, although it looks like I may have been dead on about the trouble the murderers are having recruiting martyrs. A captured letter released today shows that the fodder shortage may just be the tip of the terrorists’ troubled iceberg.
U.S. forces in Iraq have captured what they say is a letter from a key supporter to insurgent leader Abu Musab Zarqawi, indicating that there is a split in the insurgency, which the letter blames on poor leadership.
The U.S. command in Iraq says troops found the letter during a raid in Baghdad last Friday. Defense Department spokesman Bryan Whitman says experts have confirmed its authenticity as message from senior aide Abu Asim Yemeni to the insurgent leader Abu Musab Zarqawi.
“The letter is important because it highlights the fact that Zarqawi’s influence and effectiveness may be deteriorating. It describes low morale and weak and incompetent leadership, and goes on to allege to Zarqawi that he has abandoned his followers because he is now a fugitive himself,” he said.
According to a translation of the letter provided by U.S. forces in Iraq, it describes some trouble between groups of insurgents that the apparent writer, Mr. Yemeni, says “cannot be forgiven.” He reports to his old friend Mr. Zarqawi that “morale has weakened” and “lines have become separated due to some leaders’ actions.” The letter says, “We have leaders that are not capable of being good leaders” It also expresses suspicion about some envoys who claim to speak for Mr. Zarqawi, and warns him not to believe everything his closest aides tell him.
The full text of the letter can be found here.
Let’s throw this story around the horn, blogosphere-style
Comments
2 responses to “Letter Reveals Problems in Iraq Insurgency”
Gunner do you believe this is real? Some folks think this is US propaganda (sp?).I hope it is real but if it isn’t-it will still have an impact I think.
Raven, yes I certainly do believe this is genuine, and for several reasons. First, the price that the DoD and the war effort would pay if it was found fraudulent would be far greater than any benefit initially received by the letter’s publication. Second, if this was just meant for local propaganda on the ground in Iraq, our Psy Ops units have better ways to broadcast its existance. Right now, Iraq is one huge rumor mill. Third and perhaps most important, it just fits. The terrorists have to be disheartened to some degree. They have repeatedly failed to live up to the boastful promises of their leadership. They have watched the native populace embrace a hope for a democratic future. They have found that they can hit and enrage the citizenry, hamper but not stop the growth and improvement of local security forces, and die in a painful manner against coalition forces. They have seen Zarqawi promise the defense of Fallujah and then slink away before that defense was shredded (I have long thought that Zarqawi’s Fallujah cowardly escape would haunt him more than the coalition). They have seen him fail on his boast of making the streets run with blood to stop the January elections. Those opposing the coalition and the new Iraq simply cannot be happy campers right now.
I do question a couple of things about the letter, though. First, though minor, was it really intended for Zarqawi? Second, is this an indication of a widespread demoralization or just a crack in the dyke that could yet be patched by the murderers?