Another success in Iraq with the capture of 6 terrorists, which is good. But even better is the fact that with these terrorists was a letter written to Zarqawi from Abu Zayd:
Abu Zayd informs in his letter to the “Sheikh” that, “This is a clarification of what has become of the situation in Mosul, and it is no secret to you the noticeable decrease in the attacks carried out by the Mujahidin, from not long ago when Mosul was in the hands of the Mujahidin?” Abu Zayd continues by listing the multiple reasons why the “Mujahidin” have been less effective recently.
Abu Zayd claims that the Mosul Emirs are incompetent; attacks lack diversity; suicide bombings are focused more on quantity and not quality; those who are in the network are disobedient; a legitimate organization in Mosul does not exist; collaboration between the Emirs is lacking; “Muslim money” is squandered on petty expenses; numerous security violations occur; “inaccurate and blurred” updates to the Sheikh are reported; and foreign fighters endure “deplorable” conditions to include lack of pay, housing problems and marginalization.
Similar complaints to the “Sheikh” regarding lack of leadership were found in a letter written by a known terrorist cell leader who fought in Fallujah. Multi-National forces found this letter, authored by Abu Asim al-Qusaymi al-Yemeni and dated Apr. 27, during a raid in Baghdad in May.
Abu Zayd proposed a few solutions to the many problems he outlined to include a warning that if focus and pursuit of development is not provided to Mosul, “?the fall of Mosul in the hands of the Mujahidin is possible, and because it relieves the pressure off the other cities such as Al-Qa?im, Tal?afar.”
In recent months Multi-National Forces have captured or killed many of the key leaders of terrorism in Mosul, to include Abu Musab al-Zarqawi?s most trusted military commander, Muhammed Khalaf Shakara, aka Abu Talha. Security Forces captured Abu Talha, the former Mosul Emir of Al Qaeda in Iraq, in Mosul June 14.
Abu Talha and his organization are responsible for attacks against Iraqi citizens, Iraqi Security Forces and Multi-National Forces. Abu Talha used improvised explosive devices and suicide bombings to suppress local citizens and was known to have assassinated local clerics, governmental officials, businessmen, and citizens who protested his intimidation tactics.
Within a month after the significant capture of Abu Talha, Security forces detained two other key terrorist leaders in Mosul, Abu Bara and Mullah Mehdi. Abu Bara served as a facilitator of suicide bombings and was affiliated with many of the cells within the Talha network. Abu Bara was a former sub-commander of Al Qaida Emir of Mosul, Abu Talha, but replaced Talha after he was captured June 14. Mullah Mehdi was a senior leader within the Talha network and the military leader of all insurgents operating in eastern Mosul.
Michael Yon has been blogging from Mosul and details all the success our troops are having in training the Iraqi’s to defend themselves:
The key to long term stability in Iraq is the Iraqi Security Forces, which are comprised of the Police, Army, Navy, Border Police and similar organizations. From a ground?s eye perspective, the ISF progress is remarkable. In Mosul, for instance, the ISF is fielding increasing personnel, and operations. Their success has had a few unanticipated consequences. US Army Captain Paul Carron recently reported that so many undercover police are operating in Mosul, that they have been arresting each other, sometimes accusing each other of possessing fake ID cards.
Carrying any Government ID card is serious business. Just this morning, insurgents were randomly stopping cars searching for persons carrying government identification?people carrying such ID often are killed on the spot. We watched the live feed from overhead surveillance as Iraqi police swooped in on the insurgents.
Aside from minor bungles, the police are rounding up terrorists and seizing munitions, trying to close the gap between terrorists and civilians who want to get on with their lives.
So the above letter isn’t too surprising, and corroberates an earlier letter to Zarqawi in which the same complaints were being made. Plus add in the fact that many of his trusted aide’s are being captured or killed and it sure sounds as if things are going good. Not that MSM would tell you that. The Captain makes that point also:
Marginalization? I thought that the press considered this a fight against occupation? We have heard over and over again that our presence in Iraq causes all the violence, that the Iraqis have run out of patience with our troops remaining in their country, and that they support Zarqawi’s goal of pushing us out. Sayd, who appears to be much closer to the issue, notes that his terrorists face marginalization and a dire shortage of shelter.
That hardly sounds like the kind of situation the media has described for us in Iraq. It does, however, sound exactly like what Donald Rumsfeld and soldiers on the ground have described for two years now. The Iraqis do not want to be occupied by anyone, but they especially do not want foreign terrorists attempting to do to the entire country what they once did to Fallujah. They want us to get rid of the Zarqawi lunatics, and to help them develop an army to keep the Islamofascists out for good.
Check out Chrenkoff, & The Fourth Rail for more.
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