The Guerrilla Advantage in Iraq

[bemildred]

Wish I could post it all.

As recently as two weeks ago, Lt. Gen. Ricardo S.
Sanchez, the top U.S. commander in Iraq, called
the guerrilla attacks on U.S. forces in Iraq
"strategically and operationally insignificant."

Insignificant? Actually, it is difficult to identify any
military or political objectives that the guerrillas are
not making real progress toward achieving.

The insurgents have successfully struck a blow at
coalition military forces. According to an extensive
survey by Stars and Stripes, 49% of troops
reported that their unit's morale was low or very
low.

Friendly governments, like Japan's, have either
delayed their troop commitments or, like the
Italians, are debating their current commitments.

LA Times(Reg. Req.)

[mmm]

1. interesting. I think this says it all:

"Experience strongly suggests that there is very little hope of destroying a revolutionary guerrilla movement after it has acquired the sympathetic support of a significant segment of the population, ranging from 15% to 25%. This support does not need to be actively sympathetic; it merely needs to not betray the insurgents. The intensely tribal nature of the Iraqi populace, where almost half of all marriages are between first cousins, buttresses this solidarity."

Wow.