Saturday, December 23, 2006
This Almost Made Me Laugh
From the WP yesterday (courtesy of CLG; note that the linked page's contents will change soon):
DUBAI (Reuters) - The leader of an al Qaeda-backed group offered to refrain from attacking U.S. forces if they withdrew from Iraq within a month and left their heavy weapons behind, according to an audio tape posted on the Internet on Friday. "We call on (President George W.) Bush not to waste this historic opportunity which insures you a safe withdrawal," said the speaker, identified as Abu Omar al-Baghdadi, head of the so-called Islamic State in Iraq, which was announced in October by al Qaeda and groups linked to it. The authenticity of the tape could not be verified, but it was posted on two main Web sites used by al Qaeda and other insurgent groups in Iraq. "We are awaiting your response within two weeks of this announcement," said the speaker in the tape, which was dated December 22. He said insurgent groups would refrain from attacking withdrawing U.S. forces if they left within a month. Baghdadi was a little-known militant before Sunni militant groups including al Qaeda announced what they described as an Islamic state in Iraq. Baghdadi was named as the head of the state and in November, the leader of Iraq's al Qaeda wing -- Abu Hamza al-Muhajir -- vowed allegiance to him. The recording was posted on the Internet hours after Defense Secretary Robert Gates ended a visit to Iraq aimed at finding a new strategy to curb violence and allow U.S. troops to withdraw.This is the joke of jokes. Of all the factions in Iraq right now, the Sunni Al-Qaeda carpetbaggers from Saudi Arabia are among the least powerful and most disliked. If the US commanders willingly hand over their heavy gear to anyone, it won't be them. The US generals would much rather cut a deal with the Ba'athists or even Sadr, but never, not ever, anyone connected to Al-Qaeda.
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