AL QAEDA'S QUAGMIRE:

Al-Qaeda tightens its grip in Iraq (Syed Saleem Shahzad, 11/15/05, Asia Times)

The death of former Iraqi vice president Ezzat Ibrahim al-Douri marks a turning point in the Iraqi resistance. Command of the movement will now almost completely be in the hands of al-Qaeda, which will further cement its moves to fight a global war against America under a unified, open command. [...]

For a long time Douri was the acknowledged driver of the resistance, but in the past few months little was heard of him. The speculation in the resistance was that he had either died, or once again gone to Syria. His illness was well known - he traveled with a mobile medical unit that was able to change his blood wherever required.

Douri's absence over the past months coincides with the period in which Islamic groups prevailed over the Iraqi resistance and effectively took control. After Douri, there is no one of his stature or knowledge to lead the remnants of Saddam's era. They have little option but to stick with the command of the Islamic groups.

Making the resistance an entirely foreign infection seems unlikely to widen its support in country.

Posted by Orrin Judd at November 14, 2005 9:04 AM