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Alazam 5 Rockets and the Zarqawi Tape
Schematic of an Alazan rocket In last week’s posting, The Military & Propaganda Messages in Zarqawi’s Tape, I pointed out the missiles that were so prominent in video were crude and ineffective weapons as the rockets were small and unguided. While this is true in a conventional sense, it turns out the weapons depicted in the video are Alazam 5 rockets, some of which have been modified for a very unconventional purpose, as a delivery vehicle for a radiological weapon. An unnamed military source contacted me to identify the rockets shown in the video, and stated, “It was known as…
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Hunting Zarqawi and Tales of the Tape (Updated)
In today’s weekly media briefing from Baghdad, Major General Rick Lynch stated Coalition and Iraqi forces are closing in on Zarqawi and his network. “We believe it is only a matter of time until Zarqawi is taken down. It’s not if, but when,” said Maj. Gen. Lynch, “He’s willing to pull his people from outside the perimeter of Baghdad into Baghdad to go full out on operations inside of Baghdad. Which leads us to believe his personal location is probably somewhere close to those operations. Zarqawi is zooming in on Baghdad, we are zooming in on Zarqawi.” Zarqawi’s focus on…
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al Qaeda’s Assassination Program in Anbar
al Qaeda continues its campaign of targeted assassinations against Sunni leaders cooperating with the elected government of Iraq. Today, a suicide bomber put Maamoon Sami Rasheed al-Awani, the governor of Anbar province, in its sights and attempted to kill him with a suicide car bomb. al-Awani survived the attack, but ten Iraqi bystanders were killed in the ensuing blast. “This is a cowardly attempt, and this is not in the best interest of Anbar or the country,” Awani said. “On the same day of the attack, I am here and am ready to work. I will continue working to serve…
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Terrorist Cell Dismantled Near Balad
Suspected locations of raids on al Qaeda cells. Click to Enlarge. Two weeks ago, Task Force 145 struck at what was believed to be the hideout of Abu Musab al-Zarqawi in the city of Yusifiyah. Five terrorists were killed in the raid, and Coalition forces discovered suicide vests and suicide notes along with various weapons. A week later twelve terrorists were killed in a similar raid in Yusifayh.
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Safe Havens & Iraq
The debate over Iraq being a safe haven and training ground, or a magnet and killing ground for terrorists has been ongoing since the inception of al Qaeda’s terrorist attacks in the summer of 2003. The reality is there is merit to both arguments. al Qaeda has managed to establish enclaves for small periods of time, particularly in Anbar province during 2005, and has been able to recruit and train fighters from inside and outside the country. Senior al Qaeda operatives, some with ten to fifteen years of experience in al Qaeda’s ranks, have been killed or captured in Iraq.…
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Zarqawi and Task Force 145
The Army Times’ Sean Naylor has a fascinating article on Task Force 145, which has replaced Task Force 626 and 121, and the hunt for Abu Musab al-Zarqawi, which I have summarized below: – Zarqawi was nearly captured in Yusufiyah by Special Operations Forces nine days prior to the release of his videotape. Segments of the Zarqawi’s newly released video were uncovered, and Mr. Naylor intimates the insurgent preparing to fire a rocket and was subsequently killed by small arms fire (or more likely sniper fire) was preparing to fire a MANPADS surface-to-air missile.
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Sistani Rejects Militias, COIN in Iraq
Resolving Iraq’s militia problem has become a priority for the Iraqi government and the Coalition. The delay in appointing a new government is directly related to the various political party’s fear that former Prime Minister Jaafari was too close to Muqtada al-Sadr and his Mahdi Army militia, and would not reform the police forces believed to be infiltrated with militia members. Jawad al-Maliki, the prime minister designate, has vowed to dismantle the militias by integrating them into the security forces. The proof will be in his nominations for the critical posts of Defense and Interior.
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The Military & Propaganda Messages in Zarqawi’s Tape
Abu Musab al-Zarqawi’s 34 minute long video tape not only includes numerous political messages, as Dr. Walid Phares explains; but also contains information on al Qaeda in Iraq’s propaganda and military capabilities. Several of the military and propaganda aspects are covered below:
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Zarqawi Releases Video Tape (Updated)
Abu Musab al-Zarqawi, al Qaeda’s commander in Iraq, has released “the first [videotape] to contain a ‘message’… U.S. intelligence officials told NBC News.” The tape is titled A Message to the People. This is his first video without a mask and directly posted on internet, not released through Al Jazeera. Zarqawi “needed” to be seen. Fox News reports US officials are very confident the tape is authentic and this is indeed Zarqawi, he is still force to be reckoned with, and he appears healthy and is working with the Mujahideen Shura Council.
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Battles in the Afghan Provinces of Helmand and Kandahar
The scene of recent fighting in Helmand and Kandahar Provinces, Click to Enlarge. The fighting continues in the troubled southern provinces of Helmand and Kandahar. Today, CENTCOM reports two separate engagements in Helmand and Kandahar. The CENTCOM press release for the Helmand incident states U.S. air assets were used to strike at a team of four Taliban in the Lashkar Gah district of Helmand province. Two Hellfire missiles and one bomb were used in the attack. Three Taliban are reported killed in the attack and one escaped. The Taliban were “responsible for launching numerous attacks against Government of Afghanistan and…
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Osama bin Laden calls Baghdad the “Epicenter” of Jihad just as the Iraqi Political Stalemate is Resolved
The threat of a full-scale civil war in Iraq has receded after the disparate political parties have come to agreement on the face of the new government. After months of deadlock over the Shiite United Iraqi Alliance’s selection of Ibrahim Jaafari as Prime Minister, Jaafari reluctantly walked away from the nomination and the UIA selected Jawad al-Maliki. The Iraqi Parliament quickly convened on Saturday and nominated al-Maliki. Jalal Talabani (a Kurd) has been selected as President and Mahmoud al-Mashhadani as the Speaker of the Parliament.
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Pakistan’s Taliban Insurgency; Four Mid-Level al Qaeda Operatives and Taliban Commanders killed in Past Week
Clashes between Pakistani security forces and al Qaeda and the Taliban continue in Pakistan’s North West Frontier Province. Yesterday, the Pakistani Army hit “suspected Taliban hideouts” with artillery barrages and helicopter strikes after security outposts in North Waziristan came under attack from Taliban fighters. Today in North Waziristan, “a paramilitary trooper and three tribesmen were killed on Sunday in a shoot-out in a restive Pakistani tribal region, as authorities tried to enforce a ban on carrying arms.”
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The Taliban Consolidates Power in Pakistan as Violence Increases in Afghanistan
Pakistan’s Northwest Frontier Province and Federally Administered Tribal Areas Yesterday’s rocket attack on the U.S. Embassy and NATO’s International Security Assistance Force compound in Kabul, Afghanistan highlights the increased level of violence throughout the country. Coalition and Afghan troop have seen a marked increase in suicide bombings, IED (roadside bombing) attacks and platoon and company-sized attacks from Taliban fighters over the past year. The Taliban’s latest springtime offensive is now in full swing.
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The Battle for Baghdad II, The Three Block War & Iraq Ops
The London Times reports plans are in the works for “the second liberation of Baghdad” after the new government forms; operational developments in Iraq
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Pounding the Taliban
41 Taliban killed in firefight near Kandahar; Mountain Lion & the 3-block war
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Coalition Forces Kill AQIZ Ambassador
Another senior al Qaeda middle-manager taken down in Iraq; said to have ties to bin Laden and Zawahiri
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Pakistan Strikes at High Value Target
Yesterday’s helicopter attack in North Waziristan is directed at Mohsin Matawalli Atwa, one of the architechs of the 1998 attacks on the U.S. Embassies in Eastern Africa
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Operation Mountain Lion in Afghanistan
A joint brigade-sized Afghan and U.S. operation in Kunar Province
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A Street Corner in Ramadi
Did the media fall for yet another insurgent information operation in Ramadi?
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A Bombing in Karachi
Dozens murdered while attending a prayer session in a public park
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Declining Jaafari
Sistani, Talabani and Sunni parties call for an end to the political deadlock for the selection of the Iraqi Prime Minister
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The Ramadi Factor
Fighting and counterinsurgency operations continue in the restive city
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al Qaeda Attacks Shiite Mosques
al Qaeda steps up its campaign to destroy the political process and incite a civil war by attacking Shiite mosques; the wider situation in Iraq is virtually being ignored
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The Global Warriors
Reflections on the Joint Urban Warrior ’06 Conference
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Disrupting an Insurgent Group
Coalition and Iraqi forces arrest Abu Ayman, the commander of the Secret Islamic Army
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The Expansion of Talibanistan
Pakistan reacts to Taliban attacks in North Waziristan after a week of fighting on the Afghan/Pakistan border; Taliban active in Tank, Khyber and Peshawar Agencies
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Where’s Zarqawi, Redux?
Reports of Zarqawi’s demotion is old news, but provides further insight on al Qaeda’s view of the state of jihad in Iraq
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Powerplay III
Pressure on Jaafari to step down mounts, Mahdi calls for Jaafari to “step aside”; Jaafari’s nomination may go to full parliamentary vote
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Turning the Screws
A senior representative of SCIRI and confidant of Ayatollah Sistani calls for Jaafari to step down Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani. Click to enlarge. As the political deadlock to form the Iraqi government continues, support for Jaafari within the United Iraqi Alliance continues to wane. Another influential member of the UIA has stepped forward and called for Jaafari’s resignation following United Iraqi Alliance senior member Kasim Daoud’s denouncement of Jaafari’s candidacy. Jalal al-Deen al-Saghir, who according to Reuters “sits on SCIRI’s main leadership council and is said by Shi’ite politicians to be close to top cleric, Grand Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani,” has has…
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Inside the UIA, Round II
Support for Jaafari within the UIA appears to be crumbling; The Battle for Baghdad is in full swing The support for Ibrahim al-Jaafari, the current Prime Minister and candidate to lead the newly elected Iraqi government, is waning. Reuters reports a large majority of the United Iraqi Alliance no longer backs his candidacy, and a member of the UIA has publicly spoken out against Jaafari: “I call on Jaafari to take a courageous step and set a fine example by stepping down,” Kasim Daoud, a senior member of the independent group within the Alliance, told Reuters… “Daoud’s call is supported…
