The new head of Centcomm stated the obvious today, a departure from prior efforts from the Administration to downplay what's happening in Iraq. What will be interesting to learn as time goes on is to what extent the Baathists pre-planned their strategy and how much was improvised. It's a deadly contest and only the demise of our adversaries will end it.
U.S. and coalition forces are facing organized opposition by Baathist remnants throughout Iraq, U.S. Army Gen. John Abizaid told reporters at the Pentagon July 16. On the eve of his departure to the region, the new commander of Operation Iraqi Freedom and U.S. Central Command joined Larry Di Rita, acting assistant defense secretary for public affairs, at the podium to give an update on the security situation in Iraq.Posted by Alan at July 16, 2003 08:52 PMThe general said mid-level Baathist intelligence, Special Security Organization and Special Republican Guard people "have organized at the regional level in cellular structure and are conducting what I would describe as a classical guerrilla-type campaign against us. It's low-intensity conflict in our doctrinal terms, but it's war, however you describe it.
"We're seeing a cellular organization of six to eight people armed with (rocket-propelled grenades), machine guns, etc., attacking us, sometimes at times and places of their choosing, and at other times, we attack them at times and places of our choosing. They are receiving financial help from probably regional-level leaders."
Di Rita pointed out that the coalition's opponents have one objective, and that is to restore the regime of Saddam Hussein. The tactics they use will change, he stressed. At the moment, "they're using the tactics Gen. Abizaid has described."
"And for those who wish to discuss whether it's this type of war or that type of war, it's always better to keep in mind what they're after, and what they're after is to restore Saddam's regime to power," he added.
Although the level of resistance isn't escalating in numbers of incidents, Abizaid said, the resistance is getting more organized. The Iraqis are learning and adapting to coalition tactics, techniques and procedures. "At the tactical level, they're better coordinated," he said. "They're less amateurish, and their ability to use improvised explosive devices and combine the use of these explosive devices with some sort of tactical activity – say for example, attacking the quick reaction forces – is more sophisticated."
Coalition forces are also adapting to the Iraqi opposition's tactics, techniques and procedures. "We can handle the tactical problems that are presented," the general said. U.S. and coalition forces are doing a magnificent job dealing with the current situation, he added.
"War is a struggle of wills," Abizaid noted. "You look at the Arab press (and) they say, 'We drove the Americans out of Beirut. We drove them out of Somalia. We'll drive them out of Baghdad.' That's just not true. They're not driving us out of anywhere."
via DefenseLink