Posted on 06/21/2005 10:27:28 AM PDT by GPBurdell
U.S. General: Many Insurgents in Iraq Paid
By JOHN J. LUMPKIN, Associated Press Writer 51 minutes ago
Many insurgents conducting attacks in Iraq are primarily motivated by money instead of ideology, and can receive $150 for setting a bomb and more for other types of assaults, a top U.S. general asserted Tuesday.
Lt. Gen. John R. Vines, commander of the Multinational Corps in Iraq, also said he was not ready to recommend any U.S. troop reductions, but he held out hope they may be possible early next year. Several generals have expressed similar hopes in recent months.
Vines acknowledged the insurgency has become static in size and capability, despite U.S. and Iraqi operations to combat it, frequent reports of mass arrests and the discovery of weapons caches. Daily attacks across Iraq number between 50 and 60, roughly the same level as much of last year.
"We don't see the insurgency contracting or expanding right now," Vines said.
The general said that some simple attacks, such as placing a bomb or mine, are performed for as little as $100 or $150. Speaking to reporters at the Pentagon via teleconference from Iraq, Vines cited interviews with captured detainees.
"So we believe that this insurgency is driven in large measure by money," Vines said, suggesting the ideological supporters of the insurgency are funding the attacks. Some bombings are worth hundreds of dollars or more, he said.
He suggested that even some suicide bombings are motivated by money, but provided little detail.
"I mean, how much do you pay someone who's going to murder some other people when they kill themselves?" he said.
He did not say where the money for the attacks was coming from. Previously, military officials have said the insurgency is being partially financed by money from Saddam's regime still accessible to his supporters.
Vines described the insurgency as fractured by motivation. The group of foreigners led by Abu Musab al-Zarqawi, who has declared allegiance to al-Qaida, is behind many of the spectacular suicide bombings on civilian targets.
"Foreigners that are brought in typically do things that Iraqis won't do to each other," Vines said. Foreign fighters are chiefly Sudanese, Saudi, Yemeni and Egyptian; many come into Iraq through Syria, he said.
Some Iraqis also follow a Sunni Islamic extremist ideology, he said.
"Their opposition to the new government is based on religious objections," he said. "That group is quite small but it is very violent."
Another group, which Vines numbered as a "few thousand," are supporters of the regime of President Saddam Hussein. Still another is composed of Iraqi nationalists opposed to any foreign presence on Iraqi soil.
Last month was the most violent for Iraqi civilians since the U.S.-led invasion to remove Saddam Hussein from power in March 2003, Vines said.
Vines said it is still too soon to consider a reduction in U.S. troops in Iraq. Some generals have previously said they might make such recommendations early as this month, but violence there has since increased.
But he also expressed hope that a functioning Iraqi political system would lead to a reduction in violence and allow significant numbers of American troops to begin coming home, perhaps in March 2006, after Iraqi elections.
That could amount to four or five brigades, he said — less than a quarter of the 135,000 U.S. troops currently in the country.
Pentagon leaders have previously said the insurgency in Iraq cannot be defeated by force alone.
But Vines took that a step further, asserting that the creation of Iraqi democratic institutions could accomplish what American troops and Iraqi security personnel have been unable to do.
"If the transitional government has the wisdom to oversee the constitutional drafting and drafts a constitution that is acceptable to the larger segments of the population and is ratified, my assessment is the insurgency could dwindle down very quickly," he said.
In recent weeks, members of Congress — including some Republicans — have been introducing resolutions calling on President Bush to formulate plans to begin withdrawing U.S. troops from Iraq.
Buzz
Buzz Blog
Which makes the millions of dollars paid in ransom by the French and others all the more egregious.
This is what all that ransom money buys for them. A pox on all the ransom payers.
Just like American 'contractors', they have their mercenaries too.
The money probably comes from Iran.
This is why we need to move to alternatives like algae-produced biodiesel. Dry up the terrorists' money sources.
But I think our mercenaries try to stay alive.
Some, perhaps. But all those millions paid for hostages no doubt buys a lot of $150 bomb setters.
I think there are large differences between a civilian contractor and a mercenary. The left likes to blur the distinctions.
Yeah, it'd be nice to actually be able to spend the money, huh. 8~)
well I for one am surprised at this.... NOT!!
Only most of the money is coming from non-oil producing Syria.
I believe Saddam Hussein was paying the family of each Palestinian suicide bomber $25 or 50K each.
"U.S. General: Many Insurgents in Iraq Paid"
Makes sense. Probably being paid by Harry Reid, Turban Durban, MoveOn.Org, ACLU, Amnesty International, NY Times.....
Soros opening his wallet?
Or George Soros.
Great minds think alike and only 0.00.01 seconds apart....
But is it really? Or are some oil dollars finding their way from our Saudi "friends?"
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