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"“What al-Qaeda has lost as a result of our operations is the support of the local population,” he said."

Bingo. As my son told me upon his recent return from a 15-month tour as a Stryker platoon leader (FReeper "Future Snake Eater"), al-Qaeda blew it when they showed their true selves to the populace: little more than bloodthirsty, animalistic butchers. Their vile acts of barbarism clearly showed the Iraqis that they weren't some noble anti-Crusaders (which, initially, WAS their image). Rather, they were lowlife, murderous, hyper-violent filth who butchered, mutilated, terrorized their fellow Muslims.

They blew any 'capital' they ever had. They're now toast in Iraq. Period. The average Iraqi would as soon slit the throat of an al-Qaeda member as file his nails.

As my son told me upon his recent return from a 15-month tour as a Stryker platoon leader (FReeper "Future Snake Eater"), al-Qaeda blew it when they showed their true selves to the populace: little more than bloodthirsty, animalistic butchers. Their vile acts of barbarism clearly showed the Iraqis that they weren't some noble anti-Crusaders (which, initially, WAS their image). Rather, they were lowlife, murderous, hyper-violent filth who butchered, mutilated, terrorized their fellow Muslims.

Let's all hope for the same long-term solution as in Germany and Japan: creation of a middle class whose vested interest is in social stability, political freedom and upward mobility.