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A bit late, but this was Krekar's thought relating to this thread: the recent osama tape:

"I think it is basically a phsycological war between Al Qaeda and the US. I believe the recording is legit, but he is trying to motivate the Iraqis and telling them not to be afraid of the USA. He's telling them that he and his people had a hard time at Tora Bora, and that they are experienced in dealing with the Americans. It's Bin Ladens's point of view that the Americans cannot stand a long war. Iraq must therefore try to achieve a long war inside the cities, because the tall buildings will shield them from american rockets."

"Another kurdish leader claimed the other day that Krekar was primarily a showman or even a con artist.... A small-time player that wildy exagerated his own position, but when the spotlight hit him he is backpedalling..."

Was he affiliated with the Kurdistan Democratic Party or the PKK, perchance?

"Just one point: It seems that many on this thread are assuming either a full on Ansar-Iraqi union or a full on Ansar-Iraqi hostile relationship..... In fact if there is a connection it is more likely to be a lot more subtle than that.....I.e. Bagdadh might have supplied them with some limited weaponry in order to weaken the pro-american kurdish factions, but not access to his really deadly arsenal... Even helping Ansar with Ricin probably wouldn't constitute much of a threat to the Iraqi regime... Alliances like this are more complicated and not black and white..."

My own opinion is that al-Qaeda has a clear quid pro quo relationship with Iraq and that at this point their goals are interlocked. Additionally, I think that Abu Wael is likely a member of Ansar al-Islam's ruling council primarily to make certain that the group doesn't too big for its britches.

Regarding Krekar, he strikes me as somebody who is basically Ansar's PR rep and figurehead leader. He's reasonably charismatic, can think on his feet, and can provide religious authority for the group's activities. In other words, he's the Kurdish equivalent of Abu Hamza or Omar Bakri.

"I think kurdish politics is quite complicated and I would take anything the PUK says for the truth either...."

I would agree, except that the PUK has been uncharacteristically honest about the number of its peshmerga that Ansar has killed. While there is contradictory information as to size of Ansar ranging from 800 to 2,000 fighters, they've killed over 1,000 PUK soldiers ever since they first appeared on the scene in 2001. Clearly, the Ansar are making up for their smaller size with a mixture of ferocity, skill, and fanaticism that tends to be a hallmark of al-Qaeda affiliates.

Regarding Mullah Krekar's response, I think it goes without saying that he's hardly the most trustworthy individual on the planet:

"Those who say he is an Iraqi agent is just spreading propaganda. I think that if even a single piece of evidence existed proving that, the Americans would put it forward. Many of his friends are locked up in Saddam's jails, and his wife was arrested by Saddam Hussein."

There may actually be some truth to this. The Mukhabarat (particularly Section 999, the subdivision that Abu Wael is supposedly from) has a policy of taking family members of field operatives into "protective custody" as a kind of insurance policy so that the operatives' know that their family's lives are on the line should they complete their assignment.

But Mukhabarat or not, Abu Wael is every bit the terrorist as any other al-Qaeda foot soldier.