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November 16, 2004

Falluja fighters are homegrown

The LA Times is reporting that the vast majority of fighters in the Falluja battle are Iraqis, not foreigners.

This assertion is based on the number of captured men. The Times reports that with over 1000 captured between the ages of 15 and 55, only 15 are confirmed foreign fighters:

There was evidence that an organized force of foreign fighters was present. One dead guerrilla bore Syrian identification. A number of insurgents believed to be foreigners wore similar black "uniforms," each with black flak vests, webbed gear and weapons superior to those of their Iraqi allies.

But despite an intense focus on the network of Jordanian-born militant Abu Musab Zarqawi by U.S. and Iraqi officials, who have insisted that most Iraqis support the country's interim government, American commanders said their best estimates of the proportion of foreigners among their enemies is about 5%.

We're bringing freedom and democracy to Iraq whether they like it or not. And if we have to kill them all to do it..then by golly that's just the way it's going to have to be.

Posted by Carla at November 16, 2004 06:57 PM