[$tinkle]

in the context of a recent letter recovered from Abu Musab al-Zarqawi (did i say that right?), an al-qaeda operative, it looks like our yankee ingenuity is paying off

The Iraqis themselves, the writer says, have not been receptive to taking holy warriors into their homes.

"Many Iraqis would honor you as a guest and give you refuge, for you are a Muslim brother," according to the document. "However, they will not allow you to make their home a base for operations or a safe house."

The writer contends that the American efforts to set up Iraqi security services have succeeded in depriving the insurgents of allies, particularly in a country where kinship networks are extensive.

"The problem is you end up having an army and police connected by lineage, blood and appearance," the document says. "When the Americans withdraw, and they have already started doing that, they get replaced by these agents who are intimately linked to the people of this region."

With some exasperation, the author writes: "We can pack up and leave and look for another land, just like what has happened in so many lands of jihad. Our enemy is growing stronger day after day, and its intelligence information increases.

"By God, this is suffocation!" the writer says. . . .

"The Americans will continue to control from their bases, but the sons of this land will be the authority," the letter states. "This is the democracy. We will have no pretexts."

NY Times, 2 days ago

so, that's the good news.

bad news? 50 killed today, most likely from a shifted & concentrated focus on the indigenous population.
(various google results)

if this doesn't get squelched by say, 4th of july, it could be rough going for this potentially lame-duck administration.

oh, yeah, it sucks to be killed, too.