“Insurgents affiliated with Al Qaeda in Iraq claimed responsibility on Saturday for a wave of car bombings, roadside mines and hit-and-run attacks this week in at least 13 Iraqi cities and towns,” reports Anthony Shadid in the New York Times. Bear in mind that they’re mounting this “deadly and relentless campaign whose breadth surprised American military officials and dealt a blow to Iraq’s fledgling security forces just as the United States will formally end [*snicker*] what it describes as combat operations in the country.” (Apologies for editorial interjection. Couldn’t resist.)
Questions for Focal Points readers: How does this help al Qaeda? Wouldn’t it make more sense for it to lay low until U.S. combat forces exit? Thus assuring the United States doesn’t delay its departure and leaving al Qaeda freer rein to inflict its usual harm.
Or are these attacks just a symptom of al Qaeda’s decentralized structure and how little influence the command has over its franchises, which might lack the strategic savvy to delay the attacks until some of the U.S. troops leave? Or does al Qaeda in Iraq just think it will be business as usual since we’re leaving armed contractors behind and that whether it attacks now or later is immaterial?
Most likely, the reason for the attacks is something else entirely. Kindly enlighten Focal Points readers if you can.