Threatswatch.org on Abu Baghdadi

[zenpundit]

By Steve Schippert and Nick Grace of Threatswatch.org

"The Fiction of Abu Omar al-Baghdadi:Creativity Need in Information War with al-Qaeda in Iraq (http://threatswatch.org/analysis/2007/12/the-fiction-of-abu-omar-albagh/)"

[tribeguy]

Great article - touches on a theme of importance today regarding the Iraqi government's alleged capture of AUAB.

The man they have in custody is a ((Al-Mujama'i)) tribesmen.

The ((Al-Mujama'i)) are not a noble tribe. The leader of the faithful has to come from the "family of the house," or a direct descendant of Muhammad the prophet. The cat they have in custody is NOT that, so the GoI is eating crow after touting that AUAB was captured.

Information operations can be a double edged sword.

V/r,

Tribeguy

[Schmedlap]

So some people still believe that Baghdadi is not a fictional character? I saw an article in the WSJ recently that discussed Baghdadi's capture as though he were a real person. At least this recent article (http://www.nasdaq.com/aspx/stock-market-news-story.aspx?storyid=200905180650dowjonesdjonline000 170&title=iraqi-police-release-video-of-al-qaeda-leader-abu-baghdadi) threw in a blurb at the end pointing out that he is fictional.

I don't understand why the GoI wants to play this game in this way. They should be mocking AQI's pathetic, flaccid attempt to portray itself as Iraqi and to portray itself as anything other than a criminal franchise that exploits the poor, the uneducated, the insane, and kills innocent people for the pursuit of sex, money, and power, in flagrant disregard of, and in complete opposition to, the very book which it claims to revere. You cannot capture what does not exist. And if you try, the fiction will just be redefined so that you look foolish.

[tribeguy]

AUAB is a position, not a person.

[Schmedlap]

Yes, but that position is a role which any actor can play. The role cannot be captured. Only the actor can be captured, but he is then replaced and then it is declared that he is not who the authorities say he is. After all, the role is later filled (by a new actor). It's like capturing the last Bond girl and declaring that the role is now dead, while overlooking that someone else can step in and play the role.