GP - Thanks - anything that causes me to look at something different usually helps.
I don't know if this helps, but I think here, terrorism is more of a tactic to influence events here (sometime by extension into the Internet and TV the US population) while the Insurgency is a strategy to prevent the Iraqi government (the one we are helping to build) from establishing order so that other groups (and specific personalities) can pursue their own goals.For the sake of this thread, I ask that we separate Insurgencies from Terrorist operatives. In addition, I ask that we define terrorists members as "Card Carrying." In other words, it is OK to be dienfranchised but I would define a card carrying member as one who has a call to arms and will act upon that calling.
Sometimes these goals coincide, sometimes they are more inline with the actual government. Interests converge and diverge.
This might make for allot of variables. A man who emplaces an IED is often recruited from a poor neighborhood and offered what we'd call small change for risking his life. Another may be taking advantage of an opportunity to avenge a perceived wrong -lots of people over here have been shot, shot at, had their house busted into, been humiliated etc. by people who really thought they were doing the right thing, but it may have turned out wrong. In this culture, settling scores is important.
I think there are some dedicated folks out there, but they are often the ones pulling the strings. Its hard to tell why they pull some of the strings though. Hope this helps some
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