Iraqi insurgents changing tactics effectively
U.S. military sees attacks increasing in frequency, complexity
By Jim Miklaszewski
Correspondent
NBC News
Updated: 7:47 p.m. ET Dec. 15, 2004A bomb blast Wednesday at the gate of one of Shiite Muslims’ most holy shrines in Karbala, Iraq, killed eight Iraqis and wounded 32 more. It was an apparent assassination attempt by Sunni insurgents against a senior Shiite cleric. The attack comes exactly one month after U.S. military officials claimed their assault on Fallujah had broken the back of the insurgency.
But Wednesday, U.S. military officials conceded that, far from broken, the insurgents are actually getting better at devising new, more efficient methods of killing.
"A very, very sophisticated enemy — an enemy that does not have a conscience," says Maj. Gen. Stephen Speakes, deputy commander for operations of the Third Infantry Division.
Their most lethal weapons are still suicide car bombs or IEDs — improvised explosive devices — planted in the road. But the bombs are now much bigger, and the insurgents are constantly changing triggering devices to thwart any U.S. countermeasures.
"They may use doorbells today to blow things up," says Lt. Gen. Lance Smith, deputy commander of U.S. Central Command. "They may have remote controls from toys tomorrow. And as we adapt, they adapt."
continued......................
msnbc.msn.com |
