Media:Reuters
Byline:Alister Bull
Date: August 16, 2006

Body:
BAGHDAD (Reuters) - Al Qaeda wants to build a political operation in Iraq to
broaden its campaign against the U.S.-backed government, a top U.S. general
said on Wednesday.

Citing intelligence mostly gathered since the death of al Qaeda's former
leader Abu Musab al-Zarqawi in June, Major General William Caldwell said the
militant group appeared to be refining its approach beyond bombings and
beheadings.

"Al Qaeda in Iraq wants to present itself as a legitimate organization and
is striving to increase its operational power by building a political base
with a military wing," Caldwell told a news briefing. He did not give
specific examples.

Zarqawi was killed in a U.S. airstrike on June 7 and was quickly replaced by
Abu Hamza al-Muhajir, who al Qaeda said would continue the Jordanian-born
militant's bloody campaign.

But Caldwell said the group was also developing more subtle ways to
undermine the government and drive U.S. troops from Iraq, in addition to
bloody sectarian attacks.

He said the militant group was producing propaganda to exploit Iraqi anger
over high unemployment, poor security and unreliable supplies of electricity
and fuel, and turn it against the government and its U.S. backers.

"Al Qaeda in Iraq, through the media and other grassroots propaganda, will
promote a theme that portrays the Sunnis as under attack by coalition
forces, and the government of Iraq as being corrupt," he said.

Caldwell said it was also courting tribal leaders, borrowing a technique
employed by Iraq's former leader Saddam Hussein.

Al Qaeda makes up about five percent of Iraq's Sunni Arab insurgency but its
suicide bombers have been responsible for some of the worst violence, often
killing over 100 people in a single attack. Adding a political dimension to
its campaign did not mean the group was about to end violence.

"Al Qaeda in Iraq realizes killing of innocent Iraqi civilians has damaged
their public support and is working to reverse that perception. By no means
does it mean they intend to stop creating sectarian violence, but rather
change the perception," he said.

Originally Posted by Team Infidel

He said the militant group was producing propaganda to exploit Iraqi anger
over high unemployment, poor security and unreliable supplies of electricity
and fuel, and turn it against the government and its U.S. backers.

maybe if they ould stop bombing the crap out of everything, there ould be security and a steady flo of electricity.

Of course they do. They know they are losing the fight on the ground, so they want to build a political group to re-gain influence in their countries. Its just grasping at straws.

Originally Posted by C/1Lt Henderson

Of course they do. They know they are losing the fight on the ground, so they want to build a political group to re-gain influence in their countries. Its just grasping at straws.

Not necessarily... They can drag this fight out for a long time. Look at what the IRA did in Ireland