U.S. military chiefs have just confirmed the massive support of the Iraqi people to the resistance against the occupation. According to reports that Associated Press (AP) got from U.S. military chiefs themselves, «There would be up to 20,000 rebels including the temporary combatants» (AP dispatch dated July 9, 2004). Other sources like iraq4allnews.dk and the American ABC chain talk about 50,000 combatants.

Militants that have joined the armed struggle networks operating throughout the national territory come from all sectors of Iraqi society (Sunnites, Shiites, Kurds, and other minority members). They represent all political and ideological trends with the common aim of driving out the invaders, restoring the sovereignty and integrity of the country and promoting a pluralist and secularized Republican regime.

The spectacular terrorist actions carried out by some groups (manipulated by different intelligence services) that claim to be part of the resistance or to act on behalf of Islam are, however, condemned by the very resistance. In fact, actions carried out by these gangster groups are not only targeted against Westerners but also against Iraqi people who, in fact, are their most frequent victims (killings, theft, rapes, and kidnapping for ransom) since the arrival of the occupying troops in the country.

The climate of insecurity thus created and encouraged by secret services is obviously used by the Bush Administration to justify the war against Iraq for the sake of fighting terrorism. Moreover, these groups are the ones behind the attacks against mosques and against the lives of religious leaders of both Sunnite and Shiite communities or against members of the Christian community, in order to encourage clashes among ethnic groups and among different denominational groups.

But not all attempts by the colonialists to saw division among popular forces succeed in undermining the political maturity of the patriotic resistance. In fact, the triggering of the armed struggle in the Shiite area by chief Al-Sader has favored an atmosphere of fraternization among combatants. The massive involvement of Shiites in the resistance is currently a decisive factor for greater unity among different communities, even despite what Al-Sader’s future positions may be or his ultimate evolution.

Despite existing risks that Shiite dignitaries can be manipulated by the Iranian and Kuwaiti services, we are witnessing a significant decline in the influence of both regimes in Iraq. This is also the case of the Jordan regime, suspected of backing such groups as the Al Zarkawi group. In fact, within the resistance there are many doubts about the very existence of this figure.

The big misleading campaign organized by the United States and Great Britain to justify the war, still insists in trying to discredit the patriotic resistance. But the resistance of the Iraqi people has opened its way through the wall of lies and today, 92% of Iraqi are against the presence of foreign troops, despite the climate of insecurity. The massive support of the population to the resistance proves every day its effectiveness.

Guerilla operations against the occupiers and their local allies is increasing from north to south and 30 to 40 attacks are launched every day.

Besides the great losses that the guerilla has inflicted upon the occupying troops, we are witnessing the failure of the pre-emptive war launched by the Bush administration.

The findings of a survey on the subject carried out among high officials in the US military, published on July 9 in the Jordan daily Al Dustur confirm such forecasts: «After 15 months of occupation in Iraq, our troops are meeting an unforeseeable resistance. Our losses are significant and, thus, we should review our strategy for the use of ground troops. The number of casualties among our soldiers has reached the figure of 12,000 dead and wounded at the hands of the resistance. According to experts in the military, this situation compares to Vietnam».

According to the same survey, 16% of the soldiers in Iraq is facing psychological problems and 28% of those that have just returned from Iraq acknowledge the fact that they were responsible for the death of at least one civilian in that country. Finally, experts quoted in this survey agree on the fact that Iraqi patriotism has proved that the United States should not resort again to wars like the Iraqi war.

Subhi Toma