The Iraqi insurgency (also called the Iraqi resistance) comprises the groups fighting against the U.S. occupation of Iraq and the Iraqi Transitional Government. The various guerrilla and insurgent groups began battling the U.S.-led multinational force and the New Iraqi Army during the occupation of Iraq that followed the 2003 Invasion of Iraq, including what was then the Iraqi interim government of Iyad Allawi. Not all those opposed to the occupation and/or the government use violent means; there are various Iraqi groups and political parties advocating peaceful, non-violent resistance. Thus the broader term "Iraqi resistance" is favored by some. This article deals with the post-invasion period in Iraq and its occupation. ... The Iraqi Transitional Government replaced the Iraqi Interim Government of 2004. ... Guerrilla (also called a partisan) is a term borrowed from Spanish (from guerra meaning war) used to describe small combat groups. ... An insurgency is an armed rebellion against a constituted authority, by any irregular armed force that rises up against an enforced or established authority, government, or administration. ... The multi-national force in Iraq invaded the country in March 2003 (see 2003 invasion of Iraq). ... The New Iraqi Army is the reconstituted Iraqi military following the 2003 invasion by the U.S. led coalition. ... This article deals with the post-invasion period in Iraq and its occupation. ... The neutrality and accuracy of this article are disputed. ... The Iraqi Interim Government was created by the United States and its coalition allies as a caretaker government to govern Iraq until elections are conducted on January 30th, 2005. ... Iyad Allawi Dr. Iyad Allawi (اياد علاوي) (born 1945) is the interim Prime Minister of Iraq. ...

For the Iraqi opposition following the occupation, see Iraqi opposition (post-occupation).

Composition

Iraqi insurgents celebrate while riding through the streets of Falluja, May 1, 2004.

The Iraqi insurgency is composed of over a dozen major insurgency organizations and countless smaller cells. Due to its clandestine nature, the exact composition of the Iraqi insurgency is difficult to determine. It is often subdivided into several main ideological strands, some of which are believed to overlap: This work is copyrighted. ... This work is copyrighted. ... Fallujah (Arabic: فلوجة; sometimes transliterated as Falluja and less commonly Fallouja, Falloujah, Faloojah, Faloojeh) is a city of about 350,000 inhabitants in the Iraqi province of Al Anbar, located roughly 69km (43 miles) west of Baghdad on the Euphrates. ... A covert cell structure is a method for organizing undercover or unconventional fighters against a large and well-established organization. ...

• Ba'athists, the armed supporters of Saddam Hussein;
• Nationalists, mostly Sunni Muslims who fight for Iraqi independence;
• Sunni Islamists, the indigenous armed followers of the Salafi movement;
• Foreign Islamist fighters, largely driven by the similar Sunni Wahabi doctrine, as well as the remnants of Ansar al-Islam; although it includes a broad range of religious/ethnic and political currents united by their opposition to the occupation;
• Militant followers of Shi'a Islamist cleric Moqtada al-Sadr; and
• nonviolent resistance groups

Baath Party flag The Ba‘ath Parties (also spelled Baath or Ba‘th; Arabic: اﻟﺒﻌﺚ) comprise political parties representing the political face of the Ba‘ath movement. ... Saddam Hussein Saddām Hussein ʻAbd al-Majīd al-Tikrītī (Often spelled Husayn or Hussain; Arabic صدام حسين عبدالمجيد التكريتي; born April 28, 1937 1) was President of Iraq from 1979 to 2003. ... Nationalism is an ideology that creates and sustains a nation as a concept of a common identity for groups of humans. ... Sunni Islam (Arabic سنّة) is the largest denomination of Islam. ... A Muslim is a believer in or follower of Islam. ... Islamism is a political ideology derived from the conservative religious views of Muslim fundamentalism. ... A Salafi (Arabic سلفي lit. ... Wahhabism (sometimes spelled Wahabbism or Wahabism) is a movement of Islam named after Muhammad ibn Abd al Wahhab (1703–1792). ... Ansar al-Islam (Arabic: انصار الاسلام, Supporters or Partisans of Islam) is an Islamist group, promoting a radical interpretation of Islam and holy war. ... Shia Islam ( Arabic شيعى follower; English has traditionally used Shiite or Shiite) is the second largest Islamic denomination; some 20-25% of all Muslims are said to follow a Shia tradition. ... Muqtada al-Sadr Muqtada al-Sadr (Arabic: مقتدى الصدر, also transliterated as Moqtada Alsadr) (b. ...

Ba'athists

The Ba'athists are former Ba'ath Party officials, the Fedayeen Saddam, and some former agents of the Iraqi intelligence elements and security services, such as the Mukhabarat and the Special Security Organization. Their goal, at least before the capture of Saddam Hussein, was the restoration of the former Ba'athist regime to power. The pre-war organization of the Ba'ath Party and its militias as a cellular structure aided the continued pro-Saddam insurgency after the fall of Baghdad, and Iraqi intelligence operatives may have developed a plan for guerrilla war following the toppling of Saddam Hussein from power. Following Saddam's capture, the rhetoric of the Ba'athist insurgents gradually shifted to become either nationalist or Islamist, with the goal of restoring the Ba'ath Party to power as it once was seemingly out of reach. Many former Ba'athists have adopted an Islamist façade in order to attract more credibility within the country, and perhaps support from outside Iraq. As of early 2005, most formerly Ba'athist cells seem to have dissolved, recognizing the fact that for the time being, a resurgence of ba'athism in Iraq is inconceivable. Their members have returned to civilian life or, especially in the case of individuals with military or secret services background, have joined (and are much sought after) other groups according to their personal preferences. Baath Party flag The Ba‘ath Parties (also spelled Baath or Ba‘th; Arabic: اﻟﺒﻌﺚ) comprise political parties representing the political face of the Ba‘ath movement. ... Fedayeen Saddam (فدائيين صدام) was a paramilitary organization loyal to the former Baathist regime of Saddam Hussein. ... Mukhabarat is the Arabic term for intelligence, as in intelligence agency. ... Guerrilla (also called a partisan) is a term borrowed from Spanish (from guerra meaning war) used to describe small combat groups. ...

Nationalists

The nationalists, largely hailing from the Sunni Arab regions, are drawn from former members of the Iraqi military as well as some ordinary Iraqis. Their reasons for opposing the occupation vary between a rejection of the foreign presence as a matter of principle to the failure of the occupation force to keep its promises to restore public services and to quickly restore complete sovereignty. Many Iraqis who have had relatives killed by coalition soldiers may also be involved in the nationalist insurgency. Beyond the expulsion of coalition troops from Iraq, there is no coherent political goal being pursued by the Iraqi guerrillas fighting under the banner of nationalism—only references to self-rule and even elections. Most likely, the majority of the low-level members of the indigenous Sunni insurgency (such as foot soldiers) fall under this broad category. A recent trend is for Nationalist groups to be more strongly influenced by radical (in this case mainly Salafi or Wahhabi) Islam; for which see below. Public services is a term usually used to mean services provided by government to its citizens, either directly (through the public sector) or by financing private provision of services. ... Sovereignty is the exclusive right to exercise supreme authority over a geographic region or group of people, such as a nation or a tribe. ... This article is about the political process. ...

Iraqi Shi'ites arrive in Najaf in a show of support for Moqtada al-Sadr in August 2004

This work is copyrighted. ... This work is copyrighted. ... Muqtada al-Sadr Muqtada al-Sadr (Arabic: مقتدى الصدر, also transliterated as Moqtada Alsadr) (b. ...

Moqtada al-Sadr

Supporters of the young Shi'a Islamist cleric Moqtada al-Sadr are largely young, unemployed and often impoverished men from the Shi'a urban areas and slums in Baghdad and the southern Shi'a cities. The armed wing of the al-Sadr movement and al-Sadr's personal militia, known as Jaish-i-Mahdi or the Mahdi Army, is thought to have been funded and armed by Iran. The Mahdi Army area of operation stretches from Basra in the south to the Sadr City section of Baghdad in central Iraq (some scattered Shi'a militia activity has also been reported in Baquba and Kirkuk, where Shi'a minorities exist). Shia Islam ( Arabic شيعى follower; English has traditionally used Shiite or Shiite) is the second largest Islamic denomination; some 20-25% of all Muslims are said to follow a Shia tradition. ... A cleric is: A member of the clergy of a religion, especially one that has trained or ordained priests, preachers, or other religious professionals; or A member of a character class in Dungeons & Dragons and similar fantasy role-playing games. ... Muqtada al-Sadr Muqtada al-Sadr (Arabic: مقتدى الصدر, also transliterated as Moqtada Alsadr) (b. ... Poverty describes a wide range of circumstances associated with need, hardship and lack of resources. ... Urban is in or having to do with cities, as distinct from rural areas. ... A militia is a group of citizens organized to provide paramilitary service. ... The Mahdi Army, also known as the Mehdi Army or Jaish-i-Mahdi, is a militia force created by the Iraqi radical Shiite cleric Moqtada al-Sadr in June of 2003. ... Iran (Persian: ایران) is a Middle Eastern country located in southwestern Asia. ... Location of Basra Basra (also known as Başrah or Basara; historically sometimes called Busra, Busrah, and early on Bassorah; Arabic: البصرة, Al-Basrah) is the second largest city of Iraq with an estimated population of about 1,377,000 in 2003. ... Sadr City (formerly known as Saddam City and Al Thawra) is a vast low-income neighbourhood in northeastern Baghdad, home to some two million Shia Muslims. ... A street map of Baghdad Average temperature (red) and precipitations (blue) in Baghdad Baghdad (بغداد) is the capital of Iraq and the Baghdad Province. ... Baquba (بعقوبه; also transliterated as Baqubah and Baqouba) is the capital of Iraqs Diyala province. ... Kirkuk (كركوك) is an ancient city in Iraq, sitting near the Hasa River on the ruins of a 3,000-year-old settlement. ...

Moqtada al-Sadr is suspected by the U.S. government to have ordered the assassination of the moderate Muslim Imam Abdul Majid al-Khoei, who returned from his exile in Britain and was stabbed to death in Najaf on April 12, 2003 by a group wielding knives and bayonets. Some members of the group claimed to have received their orders directly from al-Sadr. On March 29, 2004, the Coalition Provisional Authority shut down al-Sadr's daily newspaper, al-Hawza, claiming it was an incitement to violence, and on April 5, 2004, the coalition issued a warrant for al-Sadr's arrest in connection with al-Khoei's assassination. These acts, along with the arrest of one of Sadr's top aides and other motions to suppress the movement, resulted in thousands of people turning out to protest. The ensuing riots soon escalated into organized armed attacks by the Mahdi Army that initially led to the deaths of one Salvadoran and several American soldiers, as well as scores of insurgents and civilians. Jack Ruby murdered the assassin, Lee Harvey Oswald, in a very public manner. ... Imam is an Arabic word meaning Leader. The ruler of a country might be called the Imam, for example. ... Abdul Majid al-Khoei was a Shia cleric and the son of Ayatollah Al-Udhma Sayyid Abul Qasim al-Khoei. ... The word Britain is used to refer to the United Kingdom (UK) the island of Great Britain, which consists of the countries of England, Scotland, and Wales sometimes the Roman province called Britain or Britannia The word British generally means belonging to or associated with Britain in one of the... Najaf (نجف in the Arabic language) is a city in Iraq, about 160 km south of Baghdad, located at 31. ... April 12 is the 102nd day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (103rd in leap years). ... 2003 is a common year starting on Wednesday of the Gregorian calendar, and also: The International Year of Freshwater The European Disability Year Events January January 1 - Luíz Inácio Lula Da Silva becomes the 37th President of Brazil. ... March 29 is the 88th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (89th in Leap years). ... 2004 is a leap year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar. ... The seal of the CPA in Iraq Following the 2003 invasion of Iraq, the Office for Reconstruction and Humanitarian Assistance (ORHA) was the organization established by the United States Government that acted as a caretaker administration in Iraq until civilian rule resumed on June 28, 2004. ... Reading the newspaper: Brookgreen Gardens in Pawleys Island, South Carolina. ... Al Hawza or al Hauza is a newspaper in Iraq, started after the removal of Saddam Hussein and is considered the mouthpiece for Shiite cleric Moqtada Sadr. ... April 5 is the 95th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (96th in leap years). ... 2004 is a leap year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Categories: Stub | Riots ... El Salvador (Spanish for The Savior) is a republic in Central America with a population of approximately 6. ...

Supporters of Moqtada al-Sadr are driven by a variety of beliefs and grievances which combine both the nationalist and ultra-conservative religious tendencies of the movement. They see the U.S. and UK as foreign occupiers and oppressors, that they have failed to live up to their promises, and that Islamic law must eventually be established in Iraq. Al-Sadr's movement also opposes any breakup of Iraq according to ethnic, religious, or other lines. Sharia (Arabic شريعة also Sharia, Shariah or Syariah) is traditional Islamic law. ...

The Mahdi Army is believed to number between 3,000 and 10,000 guerrillas.

Sunni Islamists

The Sunni Islamists are composed of Iraqis belonging to the Salafi branch of Sunni Islam, which advocates a return to the pure Islam of the time of the Prophet Mohammed and opposes any foreign non-Muslim influence. The beliefs of Salafi Islam are roughly similar to the Wahabi sect of nearby Saudi Arabia (of which Osama bin Laden is a member), one difference being that Salafis in Iraq do not usually condone intolerance towards the Shi'a. Hard-line clerics and remaining underground cells of the Muslim Brotherhood in Iraq have helped provide support for the indigenous militant Islamist movement. Emerging as the most public face of this faction of the Iraqi insurgency, and the most influential of the hard-line Salafi clerics, is the founder of the ultra-conservative Association of Muslim Scholars, Sheikh Hareth al-Dhari. Sunni Islam (Arabic سنّة) is the largest denomination of Islam. ... A Salafi (Arabic سلفي lit. ... Sunni Islam (Arabic سنّة) is the largest denomination of Islam. ... Muhammad is a common male name for Muslims. ... Wahhabism (sometimes spelled Wahabbism or Wahabism) is a movement of Islam named after Muhammad ibn Abd al Wahhab (1703–1792). ... The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia is a country on the Arabian Peninsula. ... Osama bin Laden Usāmah bin Muhammad bin `Awad bin Lādin (born March 10, 1957 or July 30, 1957) (Arabic: أسامة بن محمد بن عود بن لادن), commonly known as Osama bin Laden (أسامة بن لادن), is the figurehead of al-Qaeda, an Islamist movement that has been involved in attacks... The Muslim Brotherhood, also called Muslim Brethren (Arabic: جميعة الإخوان المسلمين jamiat al-Ikhwan al-muslimin, literally Society of Muslim Brothers; often only الإخوان المسلمون, Ikhwan ul Muslimoon (Muslim Brothers) or simply الإخوان Ikhwan (the Brothers) is an Islamic organization with a political approach to Islam. ... The word militant can refer to any individual engaged in warfare, a fight, combat, or generally serving as a soldier. ... Islamism is a political ideology derived from the conservative religious views of Muslim fundamentalism. ...

Foreign Fighters

These are non-Iraqi Muslims, mostly Arabs from neighbouring countries, who have entered Iraq, primarily through the porous desert borders of Syria and Saudi Arabia, to assist the Iraqi insurgency. Many of these fighters are Wahabi fundamentalists who see Iraq as the new "field of jihad" in the battle against U.S. forces. It is generally believed that most are freelance fighters, but a few members of Al-Qaeda and the related group Ansar al-Islam, members of whom are suspected of infiltrating into the Sunni areas of Iraq through the mountainous northeastern border with Iran, may be involved. The U.S. and its allies point to Jordanian-born Al-Qaeda leader Abu Musab al-Zarqawi as the key player in this group. Zarqawi is believed to be the head of an insurgent group called Al-Tawhid Wal-Jihad ("Monotheism and Holy War"), which according to U.S. estimates numbers in the low hundreds. Jihad (ǧihād جهاد) is an Arabic word which comes from the Arabic root word jahada, which means exerting utmost effort or to strive. The word connotes a wide range of meanings, from an inward spiritual struggle to attain perfect faith, to holy war. ... Al-Qaeda (Arabic: القاعدة, the foundation or the base) is the name given to a worldwide network of militant Islamist organizations under the leadership of Osama bin Laden. ... Ansar al-Islam (Arabic: انصار الاسلام, Supporters or Partisans of Islam) is an Islamist group, promoting a radical interpretation of Islam and holy war. ... Iran (Persian: ایران) is a Middle Eastern country located in southwestern Asia. ... The Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan, commonly called Jordan, is a country in the Middle East. ... Abu Musab al-Zarqawi in one of eight photos from Rewards for Justice, all undated. ... Jamaat al-Tawhid wal Jihad members with Shosei Koda and with the banner in the background Jamaat al-Tawhid wal-Jihad (Arabic: جماعة ال�توحيد والجهاد, Monotheism and Holy Struggle Movement) is the Islamist guerrilla network of Abu Musab al-Zarqawi, a Jordanian_born Islamist militant believed operating against...

The extent of Zarqawi's influence is a source of controversy. The U.S. government describes him as the single most dangerous and capable insurgent operative working against the U.S.-led coalition and its Iraqi allies, responsible for a large number of major terrorist attacks. There are signs that an increasing rift is developing between supporters of al-Zarqawi, including both foreign guerrillas and some Iraqis who have adopted a hard-line Wahabi philosophy, and the nationalists and more moderate religious elements of the insurgency. The main source of the divide is over the suicide bombings that have inflicted heavy Iraqi civilian casualties, along with disagreements about whether to cooperate with the Shi'a and their insurgency. However, the publicity given to Zarqawi has ensured that he has become an iconic figure to various Sunni Islamist groups, regardless of the actual scope of his influence, by much the same process that has made Osama bin Laden a symbol of the causes of various Islamist groups following the events of September 11th, 2001. Terrorism refers to the use of violence for the purpose of achieving a political, religious, or ideological goal. ... A suicide bombing is a bomb attack on people or property, committed by a person who knows the explosion will cause his or her own death (see suicide, suicide weapons). ... Osama bin Laden Usāmah bin Muhammad bin `Awad bin Lādin (born March 10, 1957 or July 30, 1957) (Arabic: أسامة بن محمد بن عود بن لادن), commonly known as Osama bin Laden (أسامة بن لادن), is the figurehead of al-Qaeda, an Islamist movement that has been involved in attacks...

Usage of the term "foreign fighters" has received criticism as being US-centric because taken literally, the term would encompass coalition forces. [1]  (http://www.despardes.com/articles/sunnishia-1123.asp) [2] (http://icssa.org/Ayatollahs.html) [3] (http://www.newtopiamagazine.net/content/issue19/features/DahrJamail.php) [4]  (http://www.countercurrents.org/iraq-fisk301003.htm)

Non-violent groups

Apart from the armed insurgency, there are important non-violent groups that resist the foreign occupation through other means. The National Foundation Congress set up by Sheikh Jawad al-Khalisi includes a broad range of religious, ethnic, and political currents united by their opposition to the occupation. Although it does not reject armed insurgency, which it regards as any nation's right, it favors non-violent politics and criticizes the formation of militias. It opposes institutions designed to implement American plans, such as the Iyad Allawi government and the U.S.-organized national conference designed as the antecedent to a parliament. [5]  (http://www.commondreams.org/views04/0716-12.htm) Iyad Allawi Dr. Iyad Allawi (اياد علاوي) (born 1945) is the interim Prime Minister of Iraq. ... Alternative meanings: Parliamentary system, Parliament (band), Parliament (cigarette). ...

Although the CPA enforced a 1987 law banning unions in public enterprises, trade unions such as the Iraqi Federation of Trade Unions (IFTU) and Iraq's Union of the Unemployed have also mounted effective anti-occupation opposition. [6]  (http://www.fpif.org/commentary/2004/0407upsurge.html). Trades unions have, however, themselves been subject to attacks from the insurgency. Hadi Saleh of the IFTU was assassinated in circumstances that pointed to a Ba'athist insurgency group on the 3rd of January 2005. No trades unions support the armed insurgency. [7] (http://news.pacificnews.org/news/view_article.html?article_id=fb8395c4d2b0853d7f8fe2c2017f8f16) The seal of the CPA in Iraq Following the 2003 invasion of Iraq, the Office for Reconstruction and Humanitarian Assistance (ORHA) was the organization established by the United States Government that acted as a caretaker administration in Iraq until civilian rule resumed on June 28, 2004. ... A union (labor union in American English; trade union, sometimes trades union, in British English; either labour union or trade union in Canadian English) is a legal entity consisting of employees or workers having a common interest, such as all the assembly workers for one employer, or all the workers...

Insurgency Tactics

Some political tactics have included the attempted disruption of the January 2005 national assembly elections. Abu Musab al-Zarqawi followers have attempted to provoke ethnic or religious strife by deliberately attacking Shia, Christians and others who they view as collaborators or enemies of Islam. Abu Musab al-Zarqawi in one of eight photos from Rewards for Justice, all undated. ... Shiʻa Islam (Arabic شيعى follower; English has traditionally used Shiite) makes up the second largest sect of believers in Islam, constituting about 30%–35% of all Muslim. ...

Many insurgents regard Iraqi citizens who support the interim government as "collaborators with the enemy" and insurgent groups have shown in their attacks little regard for civilian casualties, in many cases even deliberately targetting civilians. Other insurgent groups have claimed to avoid targeting civilians, and to attack only the foreign military forces [8] (http://www.islamonline.org/English/News/2005-03/07/article05.shtml).

For most attacks, the Iraqi guerrillas operate in small teams of 5–10 men in order to maintain mobility and escape detection. Since April, 2004, attacks involving larger groups of insurgents have become more common, although large units also appeared in a few instances beforehand, such as a battle near the Syrian border town of Rawa on June 13, 2003 and a large ambush of a U.S. convoy in the town of Samarra on November 30, 2003. April is the fourth month of the year in the Gregorian Calendar and one of four with the length of 30 days. ... 2004 is a leap year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar. ... The Syrian Arab Republic or Syria is a country in the Middle East, bordering (from south to north) on Lebanon, Israel, Jordan, Iraq and Turkey. ... June 13 is the 164th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (165th in leap years), with 201 days remaining. ... 2003 is a common year starting on Wednesday of the Gregorian calendar, and also: The International Year of Freshwater The European Disability Year Events January January 1 - Luíz Inácio Lula Da Silva becomes the 37th President of Brazil. ... The two Shiite mosques in Samarra A soldier descends a Minaret in Samarra, Iraq. ... November 30 is the 334th day (335th on leap years) of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... 2003 is a common year starting on Wednesday of the Gregorian calendar, and also: The International Year of Freshwater The European Disability Year Events January January 1 - Luíz Inácio Lula Da Silva becomes the 37th President of Brazil. ...

Assaults involving IEDs, RPGs, mortars, and car bombs all at once have increasingly appeared. Heavier and more sophisticated weapons that could deal more damage to U.S forces backed by armor and air power have not appeared in the insurgent arsenal, both because they are difficult to move around without detection and would compromise the mobility of the guerilla bands. Explosive devices, as used by terrorists, guerrillas or commando forces, are formally known as Improvised Explosive Devices or IEDs. ... A rocket propelled grenade (RPG) is a man-portable, shoulder-launched weapon capable of firing an explosive device longer distances than an otherwise unassisted soldier could throw. ... Soldier Firing the M224 60mm Mortar. ... A car bomb is a bomb that is placed in a car or truck and is intended to be exploded while there. ...

Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs)

Many Iraqi guerrilla attacks against coalition targets have taken the form of attacks on convoys and patrols using improvised explosive devices, or IEDs. These explosive devices, made from former Iraqi military armaments and/or home-made materials, are concealed or camouflaged along main roads and detonated either by remote control or by wire when a convoy or patrol passes. The devices come in a wide variety of forms, but usually take the form of 155 mm artillery shells, rigged with plastic explosives, and attached to a detonator that is triggered by a cell phone signal or through a garage-door opener. Explosive devices, as used by terrorists, guerrillas or commando forces, are formally known as Improvised Explosive Devices or IEDs. ... A millimetre (American spelling: millimeter), symbol mm is an SI unit of length that is equal to one thousandth of a metre. ... Historically, artillery refers to any engine used for the discharge of projectiles during war. ... Plastic explosive (or plastique) is a specialised form of explosive material. ... A detonator is used to trigger bombs, shaped charges and other forms of explosive device. ... Cellular redirects here. ...

IEDs are often hidden behind roadside rails, on telephone poles, buried in the ground or in piles of garbage, disguised as rocks or bricks, and even placed inside dead animals. This has emerged as the most lethal method the insurgents have developed to attack coalition forces.

Ambushes

In addition, Iraqi guerrillas frequently launched ambushes of U.S. convoys and patrols, along with those of Iraqi security forces, using AK-47 assault rifles and rocket-propelled grenades. Soft-skinned humvees are most commonly targeted. The congested and constricted terrain of the urban areas, and in the rural areas, palm groves and other crops, offer cover and concealment for insurgents launching ambushes. These attacks are usually broken off before support can be called in, in traditional guerrilla fashion. There have been isolated cases of larger ambushes, such as an attack on a coalition convoys in Samarra on November 30, 2003 that involved 100 fighters and a massive ambush of a coalition convoy in Sadr City on April 4, 2004 by Mahdi Army militiamen numbering over 1,000 men. An ambush is a long established military tactic in which an ambushing force uses concealment to attack an enemy that passes its position. ... Avtomat Kalashnikova model 1947 g. ... M16A2 assault rifle. ... This article refers to the Military HMMWV, not the civilian Hummer sold by General Motors General Characteristics (Humvee) Manufacturer: AM General Length: 4. ... The two Shiite mosques in Samarra A soldier descends a Minaret in Samarra, Iraq. ... November 30 is the 334th day (335th on leap years) of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... 2003 is a common year starting on Wednesday of the Gregorian calendar, and also: The International Year of Freshwater The European Disability Year Events January January 1 - Luíz Inácio Lula Da Silva becomes the 37th President of Brazil. ... A convoy is a group of vehicles or ships traveling together for mutual support. ... Sadr City (formerly known as Saddam City and Al Thawra) is a vast low-income neighbourhood in northeastern Baghdad, home to some two million Shia Muslims. ... April 4 is the 94th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (95th in leap years). ... 2004 is a leap year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar. ... A militia is a group of citizens organized to provide paramilitary service. ...

Mortar and rocket strikes

Another common form of attack involves hit-and-run mortar strikes on coalition bases, or on specific buildings in urban areas associated with the Iraqi government or coalition forces. Insurgents fire a few mortar rounds or rockets and quickly escape before their position can be identified and effective counter-fire directed. Insurgents use urban areas heavily populated by civilians as firing positions to discourage counter-fire, and in the countryside, palm groves and orchards are used for concealment. Mortar has several meanings: A mortar is a vessel used to contain a substance which is then ground into a powder and/or mixed with a pestle. ... Fortifications (Latin fortis, strong, and facere, to make) are military constructions designed for defensive warfare. ... In geography, location is a position or point in physical space expressed relative to the position of another point or thing. ... This is a disambiguation page — a navigational aid which lists other pages that might otherwise share the same title. ... An orchard is an intentional planting of trees maintained for food production. ...

This method is very inaccurate and rarely hits the intended target, since the guerrillas don't have time to aim properly, but casualties are still periodically inflicted by incoming mortar rounds and rockets (reportedly, due to the volume of fire). Improvised multiple-rocket launchers have also been used to target buildings in urban areas. In science, engineering, industry and statistics, accuracy is the degree of conformity of a measured or calculated quantity to its actual, nominal, or some other reference, value. ... A target can signify: An object which is aimed or fired at, e. ... A Redstone rocket, part of the Mercury program A rocket is a vehicle, missile or aircraft which obtains thrust by the reaction to the ejection of fast moving exhaust gas from within a rocket engine. ...

Attacks on helicopters

Since the beginning of November, 2003, helicopters have also been increasingly targeted. The insurgents, often concealed in palm groves, lie in wait for the helicopters and then, usually, attack the helicopter from the rear. The weapons used include rocket-propelled grenades and heat-seeking shoulder fired missiles such as the SA-7, SA-14, and in one case the SA-16. Countermeasures taken by helicopter pilots, such as flying very low at a high speed, have considerably reduced the number of helicopters shot down by reducing the accuracy of the heat-seeking missiles and rocket-propelled grenades. November is the eleventh month of the year in the Gregorian Calendar and one of four Gregorian months with the length of 30 days. ... 2003 is a common year starting on Wednesday of the Gregorian calendar, and also: The International Year of Freshwater The European Disability Year Events January January 1 - Luíz Inácio Lula Da Silva becomes the 37th President of Brazil. ... A helicopter is an aircraft which is lifted and propelled by one or more large horizontal rotors (propellers). ... A soldier posing with a Strela launcher The 9K32 Strela-2 (Russian 9К32 стрела-2 - arrow, NATO reporting name SA-7 Grail) is a man-portable, shoulder-fired, low-altitude surface-to-air missile (SAM) system similar to the US Army REDEYE, with a high explosive warhead and passive infrared... The 9K34 Strela-3 (Russian 9К34 Стрела-3 - arrow, NATO reporting name SA-14 Gremlin) man-portable air defence missile system ( MANPADS) was developed in Soviet Union as a response to the poor performance of the earlier 9K32 Strela-2 (NATO reporting name SA-7 Grail) system. ... 9K38 Igla The 9K38 Igla (Russian 9К38 Игла́ - needle) is a Russian/Soviet man-portable infra-red homing surface-to-air missile (SAM) system. ...

An Iraqi policeman guards a blazing oil pipeline after a sabotage attack in southern Iraq on July 3, 2004.

This work is copyrighted. ...

Sabotage

Insurgent saboteurs have also repeatedly assaulted the Iraqi oil industry. Guerrillas, using either rocket-propelled grenades or explosives, regularly destroy portions of oil pipeline in northern Iraq, and had expanded to southern Iraq by April, 2004. This sabotage diminishes the ability of the Iraq interim government and the foreign forces to operate in Iraq by reducing oil revenues. Among the reasons the insurgency gives for sabotage is to prevent American control of Iraq's hydrocarbon reserves. This article is about Sabotage sabotage can also refer to: an early Black Sabbath album (Sabotage), the Alfred Hitchcock films (Sabotage or Saboteur), a Beastie Boys song, or a type of shock site. ... Crude oil is a finite resource. ... The word grenade can mean:- The well-known hand grenade commonly used by soldiers. ... This article is concerned solely with chemical explosives. ... Oil is a generic term for organic liquids that are not miscible with water. ... A pipeline is a conduit made from pipes connected end-to-end, used mostly to transport fluids like water or petroleum over long distances. ... April is the fourth month of the year in the Gregorian Calendar and one of four with the length of 30 days. ... 2004 is a leap year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar. ... The Iraqi Interim Government was created by the United States and its coalition allies as a caretaker government to govern Iraq until elections are conducted on January 30th, 2005. ... Oil imperialism theories characterize a broad group of political science theories which assert that direct and indirect control of world petroleum reserves is a root factor in current international politics. ...

In the early months of the occupation, oil pipelines repeatedly came under attack. The northern oil pipeline to Turkey was destroyed immediately following the U.S. announcement of the intent to ship oil out via that route, and on June 23, 2004 a major pipe junction leading to Syria and Lebanon was destroyed. Together these attacks crippled much of the ability to transport northern Iraqi oil. In the south, an attack on June 22, 2004 destroyed the main oil pipeline leading from southern oil fields to the Baghdad oil refineries. In addition, widespread looting, which contractors believe to be systematic and intended as sabotage, has crippled the attempt to bring production in the supergiant Rumaila oil field back up to speed. By April 2004, after the establishment of Iraqi oil pipeline police, production in the north and south oil fields had returned back to pre-war levels. The overall production was still 600,000 barrels (95,000 m³) per day below the pre-war level, and 2.8 million barrel (450,000 m³) per day below U.S. plans for 2004. A series of attacks in early June, 2004 again crippled production to near zero. The Republic of Turkey is a country located in Southwest Asia with a small part of its territory (3%) in southeastern Europe. ... June 23 is the 174th day of the year (175th in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar, with 191 days remaining. ... 2004 is a leap year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar. ... The Syrian Arab Republic or Syria is a country in the Middle East, bordering (from south to north) on Lebanon, Israel, Jordan, Iraq and Turkey. ... The Lebanese Republic or Lebanon is a country in the Middle East, along the Mediterranean Sea, bordered by Syria and Israel. ... June 22 is the 173rd day of the year (174th in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar, with 192 days remaining. ... 2004 is a leap year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar. ... June is the sixth month of the year in the Gregorian Calendar and one of four with the length of 30 days. ... 2004 is a leap year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar. ...

There have also been allegations of attacks on water pipelines and the electrical grid by the Iraqi insurgents, although there is controversy as to whether the incidents in question did indeed represent intended sabotage. A falling water droplet Water (from the Anglo-Saxon and Low German wæter) is a colourless, tasteless, and odourless substance that is essential to all known forms of life and is the most universal solvent. ... A pipeline is a conduit made from pipes connected end-to-end, used mostly to transport fluids like water or petroleum over long distances. ... Transmission towers Transmission lines in Lund, Sweden Electric power transmission, or more accurately Electrical energy transmission, is the second process in the delivery of electricity to consumers. ...

Suicide bombers

Since August, 2003, as the invading forces gradually strengthened their defences, suicide car bombs have been increasingly used as weapons by guerrilla forces. The car bombs, known in the military as vehicle-borne improvised explosive devices, have emerged as one of their most effective weapons, along with the roadside improvised explosive devices. They have a number of benefits for the insurgency: they deliver a large amount of firepower and inflict large amounts of casualties at little cost. August is the eighth month of the year in the Gregorian Calendar and one of seven Gregorian months with the length of 31 days. ... 2003 is a common year starting on Wednesday of the Gregorian calendar, and also: The International Year of Freshwater The European Disability Year Events January January 1 - Luíz Inácio Lula Da Silva becomes the 37th President of Brazil. ... A suicide bombing is a bomb attack on people or property, committed by a person who knows the explosion will cause his or her own death (see suicide, suicide weapons). ... A car bomb is a bomb that is placed in a car or truck and is intended to be exploded while there. ...

Relatives mourn over the bodies of victims of a massive suicide car bomb in Baquba, north of Baghdad, which left a scene of carnage in its wake, mostly among civilians.

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Non-military and civilian targets

There have also been many attacks on non-military and civilian targets, especially since August, 2003. These include the murder of Iraqis cooperating with the Coalition Provisional Authority and the Governing Council, and suicide bombings targeting the U.N., the Jordanian Embassy, Shi'a mosques and civilians, the International Red Cross, the Iraqi police, Kurdish political parties, the president of the Iraqi Governing Council, hotels, Christian churches, and a restaurant. Militants target private contractors working for the coalition, as well as other non-coalition support personnel. The proportion of attacks on "soft targets" has steadily increased. The origin of the large-scale bombings is probably foreign fighters, former Iraqi secret service operatives, or a combination of the two. August is the eighth month of the year in the Gregorian Calendar and one of seven Gregorian months with the length of 31 days. ... 2003 is a common year starting on Wednesday of the Gregorian calendar, and also: The International Year of Freshwater The European Disability Year Events January January 1 - Luíz Inácio Lula Da Silva becomes the 37th President of Brazil. ... Murder is both a legal and a moral term, that are not always coincident. ... The seal of the CPA in Iraq Following the 2003 invasion of Iraq, the Office for Reconstruction and Humanitarian Assistance (ORHA) was the organization established by the United States Government that acted as a caretaker administration in Iraq until civilian rule resumed on June 28, 2004. ... This article is about the United Nations, for other uses of UN see UN (disambiguation) Official languages English, French, Spanish, Russian, Chinese, Arabic Secretary-General Kofi Annan (since 1997) Established October 24, 1945 Member states 191 Headquarters New York City, NY, USA Official site http://www. ... The Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan, commonly called Jordan, is a country in the Middle East. ... A diplomatic mission is a group of people from one nation state present in another nation state to represent the sending state in the receiving State. ... Shia Islam ( Arabic شيعى follower; English has traditionally used Shiite or Shiite) is the second largest Islamic denomination; some 20-25% of all Muslims are said to follow a Shia tradition. ... A mosque is a place of worship for followers of the Islamic faith. ... The International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement is the worlds largest group of humanitarian non-governmental organizations, often known simply as the Red Cross, after its original symbol. ... Kurds are one of the Iranian peoples and speak Kurdish, a north-Western Iranian language related to Persian. ... Christianity is an Abrahamic religion based on the life, teachings, death by crucifixion, and resurrection of Jesus of Nazareth as described in the New Testament. ... L. Paul Bremer flanked by private military contractors Private military contractors or private military companies (PMCs) are companies that provide logistics, manpower, and other expenditures for a military force. ...

Coalition officials and some analysts suspect that the aim of these attacks is to sow chaos and sectarian discord. Coalition officials point to an intercepted letter suspected to be from Abu Musab al-Zarqawi, in which he makes the case for attacking Shi'a in order to provoke an anti-Sunni backlash and thereby galvanize the Sunni population in support of the insurgents, as evidence. While hardcore Wahabi mujahideen among the insurgency may indeed desire a sectarian war, other insurgents charge that the coalition is attempting to instill a fear of civil war as part of a divide and conquer strategy. Abu Musab al-Zarqawi in one of eight photos from Rewards for Justice, all undated. ... A civil war is a war in which the competing parties are segments of the same country or empire. ... Divide and conquer (derived from the Latin saying Divide et impera) can mean either: In politics and sociology, a strategy to gain or maintain power: see divide and rule In computer science, an algorithm design paradigm based on recursion: see divide and conquer (computer science). ... A strategy is a long term plan of action designed to achieve a particular goal. ...

Assassinations and kidnappings

Assassination of local and government officials, translators for coalition forces, employees at coalition bases, informants, and other (so-called) collaborators has been a regular occurrence. Assassinations have taken place in a variety of ways, from close-range small arms fire and drive-by shootings to suicide car-bombers ramming convoys. Jack Ruby murdered the assassin, Lee Harvey Oswald, in a very public manner. ... The term small arms describes any weapon that a person can easily transport and fire. ... A drive-by shooting (sometimes referred to merely as a drive-by) is an attack on a person carried out with a firearm discharge from a moving vehicle (or a momentarily stopped vehicle). ... Suicide (from Latin sui caedere, to kill oneself) is the act of intentionally ending ones own life. ... A car bomb is a bomb that is placed in a car or truck and is intended to be exploded while there. ...

Kidnapping, and in some cases, beheadings, have emerged as another insurgent tactic since April. Foreign civilians have borne the brunt of the kidnappings, although U.S military personnel have also been targeted. After kidnapping the victim, the insurgents typically make some sort of demand of the government of the hostage's nation and give a time limit for the demand to be carried out, often 72 hours. Beheading is often threatened if the government fails to heed the wishes of the hostage takers. Several individuals, including an American civilian (Nicholas Berg) and a South Korean (Kim Sun-il), among others, have been beheaded. In many cases, tapes of the beheadings are distributed for propaganda purposes. In criminal law, kidnapping is the taking away of a person against the persons will, usually to hold the person in false imprisonment (confinement without legal authority) for ransom or in furtherance of another crime. ... Beheading. ... The term ransom refers to the practice of holding a prisoner to extort money or property extorted to secure their release, or to the sum of money involved. ... The hour was originally defined in Egypt as 1/24 of a day, based on their duo-decimal numbering system (which counted finger joints on each hand). ... ... Kim Sun-il (September 13, 1970 – June 22, 2004) was a South Korean translator working in Iraq for Gana General Trading Company, a South Korean company under contract to the U.S. military. ... This article is about the type of communication. ...

The goal of the kidnappings appears mainly to be to terrify foreign civilians into immobilization and to attract media attention and possibly inspire recruits. Most kidnappings have been conducted by radical Sunni groups, but a Shiite group, possibly indirectly linked to Jaish-i-Mahdi, kidnapped an American journalist in August of 2004. Aides of Moqtada al-Sadr successfully lobbied for the individual's release. The Mahdi Army, as well as the nationalist and more moderate religious elements of the Sunni insurgency, have rejected kidnapping as a legitimate tactic. For the state of pronounced fear, see terror. ... Mass media is the term used to denote, as a class, that section of the media specifically conceived and designed to reach a very large audience (typically at least as large as the whole population of a nation state). ...

Attacks on the police

Insurgent tactic that has been increasingly used since April of 2004 include assaults and raids on police stations and compounds of Iraqi security forces, whom insurgents view as collaborators, involving platoon-sized elements or larger, oftentimes up to 150 men. Tactics is the collective name for methods of winning a small-scale conflict, performing an optimization, etc. ... 2004 : January - February - March - April - May - June - July - August - September - October - November - December Deaths in April • 18 Ratu Sir Kamisese Mara • 19 Norris McWhirter • 22 Pat Tillman • 24 Estée Lauder Other recent deaths Ongoing events EU Enlargement Exploration of Mars: Rovers Haiti Rebellion Reconstruction of Iraq – Occupation & Resistance Israeli-Palestinian... Assault is the crime of violence against another person. ... Raid or RAID has several meanings: Redundant array of independent disks Raid bug spray The French elite police unit, Recherche Assistance Intervention Dissuasion A sudden, forcible entry by police A military operation or attack, air raid e. ... A police station (North American English and British English) is a building which serves as the headquarters of a police force which serves a specific district. ... Collaboration, literally, consists of working together with one or more others. ... See also Platoon (movie) and platoon (automobile) for the concept for reducing traffic congestion. ...

Raids and larger attacks

Assaults combining the following weapons and tactics, involving IED's, RPG's, mortars, and car bombs all at once, have increasingly appeared. Such raids and larger attacks have been advanced by Sunni insurgents in cities such as Fallujah, Ramadi, and Baquba and by Shiite Mahdi Army militiamen in Baghdad, Najaf, Kufa, al-Kut, Nasiriyah, and other central and southern cities. These attacks are usually coordinated and are meant to kill soft targets, to throw the Iraqi security forces into disarray, to conduct psychological warfare, and to draw out the coalition occupation forces. Guerrillas have also conducted large ambushes, including a coordinated ambush on U.S convoys in Sadr City by the Mahdi Army in April of 2004 that involved nearly 1,000 militiamen. However, these ambushes usually fail to result in heavy casualties for US troops, since most of the insurgent's weapons (such as most notably AK-47s and RPG-7s) cannot dent US tanks or supply vehicles. Explosive devices, as used by terrorists, guerrillas or commando forces, are formally known as Improvised Explosive Devices or IEDs. ... A rocket propelled grenade (RPG) is a man-portable, shoulder-launched weapon capable of firing an explosive device longer distances than an otherwise unassisted soldier could throw. ... Soldier Firing the M224 60mm Mortar. ... A car bomb is a bomb that is placed in a car or truck and is intended to be exploded while there. ... Fallujah (Arabic: فلوجة; sometimes transliterated as Falluja and less commonly Fallouja, Falloujah, Faloojah, Faloojeh) is a city of about 350,000 inhabitants in the Iraqi province of Al Anbar, located roughly 69km (43 miles) west of Baghdad on the Euphrates. ... Ramădī (الرمادي) is a city in central Iraq, about 100 kilometers west of Baghdad. ... Baquba (بعقوبه; also transliterated as Baqubah and Baqouba) is the capital of Iraqs Diyala province. ... A street map of Baghdad Average temperature (red) and precipitations (blue) in Baghdad Baghdad (بغداد) is the capital of Iraq and the Baghdad Province. ... Najaf (نجف in the Arabic language) is a city in Iraq, about 160 km south of Baghdad, located at 31. ... Kufa (الكوفة al-Kufa in Arabic) is a city in Iraq, about 170 km south of Baghdad, and 10 km northeast of Najaf. ... Kūt (كوت; also known as Kut-Al-Imara and Kut El Amara) is a city in eastern Iraq, on the left bank of the Tigris River, about 100 miles south east of Baghdad, at 32. ... Nāşirīyah (also transliterated as Nassiriya or Nasiriya; in Arabic ناصرية, al-Nasiriyah or an-Nasiriyah) is a city in Iraq. ... For the band, see The Police. ... The U.S. Department of Defense defines psychological warfare (PSYWAR) as: The planned use of propaganda and other psychological actions having the primary purpose of influencing the opinions, emotions, attitudes, and behavior of hostile foreign groups in such a way as to support the achievement of national objectives. ...

Analysis and polls

A great deal of attention has been focused on how much support the guerrillas have among the Iraqi population and on winning hearts and minds. It appears as though the Iraqi insurgency retains a degree of popular support in the Sunni Triangle, especially in cities like Fallujah. The tribal nature of the area and its concepts of pride and revenge, the prestige many received from the former regime, and civilian casualties resulting from intense coalition counter-insurgency operations have resulted in the opposition of many Sunni Arabs to the occupation. Counter-insurgency is the combatting of Insurgency, by the government (or allies) of the territory in which the insurgency takes place. ...

Polls indicate that the greatest support for the insurgency is in al-Anbar province, a vast area extending from the Syrian border to the western outskirts of Baghdad. This is for a number of reasons; many residents received employment and opportunities from the former regime, the area has a history of strong tribalism and suspicion of outsiders, it is religiously conservative, and it has seen civilian casualties from coalition counter-insurgency operations. Counter-insurgency is the combatting of Insurgency, by the government (or allies) of the territory in which the insurgency takes place. ...

Some observers, such as political scientist Wamidh Nadhmi, believe that the major division in Iraq is not between religious/ethnic groups nor between the general population and violent groups, but between those who collaborate with the foreign occupation and those who resist it.

Outside the Sunni Triangle and in the Shiite and Kurdish areas, violence is largely eschewed. Many, however, especially in the Shiite community, although supportive of the overthrow of Saddam Hussein, are very unhappy with the occupation. Farther north in the Kurdish areas, there is a great deal of pro-American sentiment and an almost unanimous distaste for anti-coalition violence. The situation is more complicated in the Shiite regions. Support for violent insurgency is notably less enthusiastic in the Shiite than the Sunni community since the Shiites, like the Kurds, saw persecution under the Ba'ath regime and from the Sunnis. Shiites having also been influenced by a moderate clerical establishment under Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani that has advocated a political solution. However, Moqtada al-Sadr (a radical Shiite cleric who has advocated violent insurgency) has drawn support from a portion of the Shiite community, mainly young and unemployed men in urban areas. Sadr's support varies region by region; while likely drawing under 10% support in Najaf (a stronghold of the clerical establishment which was occupied by Sadr's militia and has been the scene of some of the heaviest fighting), some polls have indicated Sadr's support among the Shiites of Baghdad may be as high as 50%. However, in the 2005 legislative election a party closely assoicated with Sadr's movement did poorly, bringing in only 0.8% of the votes. Iraqi police officers hold up their index fingers marked with purple indelible ink, a security measure to prevent double voting. ...

Spontaneous peaceful protests have appeared in Shiite areas against the occupation. The Shiite intellectuals and the upper classes, as well as the inhabitants of rural regions in the south and followers of more moderate clerics such as Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani, tend to cooperate with the coalition and the Iraqi interim government and participate in peaceful protest instead of violence. Many Shiites and Kurds suffered heavy persecution under the rule of Saddam Hussein's regime, which may cause a reluctance to use violence against Coalition forces. This is in contrast to the more radical Moqtada al-Sadr, who draws his support from the lower classes, the uneducated, and the Shiite urban population. Grand Ayatollah Sayyid Ali Husaini Sistani (Arabic: السيد علي الحسيني السيستاني Persian: سید علی حسینی سیستانی), born approximately August 4, 1930, is a Grand Ayatollah, a Shia marja and currently an important person in relation to the occupation of Iraq. ...

A series of polls have been conducted to ascertain the position of the Iraqi public further on the insurgency and the Coalition occupation. A poll in late 2003 showed that about one-third of all Sunni Arabs are staunch supporters of the guerrillas and consider armed attacks on occupying forces acceptable. In al-Anbar province, which includes the cities of Fallujah and Ramadi, solid support for the Iraqi insurgency stood at 70%. Only about 10% of the Shiite Arab population supported violent insurgency. Support was very minimal for attacks on coalition forces among the Kurds. Curiously, the poll (which was supposed to cover an even distribution of the Iraqi population) showed more people stating that they are Sunnis (44%) than Shiites (33%), leading to speculation that the poll's sample was skewed. [9] (http://www.taipeitimes.com/News/edit/archives/2004/03/30/2003108502). The poll was also conducted before the spring 2004 occupation crackdown on the insurgency in Fallujah and the fighting in the Shiite heartland.

In another instance, in late January and early February 2004, a joint statement was distributed in leaflet form by a dozen insurgency organizations vowing to take control of Iraqi cities after occupation forces withdraw, and portraying the U.S's planned withdrawal as a defeat. Iraqi civilians' reaction to the statement were reported to vary widely, from being "hailed as the manifesto for a legitimate resistance movement" to being dismissed "as mere bravado."

A later poll (March-April 2004) found that 80% of Iraqis distrust the occupation authority and 82% disapprove of the presence of coalition military forces there. [10] (http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A22403-2004May12.html)

U.S./Middle East historian Juan Cole assesses the recent outcome of the Najaf standoff of August 2004 as follows: The Americans (becoming more unpopular) and the Allawi government (viewed more as the indecisive neo-imperialist's puppet) are losers. Sistani has gained nationalist credentials as a national hero saving Najaf. Muqtada has neither lost nor gained. His southern cities slums movement is intact, even with a weakened paramilitary. [11] (http://www.juancole.com/) Juan R. I. Cole is author of the popular weblog Informed Comment, which covers the U.S.-led occupation of Iraq. ...

A Zogby poll in January 2005 found that 82% of Sunnis and 69% of Shiites want the US occupation to end. The poll also found that over 50% of Sunnis "believe that ongoing attacks in Iraq are a legitimate form of resistance."[12]  (http://www.zogby.com/news/ReadNews.dbm?ID=957) January is the first month of the year in the Gregorian Calendar and one of seven Gregorian months with the length of 31 days. ... 2005 is a common year starting on Saturday of the Gregorian calendar. ...

On 9 April 2005, the two-year anniversary of the fall of Baghdad (which the Iraqi government had declared a national holiday (http://www.command-post.org/2_archives/007663.html)), Al-Sadr supporters staged a demonstration in Baghdad's Fardus Square, where Marines had helped Iraqis pull down a statue of Saddam Hussein in 2003. The number of protesters in Baghdad was variously reported as "thousands" [13] (http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A39188-2005Apr9.html) to "tens of thousands" [14] (http://www.nytimes.com/2005/04/10/international/middleeast/10iraq.html); some estimates even ran as high as 300,000 (http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/world/la-fg-iraq10apr10,0,1677779.story?coll=la-home-world). April 9 is the 99th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (100th in leap years). ... 2005 is a common year starting on Saturday of the Gregorian calendar. ...

Scope and size of the insurgency

The most intense Sunni insurgent activity takes place in Baghdad and a triangle stretching west from the capital to the town of Ramadi and north to Tikrit in an area known as the Sunni Triangle. Guerrilla activity also takes place around al-Qaim in western Iraq and around the cities of Mosul and Kirkuk to the north, as well as some other areas of the country. Although estimates of the total number of Iraqi guerrillas vary, and the number itself likely fluctuates, the latest assessment put the number at 20,000, including both the Sunni and Shiite insurgencies. In November of 2003 the Coalition military and the U.S. CIA put the total number of core fighters at 5,000, along with a network of 20,000 to 50,000 active supporters. This included only the Sunni insurgents, since the Mahdi Army uprising had not yet occurred. The Iraqi police and insurgents have certain factors in common: they include a large number of veterans of the elite former military and security services, they are traditionally religiously conservative, and they have histories of strong tribalism. At various points, the U.S has provided estimates on the number of fighters in specific regions (although these numbers likely fluctuate). A street map of Baghdad Average temperature (red) and precipitations (blue) in Baghdad Baghdad (بغداد) is the capital of Iraq and the Baghdad Province. ... Ramădī (الرمادي) is a city in central Iraq, about 100 kilometers west of Baghdad. ... Tikrit (تكريت, also transliterated as Takrit or Tekrit) is a town in Iraq, located 140 km northwest of Baghdad on