KARACHI - When major combat operations ended in
Iraq last year after the fall of Saddam Hussein,
subsequent sporadic attacks on US troops were largely
dubbed as typical post-war insurgency. However, the
sustained strengthening of the insurgency has seen it
grow into a widespread, organized resistance.
Sources in the Afghan resistance movement
informed Asia Times Online in written material sent
through ordinary mail that the mujahideen decided before
the US invasion of Iraq to make that country a hub of
their activities. An organization called the Jaishul
al-Qiba al-Jihadi al-Siri al-Alami had already been
formed to send groups of jihadis to Iraq from time to
time. These included Afghans and Arab-Afghans.
Well before the Islamic holy month of Ramadan,
which ends this weekend, the resistance held a meeting
in southern Baghdad. It was attended by representatives
of many different Iraqi groups, which decided to launch
"Operation Ramadan" all over Iraq. Therefore, by the
time the US finally began its all-out offensive on
Fallujah earlier this week, the resistance was prepared
to hit back throughout Iraq - as has happened, with some
of the bloodiest few days the country has seen in many
months.
This poses a difficult problem for the
US, which needs to crush all resistance before the
scheduled elections in Iraq in January.
For an
insight into the dynamics of the resistance, Asia Times
Online spoke to Pakistan's retired former director
general of Inter-Services Intelligence, Lieutenant
General Hamid Gul. He was one of the masterminds of the
International Muslim Brigade, a force raised in
Afghanistan to fuel the independence movements of
Muslim-occupied territories. This later evolved into
Osama bin Laden's International Islamic Front. Gul spoke
to Asia Times Online by telephone from Rawalpindi.
ATol: It is inevitable that US-led
forces will ultimately prevail in Fallujah. What will
the resistance do next?
Gul: Yes
you are right, the present resistance in Fallujah
obviously cannot last long in front of US military
might. At present, the resistance is [only] up to a
[certain] level thanks to [Shi'ite leader] Ayatollah
[Ali al-]Sistani, who has kept Shi'ites away from the
resistance as Shi'ites are interested in participating
in the elections. Had Shi'ites been a part of the
resistance movement at this stage, the US would have had
a difficult time in keeping its presence in Iraq.
However, this situation apart, the way
resistance groups have driven the US nuts in Iraq could
set a new dynamic in the world and give new life to
liberation movements. The death of Yasser Arafat has
also left no leader who can convince Muslim youths that
politicking is a solution. Now nobody will be ready to
listen to Muslim intellectuals who believe in
negotiations rather than military struggle.
Muslim youths will see their success in military
struggles and I see an emergence of a "Muslim
International" in which Iraq will be the center. I think
7,000 to 8,000 foreign fighters have already joined
hands with the resistance. They are not alien to Iraqi
culture. They are youths who share the same culture,
speak the same language and wear the same dress. In the
coming days, I believe thousands more will join. This is
a trend which cannot be suppressed by the state
apparatus issuing verdicts that suicide attacks are
prohibited in Islam. Arab youths can flock through
Iraq's largely unguarded borders to reinforce the
resistance movement.
In the coming phase, in my
opinion, the resistance will make Baghdad the center of
the resistance, where all resources will be pooled to
blow away US interests.
ATol: Can
the resistance survive without external help?
Gul: Support comes with the
passage of time when a movement proves its credibility.
For one-and-a-half years there was no support for the
Afghan resistance movement [against the Soviets in the
early 1980s]. Whatever Pakistan support there was was
less than a peanut. However, when the resistance proved
its credibility, support came from the West. After
[President George W] Bush's re-election, there is
visible annoyance in countries like Russia and China,
even in Europe, against US policies, and it will be a
matter of time before they trust the guts [bravery] of
the resistance movement and extend their support.
ATol: You mentioned a "Muslim
International". Do you see a role for al-Qaeda in Iraq?
Gul: Yes. This is true. Most of
the al-Qaeda figures have already left Afghanistan. They
cannot live in Pakistan as there is the threat of their
arrest. They all went to Iran. Iran has not arrested any
al-Qaeda figures. Then where do they go? Obviously, Iraq
is the next destination. Now the entire focus is on
Iraq, where all [resistance] groups are investing their
resources to make the resistance a success.
ATol: I was in Iraq after the war
and I asked a US commander in northern Iraq who was
behind the attacks on US forces. His immediate reply was
Iraqi military and para-military troops. My question is,
how can a conventional army become a successful
guerrilla force?
Gul: If they have
support in villages and among tribes these soldiers can
unleash a guerrilla fight. Saddam had a force called
Fidayeen-i-Saddam, which was trained specifically for
guerrilla operations. It numbered about 35,000. Suppose
today this is even 25% of its original strength, it is a
big number when local support is available. At the same
time, there is no dearth of new recruits. I think a
flood of fighters will be coming to Iraq.
ATol: How big could the resistance
be?
Gul: About 40,000 to 50,000,
including former Ba'ath Party members, Fidayeens, other
military and para-military forces, and foreign fighters.
In addition, the number of foreign fighters will grow
immensely and Iraq will be the hub of an anti-US
movement. You know, there is a new phenomena emerging in
which a man is himself a weapon. No military can
withstand this.
You have to keep in mind the
nature of Arab fighters. They do not surrender or
retreat easily. Afghanistan is a case in this regard. At
Qila Changi and other places the Taliban decided to
retreat, but Arab fighters refused to do so and they
fought till their last. So, I think, the resistance
movement will increase multifold in the coming weeks.
Syed Saleem Shahzad, Bureau Chief,
Pakistan, Asia Times Online. He can be reached at saleem_shahzad2002@yahoo.com
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