See other War, War, War Articles
Title: 'Al Qaeda rolodex' found in Iraq
Source:
CNN
URL Source: http://www.cnn.com/2007/WORLD/meast/11/22/iraq.fighters/index.html
Published: Nov 23, 2007
Author: CNN
Post Date: 2007-11-23 13:30:05 by Zipporah
Ping List: *Humor-Weird News* Subscribe to *Humor-Weird News*
Keywords: None
Views: 145
Comments: 10
WASHINGTON (CNN) -- As many as 60 percent of the foreign fighters who entered Iraq in the past year have come from Saudi Arabia and Libya, according to documents discovered in a raid in September near the Syrian border, a senior U.S. military official in Baghdad confirmed to CNN Thursday. A Syrian soldier stands guard at a border post with Iraq. The majority of foreign fighters coming into Iraq have entered via Syria. The documents confiscated in that raid listed the identities of more than 700 foreign fighters in Iraq, whom the United States believes entered that country since August 2006. The official describes the documents as "an al Qaeda rolodex." Scrutinized along with other intelligence in the hands of the U.S. military, the documents show that 60 percent of the foreign fighters who entered Iraq during that time frame came either from Saudi Arabia or Libya, the official said. The United States believes 305 foreign fighters came from Saudi Arabia, and 137 came from Libya. The raid took place in Sinjar, close to the Syrian border. That raid has been discussed in the past by the U.S. military, but this is the first time the intelligence findings have been discussed in such detail. The New York Times first reported the new information on Thursday. The official said the number of foreign fighters has dropped off since the Sinjar raid. The U.S. military believes both Syria and Saudi Arabia in recent months have taken a number of actions to reduce the flow of foreign fighters. "We continue to work with the countries in the region to stem the flow of foreign fighters into Iraq and appreciate the efforts they've made," said White House spokeswoman Nikki McArthur from Washington. "These statistics remind us that extremists continue to go to Iraq because they do not want the United States nor the Iraqis to succeed in establishing a democracy there that is an ally in the war on terror," she added. The official said in particular both countries are more closely watching military-age males who buy on- way airline tickets. The majority of foreign fighters have entered Iraq either by coming across the Syrian border, or flying into Iraq from Syria. The official said intelligence had shown that the majority of suicide bombers in Iraq in recent months had come into Iraq via airports in Syria after arriving there from their home countries.
Poster Comment: oh brother
Subscribe to *Humor-Weird News*
Post Comment Private Reply Ignore Thread
Top • Page Up • Full Thread • Page Down • Bottom/Latest
Begin Trace Mode for Comment # 8.
#5. To: Zipporah (#0)
a senior U.S. military official in Baghdad confirmed to CNN Thursday . . . the official said . . . The United States believes 305 foreign fighters came from Saudi Arabia, and 137 came from Libya . . . (huh? Suddenly the back room utterings of an unamed nebulous "official" is what the "United States" believes?) The official said . . . "We continue to work with the countries in the region to stem the flow of foreign fighters into Iraq and appreciate the efforts they've made," said White House spokeswoman Nikki McArthur from Washington. "These statistics remind us that extremists continue to go to Iraq because they do not want the United States nor the Iraqis to succeed in establishing a democracy there that is an ally in the war on terror," she added. (Note the quote from the White House Spokesman neither confirms or denies the veracity of the "official's" claims- but clearly is inserted to lend it credence. They do this ALL THE TIME.) The official said . . . The official said . . . So what do we have here really? A single source story from an anonymous official in the US government. Why? Why is he anonymous? Why not have a named spokesman say it? Why not have the White House Spokesman say they found an "Al Qaeda Rolodex" instead of just slyly adding comments without confirming or denying? This is what everyone can logically assume to be true about this story: Nothing. Note a thing. Not even the existence of an "official". This story could have been written by a DOD hack for all we know- and faxed over to CNN for them to run without edit. We have no way of knowing. None. It has no other source. There is absolutley no attempt to corroborate this story with an independent or removed source (one not associated with the first "official".) This is blatant violation of the most standard of journalistic ethics- but it is done ROUTINELY by our MSM- relaying single sourced stories from unnamed government "officials". And there is no threat of sanction to these officials if they are lying. A source who lies to a reporter has no right to confidence any longer- and it is indeed the JOB of the Reporter being lied to to expose his lying source- that is news- trying to use the press to pass off lies. But that never happens. They protect their liars and keep reporting lies for them. This story may very well be true- all of it. But from the perspective of the news consumer- logically there are no grounds to assume any of it is true whatsoever. None. One source who isn't even named, no corroboration, no threat of exposure if he is lying. There is literally no logical reason why any of this should be believed.
Excellent point.. plus in Iraq someone walking around with a freaking rolodex? that such nonsense..
Do a google search on "Al Qaeda". You will note two things pretty quickly: that virtually everything said about this elusive murky group is from anonymous officials with no corroboration, and you will find virtually no quantitative facts or data about this group. No estimates as to size. No estimates as to breakdowns of membership along national idenity lines. No org charts, no financial information of any specifics, no recruiting details, no operation maps . . . next to nothing. It just is whereever DC wants and needs it to be- the name associated with 9/11.
There are no replies to Comment # 8. End Trace Mode for Comment # 8.
Top • Page Up • Full Thread • Page Down • Bottom/Latest
#6. To: Burkeman1 (#5)
#8. To: Zipporah (#6)
Replies to Comment # 8.