Iraqis Losing Love for al-Qaeda

Outsmarted and overwhelmed by allied forces in Iraq, al-Qaeda is getting desperate, Marie Colvin writes for the London Times. The insurgents, masters of organized resistance, are now resorting to small-scale hit-and-run attacks amidst waning support from Iraqis. “Al-Qaeda in Mosul is pretty much not able to do the attacks that they could do previously,” said an Iraqi commander.

Attacks have fallen by 80%, and even military officials are surprised by how fast the militants have fallen. The US troop surge led to the quick turnaround, Colvin says; al-Qaeda has also begun to alienate Iraqis with its steady campaign of kidnapping and extortion. “We need jobs,” insisted one citizen. “We’re all very tired of this insurgency.” (More al-Qaeda in Iraq stories.)