Somalia isn't the only place that Al Qaeda is in retreat. They're fleeing Baghdad as well.

The apparent evacuation of Baghdad by al Qaeda forces comes from direct orders issued by al-Masri, the former soldier who took control of the Iraqi wing of al Qaeda following the June 2006 bombing death of Zarqawi.

Initially, the intelligence officer informed Pajamas, the Baghdad-based AQ fighters did not want to leave. Al-Masri had to send unequivocal orders for their retreat, adding that one of the lessons from the Fallujah campaign was that Americans have learned how to prevail in house-to-house fighting. Masri said that remaining in Baghdad was a ‘no-win situation’ for the terrorists.

“In more than ten years of reading al Qaeda intercepts, I’ve never seen language like this,” the intelligence officer said. Usually, al Qaeda communications are full of bravado and false confidence, he added.

Here's the bad news, though.

Al-Masri’s evacuation order – assuming that it is authentic – reveals that al Qaeda in Iraq leader has a good grasp of a tactical situation. “He is far more formidable than Zarqawi was,” the intelligence officer said, because of his training at Soviet special warfare schools.

Zarqawi was always sort of an amateur, too brutal for his own good or the good of his cause, alienating people that he should have been trying to swim among, like a good guerrilla. Al-Masri will be tougher, but we have to stay on him. And I never fail to be amazed at the naivety of those who don't think that Iraq is the main front in the war against these people, and who think that we should be the ones in retreat.

Not that Simberg will ever be on the front, fighting
his central front.

Far more useful that Simberg sit in Florida,
lying on the beach.

How is it Rand's job to go fight?

In all this time with all your cheap shots, you have never made this case, you keep repeating the same failed argument over and over.

The only Quagmire is the Quagmire of retardation that A J-H is stuck in.

Rand claims Iraq is the main front against terror,
he claims it's a priority but what has he done?

Does he buy Liberty bonds?

Does he volunteer,

He wants other people to pay, to bleed

It's not a priority to him

When have Liberty Bonds been for sale?

What difference would it make if Rand volunteered? He is well past the age of acceptance.

Do you live under police protection A J-H? Do you want the other people to pay and bleed so you can be safe? Have you served as a street cop?

Rand, perhaps you should go to the recruiter and volunteer. When they reject you for being to old, you will have an actual piece of paper for A J-H to choke on.

Mike

Ask your stockbroker about liberty bonds.

Assuming you have one.

I don't want to be a cop, but, i've done the citizens ride alongs
a few times. Very educational.

I don't want to be a fireman, but, i've been the first person
on scene to fires and accidents.

Simberg wants more war, he should be willing to
sacrifice for war, not to put it on the national credit card.

I use a brokerage, not a broker.

I know that if I were the leader of Al Qaeda resistance in Iraq, I'd be ordering everyone in Baghdad to lie low till the heat passes. No good reason to keep doing chancy stuff at ground zero of the "surge". There's probably lower risk activities they can do to keep the troops entertained till the US starts drawing down its military forces again.