by John M. Curtis
(310) 204-8700

Copyright March 30, 2003
All Rights Reserved.

pening a new front near the holy city of Najaf, a suicide bomber posing as a taxicab driver detonated his car blowing himself up and four soldiers from the Army's 1st Brigade, 3rd Infantry Division. Promising more terrorism, Iraq's Vice President Taha Yassin Ramadan threatened to make suicide bombing "routine military policy," alerting the Pentagon to get ready for asymmetric warfare. Already, U.S. troops have been ambushed with feigned surrenders, disguised combatants and enemy snipers, "We will use any means to kill our enemy in our land and follow the enemy into its land," said Ramadan, promising terror to Americans now watching the war in the comfort of their living rooms. Ramadan's threat not only signals Iraq's intent to adopt Palestinian-style suicide bombing but to weaken domestic public opinion by threatening more terrorism on American soil—a key worry of those opposing the war.

      Wiring cars and human beings with explosives hasn't been Iraq's forte, leading some to suspect that either Al Qaeda or any of a number of known Palestinian terror groups have now joined Saddam's cause. "It's the blessed beginning," said Iraqi TV, commenting about the suicide attack. "He wanted to teach the enemy a lesson in the manner used by our Palestinian brothers," alerting the U.S. military that Saddam has opened up a new front, forecasting the guerrilla warfare that lies ahead in Baghdad. Calling the suicide bombing "a symbol of an organization that's starting to get a little bit desperate," Maj. Gen. Gene Renuart of the U.S. Central Command better wake up to the reality of asymmetric warfare, something that bedeviled conventional forces in Vietnam. Far from cracking, Saddam's strategy involves diverting troops away from conventional warfare and into protracted guerrilla combat.

      With all the criticism currently heaped on Sec. of Defense Donald H. Rumsfeld about underestimating troop strength to topple Saddam, the Press better accept the evolving guerrilla war. Changing paradigms is a far bigger task than beefing up troop strength and heavy armaments. Rumsfeld's belief in a leaner, meaner, more mobile fighting machine like the Delta Force isn't far off the mark, but still requires a paradigm shift to combat Iraq's new terrorism strategy. Ramadan insists that Iraq has the "legal right to deal with the enemy with any means," signaling that, like any group with an inferior military, there are no rules of engagement. With all the talk about Saddam gassing the Kurds and feverishly building biological and nuclear weapons, the Pentagon should have expected nothing less than dirty tactics. "We are very concerned about it. It looks and feels like terrorism," said Maj. Gen Stanley MacChrystal, finally getting the picture.

      President Bush went to war precisely because Saddam represents a clear and present danger to U.S. national security. Rogue nations and terrorists have aggressively pursued weapons of mass destruction with the real intent of harming U.S. interests. "They have bombs that can kill 500 people, but I am sure that the day will come when a single martyrdom operation will kill 5,000 enemies," said Ramadan, openly admitting that if Iraq possessed an A-bomb he wouldn't hesitate to use it. From the get-go, the Pentagon has told the troops—and the press—they would be welcomed as liberators. So far, American troops have been welcomed with booby-traps, sniper attacks and now suicide bombings. "We were very surprised. We were told when we were going through Nassiriya that we would see little resistance," said Marine Corporal Joshua Menard, recovering from a hand injury at a U.S. military hospital in Landstuhl, Germany.

      Military commanders must separate its propaganda strategy from how troops are prepared for real dangers on the battlefield. There's nothing wrong with spinning the U.S. invasion as liberation, but misleading soldiers into thinking average Iraqis will roll out the welcome mat goes over the top. With Syria, Russia and terrorist groups now joining Iraq's fight, U.S. troops must be prepared for ongoing terrorism. While Ramadan claims that an Iraqi noncommissioned officer named Ali Jaafar al-Noamani detonated the blast near Najaf, others remain skeptical. Former Iraqi Lt. Col. Ahmed Radhi, now exiled in Cairo, doubts whether the named suicide bomber was from the Iraqi military. Telling troops they would meet little resistance—both conventional and guerrilla warfare—opens the door for mishaps like the car bombing near Najaf. Feigned surrenders, disguised soldiers and ongoing sniper attacks go with the territory.

      As the final assault on Baghdad draws near, the military must prepare itself for stepped up terrorist attacks. Knowing they're badly outgunned, Saddam will rely heavily on asymmetric warfare, especially urban street fighting, to inflict maximum casualties to weaken U.S. resolve. Whether Saddam unloads his chemical arsenal is anyone's guess. With Al Jazeera TV busy highlighting collateral damage, the U.S. continues to be perceived as the bully on the world stage. Saddam has waged a fierce propaganda battle, hoping to rally the world against the U.S. and pressure the U.N. into a cease-fire before he's dethroned. There's a convenient double standard in the world and domestic press allowing Saddam to engage in outrageous propaganda but holding the U.S. to a different standard. One thing's for sure: U.S. troops must be told they're in a treacherous situation where asymmetric warfare rules the day.

About the Author

John M. Curtis writes politically neutral commentary analyzing spin in national and global news. He's editor of OnlineColumnist.com and author of Dodging The Bullet and Operation Charisma.

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