U.S., Iraqi Troops Extend Assault Against Insurgents

It is important to remember that this operation was started with Iraqi intelligence assets, planned and coordinated by Iraqi's and conducted as a joint operation by the Iraqi's.

BAGHDAD -- An Iraqi-U.S. operation targeting insurgents in the vast hardpan desert northeast of Samarra has led to the capture of a possible ringleader of the bombing of the Gold Mosque,

Iraqi officials said today.On its second day, Operation Swarmer resulted in 48 arrests and the discovery of at least six weapons caches consisting of mortars, AK-47s and insurgent training manuals, officials said.

The most important capture may be a leader of the group responsible for the bombing of the Golden Mosque, which set off a wave of sectarian violence between Sunnis and Shiites. More than 500 have been killed and hundreds more wounded. The insurgent group was also believed to be involved in the killing of a journalist for Arab television.

One thing that has been nipping at my brain for some time now is the number of arrests that are routinely made of "insurgent/terrorists". Over the course of the war it has been thousands upon thousands. Compare that with WWII in the Pacific where committed Japanese rarely were taken alive. Almost invariably they either perished in a "suicide assault" or killed themselves prior to capture, and they didn't have the 72 virgins to look forward to. Is our enemy in Iraq somewhat less committed to their mantra and their cause than we have been led to believe?