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Zarqawi in Faluja II

Belmont Club:

Iraqi blogger Hammorabi (hat tip: MW) has more details oimmn the possible alliance between the Al Qaeda's Abu Musab al Zarqawi and the Ba'athist stragglers. They've set up headquarters in Fallujah.

"There is news from Falluja talking about a special meeting recently took place in one area in the centre of Falluja in which the (Mujaheeden) has pledged allegiance to appoint Al-Zarqawi as the Ameer (Prince or Governor) of the City of Falluja! Zarqawi was in the meeting which was attended by top leader of Mujaheeden including Arabs from Jordan, Saudis, Syrian and Palestinians.

"They divided the city into various areas and called it Emarat El-Falluja (Emirate) with Zarqawi as the Ameer (Prince). They appointed a leader for each one of these areas among the Mujaheeden with one group under his leadership. They gave Zarqawi an Oath to set out the Islamic state of Caliphate in Falluja and from there they will spread it into the rest of Iraq and the region. They now try desperately to gather lot of youths and young people enthusiastic for that to join them. They also tried to get themselves extended well beyond that area to Baghdad and other regions. Among them are many Saudi Wahabis and Syrian with other Arabs."

The Belmont Club earlier linked to an article from the Site Institute which reported that Izzat Ibrahim, once vice president of Iraq and one of Saddam's high ranking security henchmen had transferred his allegiance to Zarqawi, presumably because the Saddam well has run dry. Hammorabi also alleges that Zarqawi and his goons have their hooks right into the Iraqi Police in Fallujah. He counsels: don't run to the station house for help. The expletives are his.

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Apparently, Fallujah has cops who hand you over to the perps and imams who consider mutilation their ministry. This is part of the community which Iraqi political leaders sought to spare when the Marines were storming across the city....

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The June 30 transfer of power is less than a fortnight away and the Iraqis will have to start deciding whether their country is worth fighting for or not. It is the Iraqi half of a coin whose American face will be stamped in November, when the voters will signal whether they want to defeat the terrorist enemy or attempt to coexist with them. It is a transaction with no return, no exchange.