I don’t think this can be emphasized enough: According to a document captured in his hideout, Al Zarqawi feared that the United States and the Iraqi National Guard had the “resistance” on the mat:
The situation and conditions of the resistance in Iraq have reached a point that requires a review of the events and of the work being done inside Iraq. Such a study is needed in order to show the best means to accomplish the required goals, especially that the forces of the National Guard have succeeded in forming an enormous shield protecting the American forces and have reduced substantially the losses that were solely suffered by the American forces. This is in addition to the role, played by the Shi’a (the leadership and masses) by supporting the occupation, working to defeat the resistance and by informing on its elements.
As an overall picture, time has been an element in affecting negatively the forces of the occupying countries, due to the losses they sustain economically in human lives, which are increasing with time. However, here in Iraq, time is now beginning to be of service to the American forces and harmful to the resistance for the following reasons:
1. By allowing the American forces to form the forces of the National Guard, to reinforce them and enable them to undertake military operations against the resistance.
2. By undertaking massive arrest operations, invading regions that have an impact on the resistance, and hence causing the resistance to lose many of its elements.
3. By undertaking a media campaign against the resistance resulting in weakening its influence inside the country and presenting its work as harmful to the population rather than being beneficial to the population.
Etc.
Al Zarqawi also had a plan for making a comeback. First, he wanted to “use the media” to spread “an effective and creative image of the resistance.” Second, he wanted to exacerbate tensions among Iraqis rival sectarian factions. And third, he wanted to undertake actions designed to hasten a war between the United States and Iran.
Read the whole thing.