Pentagon's Operation Iron Hammer in Iraq Could Foster More Support for Anti-U.S. Insurgency

Interview with Rahul Mahajan, author of "Full Spectrum Dominance: U.S. Power in Iraq and Beyond," conducted by Scott Harris

For several weeks now, the U.S. military has been engaged in a counteroffensive against Iraqi insurgents code-named "Operation Iron Hammer." While the Pentagon maintains that their more aggressive tactics in Iraq has reduced the number of daily attacks targeting U.S. forces there, American soldiers continue to die in ambushes and roadside bombings.

Critics warn that the Army's use of high-tech weaponry to blow up buildings and the demolition of homes suspected of being used by insurgents and their allies could backfire by increasing the average Iraqi's resentment against the U.S. occupation while fostering support for anti-American guerrilla fighters. This claim was borne out in a recently leaked classified CIA report which concluded that Iraqis are losing faith in the U.S.-led occupation leading to more sympathy for the insurgents.

The White House has reacted to the deteriorating situation in Iraq with plans to speed up a transition from American rule to an Iraqi provisional government handpicked by the U.S. In a recent New York Times editorial, Max Boot of the Council on Foreign Relations recommends that the U.S. adopt tactics used in the Vietnam War, such as the infamous "Phoenix Program," where the CIA assassinated more than 26,000 supporters of the Communist insurgency. Between The Lines' Scott Harris spoke with Rahul Mahajan, author of the book, "Full Spectrum Dominance: U.S. Power in Iraq and Beyond," who takes a critical look at the tactics used by the Pentagon in confronting the growing insurgency challenging the U.S. occupation of Iraq.

"Full Spectrum Dominance: U.S. Power in Iraq and Beyond," is published by Seven Stories Press. Visit Rahul Mahajan's website www.empirenotes.org to see "10 Issues The Media Fell Down On."

Related links:


"U.S. Tactics in Iraq May Backfire, Critics Say," by Jeff Wilkinson, Knight-Ridder, Nov. 23, 2003

"Baghdad Burning: Girl Blog From Iraq"

"Assassins R Us" by Chalmers Johnson, ZNet, Nov. 19, 2003

"U.S. Targets Iraqi Homes" by Jeff Wilkinson, Knight-Ridder, Nov. 18, 2003

"In Tikrit, US Destroys Homes of Suspected Guerrillas," by Jeff Wilkinson, Knight-Ridder Newspapers, Nov. 18, 2003

"Laughter and Lies in London: Smashing Sledgehammers in Iraq," by Frida Berriga, Commondreams.org, Nov. 20, 2003

"US's 'Iron Hammer' Code Name 1st Used by Nazis," by Reuters, Nov. 18, 2003

"Army Reserve Battles an Exodus," by Robert Schlesinger, The Boston Globe, Nov. 24, 2003

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