al-Dhari Is At It Again:

Sheik Harith al-Dhari. You remember him. He's the bunny of love who said these words in Falluja on March 19th, 2004:

"I hope that your resistance will escalate through words, actions, prayers, demonstrations, protests, and other forms. I also hope that all our brothers in the homeland will wake up and rise up to join their brothers in resisting the occupying to expedite its departure, God willing."

11 days later, a Blackwater convoy was ambushed in Falluja. 4 employees were killed, mutilated, burned, and hung from the "New Bridge" across the Euphrates. That incident was the spark that lead to the first and second battles of Falluja.

Since that time, al-Dhari has increasingly thrown his lot in with al-Qaeda and affiliated organizations. He fled to Syria to escape Iraqi authorities and the Sunni tribesmen that had turned against reckless violence. From Syria, he continued to decry the Government of Iraq, the "occupiers", and the Awakening Councils even as his organization was dismantled inside of Iraq.

Now, he is claiming that the Awakening Councils are no better than al-Qaeda:

"Dari, during the interview published over two episodes, said it is true that al-Qaeda has been involved in unacceptable activities with the residents of the region where it existed, but the Sahwa [Awakening] Councils are doing just the same: blackmailing and intimidation."

Now, my reasoning could be a bit off here, but I want to stop and consider the subject. One of the first Sunni tribes to ally with Coalition Forces against al-Qaeda was and still is infamous for smuggling and general lawlessness along the Syrian border. Some of the others are little better. Still- do al-Qaeda radicals limit themselves to "blackmailing and intimidation"? I. Think. Not.