The Character Of The Insurgency In Iraq

Buried in a recent story about the conditions at U.S. detention facilities in Iraq was a nugget from a poll conducted of prisoners that casts some light on why the Obama administration wants to de-emphasize the Islamic features of the war against terrorism. 70% of those detained told officials that they did not regularly attend mosques before being captured. More than 35% said they had never been inside of a mosque. Accounting for evaluator bias -- perhaps some prisoners thought it would be in their best interests not to talk about their religious affiliation -- it suggests a secular character to those who committ violent acts against U.S. troops in Iraq.