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US considers elite squads for iraq Original Source Link: (May no longer be active)    http://olympics.reuters.com/newsArticle.jhtml?type=topNews&storyID=7272484 http://olympics.reuters.com/newsArticle.jhtml?type=topNews&storyID=7272484 U.S. Considers Elite Hit-Squads for Iraq -Report Sat Jan 8, 2005 09:10 PM ET NEW YORK (Reuters) - The Pentagon is debating whether to set up elite hit-squads to target leaders of the Iraq insurgency in a new strategy based on tactics used against leftist guerrillas in Central America 20 years ago, Newsweek magazine reported on Saturday. One proposal would send U.S. Special Forces teams to advise, support and possibly train Iraqi squads of hand-picked Kurdish Peshmerga fighters and Shiite militiamen to target Sunni insurgents and their sympathizers, Newsweek said, citing military insiders familiar with the discussions. The squads may operate across the border in Syria, Newsweek said on its web site, but added it was unclear whether they would assassinate leaders or be involved in "snatch" operations. The magazine said the plan is being called "the Salvador option" after strategy instigated during the Reagan administration's battle against the leftist guerrilla insurgency in El Salvador in the early 1980s. Then, faced with a losing war against Salvadoran rebels, the U.S. government funded or supported "nationalist" forces to hunt down and kill rebel leaders and sympathizers. "What everyone agrees is that we can't just go on as we are," one unidentified senior military officer told Newsweek. "We have to find a way to take the offensive against the insurgents. Right now, we are playing defense. And we are losing." Newsweek said Pentagon sources emphasize there has been no decision to launch the special squads. The Defense Department had no comment on the Newsweek article. Amid concern over a bold and growing insurgency, the Pentagon is sending retired Gen. Gary Luck to Iraq next week to review overall military operations.

2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 brain-washed-insurgents civil-war contractor-stoffel death-squads foreign-insurgents surge undercover-brits-basra US-fueling-fire wounded-soldiers zarqawi 2m iraqi refugees mainly children in syria { October 16 2007 } 50 thousand iraqi insurgents dead or caught { July 26 2005 } 7 deadliest attacks since war to 2005 { January 5 2006 } 70 percent of iraqi children show signs of trauma Alqaeda in iraq accused to be sunni group { January 29 2007 } Alqaeda in iraq working for pay no ideals { November 30 2007 } American matthew waxman captured Americas intifada Army discharges 3 in beating scandal { January 6 2004 } Army failed to anticipate iraqi insurgency { June 29 2008 } Baghdad sniper oddly only targets coalition troops { August 5 2005 } Britain to cut troop level in iraq { September 19 2004 } Chemical weapons used during fallujah assault { November 8 2005 } Cia estimates insurgents now 50000 strong Critism on rumsfeld mounts { September 14 2003 } Daniel pipes says civil war could have strategic advantage { February 28 2006 } Honduras troop in iraq [jpg] Insurgency disrupts power to iraqi citizens { February 21 2005 } Insurgency is no ho chi minh says rumsfeld Insurgency larger and mostly secular iraqis { July 9 2004 } Insurgency violence strikes mainly iraqi civilians { March 3 2006 } Insurgents seek to exploit sectarian rivalries { May 17 2005 } Iraq now prime training ground for militants { June 22 2005 } Iraq oil pipeline blasts squander revenue Iraq rebels want democracy and independence { August 6 2004 } Iraqi woman confesses to jordan attack Iraqis wait for release of promised detainees { January 8 2004 } La times ordered not to use term resistance { November 7 2003 } Madonna calls for troops to come home Not resistance fighters times told reporters Occupation blamed for new iraq terror front { July 18 2005 } Officials say hussein coordinating attacks { October 31 2003 } Rice concedes thousands of tactical errors in iraq Sectarian revenge killings raise civil war fears { May 17 2005 } Sectarian war spreads to pakistan and afghanistan { February 10 2006 } Shiites torture sunnis into false confession Spanish leader pulling troops from iraq { April 18 2004 } Spy agencies warned of iraq resistance { September 9 2003 } US considers elite squads for iraq Us deaths not fully reported { October 30 2003 } US underestimated size of insurgency { January 27 2005 } Usa today founder calls for troops return home { December 23 2004 } Files Listed: 42

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