Iraq Foreign Insurgents

We hear alot today about foreign insurgents fighting in Iraq. What country do you think most of these insurgents come from? Surely it must be Iran. Afterall, Sen. Joe Leiberman can't wait for us to make a preemptive (preventative) attack on Iran. Syria would be a good guess. The Bush administration would love a reason to attack Syria. And, isn't Syria the country that Saddam shipped all his weapons of mass destruction to just prior to the war?

But it's not either of those countries. The most foreign insurgents, about 45% of them, come from our good ally Saudi Arabia.

About 45% of all foreign militants targeting U.S. troops and Iraqi civilians and security forces are from Saudi Arabia; 15% are from Syria and Lebanon; and 10% are from North Africa, according to official U.S. military figures made available to The Times by the senior officer. Nearly half of the 135 foreigners in U.S. detention facilities in Iraq are Saudis, he said.

Fighters from Saudi Arabia are thought to have carried out more suicide bombings than those of any other nationality, said the senior U.S. officer, who spoke on condition of anonymity because of the subject's sensitivity. It is apparently the first time a U.S. official has given such a breakdown on the role played by Saudi nationals in Iraq's Sunni Arab insurgency.

I guess this shouldn't be too surprising since the leader of al Quada is a Saudi and it was Saudi's that attacked us on Sept. 11th. It also makes sense that Saudi's, who are primarily Sunni, want to help out the Sunni tribes in Iraq.