Al-Qaeda faces rebellion from the ranks

your take is a a given.

But note that you are referring to a small part of the story, not the whole thing.

... but it's a disclaimer saying that the story maybe, in fact, not accurate. That's a pretty significant "small part" in my book.

I was amused/saddened by the part of the report which described many joining the local Qaeda groups because there was no other source of income. This harkens back to the protests by certain strategists over the de-Bathification of the government and the dismantling of the Iraqi army. After VE day the allies used a tribunal system to examine every nazi party member's credentials... forgiving, if you will, those who were members of the hated party but took no part in the real atrocities of the regime. Iraq was much the same, with Bathe party membership being a requisite for employment advancement in most cases. Same with the Iraqi army... just like the differences between the SS and the regular army, there were major differences between the Republican Guard and the the Iraqi regulars. My point being that we took bread out of the mouths of a lot of regular joes who simply went with the next group who offered them jobs. Hind sight is 20/20 but to not mention and discuss past mistakes is... a mistake.

had we screened those we thought would not turn against use you'd be saying the same thing about "mistakes" being made by letting those be involved.

That any and every Bathe party member is always bad? That every Iraqi soldier is an insurgent? If that is what you are saying then quashing the insurgency is as simple as rounding all these folks up and imprisoning them.

It's easy to make the statements you make Duckman. I say "I think we made a mistake here" and you say "you would complain if something else that was bad had occurred". That is exactly my point though. If some mistake is made then you reexamine it, so as to avoid it next time. Duh! Why you seem to want to avoid all critical examination of a discussion topic is beyond me.

Are you saying that al-Qaeda members are paid a salary and a lot of "regular joes" became members to earn that salary?

Disaffected people tend to support those who promise they will take "justice" to the aggressor. A little food, a little money, shelter from the storm, etc.

Do I know how the mechanics of the guerilla pay system works? No. Do you? If you have information to share then please do so.

I would imagine though, that every son and father who volunteers for the fight is one less mouth to feed in a poor family. Not to mention the prestige a family may gain from giving a son for the cause. That sentiment is not so different from the same pride a patriotic family would have for their kids who serve in most parts of the planet.