TE Lawrence had it right about Iraq

Back in 1929, Lawrence of Arabia wrote of [guerilla warfare in the Arab world]:

"Rebellions can be made by 2 per cent active in a striking force, and 98 per cent passively sympathetic ... Granted mobility, security ... time, and doctrine ... victory will rest with the insurgents, for the algebraical factors are in the end decisive, and against them perfections of means and spirit struggle quite in vain."

“It must have a friendly population, not actively friendly, but sympathetic to the point of not betraying rebel movements to the enemy.”Oh, how we miss Lawrence. "The printing press is the greatest weapon in the armoury of the modern (guerrilla) commander," he wrote 78 years ago, accurately predicting al-Qa'ida's modern-day use of the internet.

Has the US General David Petraeus read this? Has Bush?

True, the First World War Arab Revolt was not identical to today's Iraqi insurgency. In 1917, the Turks had manpower but insufficient weapons. Today the Americans have the weapons but insufficient men.

[Excerpt of an article by Robert Fisk, The Independent]