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Length: 2:52
RICK SANCHEZ: Welcome back. There are some chilling
new numbers from Iraq to share with you tonight.
Daily strikes against American forces and Iraqi
forces have doubled since January. And most of those
strikes involve IEDs, homemade bombs. Last month the
number of IEDs reached a new high. In July, for
example, insurgents planted 2,625 explosive devices
in Iraq; 1,666 of the bombs exploded; 959 were found
before they went off.
Joining me now from Baghdad, CNN's Michael Ware, who
has been following this story.
Michael, what does it say about the insurgency? And
does it possibly say that they're as strong as ever?
Does it say that they're as strong as ever?
MICHAEL WARE, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Absolutely, Rick. I
mean, these guys are as strong as they ever were. In
fact, you have some American commanders saying
they're actually reaching new highs. I mean, there is
absolutely no reason that they wouldn't be. Their
incentive to fight remains. Their recruitment
remains. Their capabilities remain. I mean, there is
nothing that is standing in their way.
The military operations here have not made a dent in
their capabilities. We were saying a year ago, two
years ago, that the insurgents were able to put as
many as 20,000 fighters in the field on any given
day. That remains untouched. In fact there is some
question whether they're able to put more men in the
field. So no, they have not gone anywhere. This war
against the American occupation has not only
maintained. It is now appearing to intensify -- Rick.
SANCHEZ: Well, you know what is interesting. Remember
when Zarqawi was taken out. Many thought that's going
to take -- that's going to really take an effect on
the insurgency. It seems, though, looking on it back
now, and you tell us from your perspective, you know
as much as anyone, you been following this story for
so long, that it really hasn't made that much of a
difference, has it?
WARE: Absolutely not. I mean, anyone who thought that
the death of Abu Musab al-Zarqawi, the leader of al
Qaeda in Iraq, was going to make any significant
difference on the insurgency here was simply deluding
themselves. I mean, his organization, for example,
though it only makes up a fraction from 1 percent to
5 percent of the actual insurgents in the field is
able to replenish itself -- both its leadership and
its fighters. It is proven that ability.
Zarqawi was particularly charismatic. But this was an
organization prepared for loss. We now see them, in
the wake of Zarqawi's death, maintaining their level
of suicide bombings -- 75 a month. That remains
unchanged, Rick.
SANCHEZ: All right. Thanks so much, Michael Ware
following that story for us as he will continue to do
so.