Iraq violence driven by money says US general

WASHINGTON - Violence by insurgents in Iraq is largely driven by money, not ideology, with former regime members paying militants as little as $141.00 (US$100) per attack, a top US military commander said.

Army Lt. Gen. John Vines, commander of coalition forces in Iraq, also said that foreign governments including Syria did not appear to be directly involved in supporting the insurgency.

But he said "facilitators" based in Syria were helping militants penetrate Iraq.

"We believe that this insurgency is driven in large measure by money. What we find is that there's monetary value assigned to attacks against the coalition," said Vines, speaking to Pentagon reporters from Iraq via tele-conference.

"In many cases, we find that this has no ideology. These insurgents don't have an ideology except violence and power," he said.

"And so those who seek to regain power hire people for money to attack the Iraqi security forces as well as the coalition."

Some experts question whether the militants are driven by financial gain, saying the military may be trying to underplay the difficulties in Iraq by undermining the notion that the occupation has given rise to fighters willing to die for their beliefs.

Vines said the instigators paid as little as US$100 or US$150 for a remote-control attack with an improvised explosive device, a mine or a few artillery shells.

Based on information gleaned from captured insurgents, some attacks could cost several hundred dollars, he said.

Asked who was providing support for the insurgency, Vines said, "We believe that there are facilitators principally in Syria. And I have absolutely no indicator that the Syrian government is directly involved in that."

He said he did not see technical support for the insurgency from any government, but called on Syria to redouble its efforts to stop the flow of illegal fighters across its border and into Iraq.

Vines said possibly as many as 150 militants were crossing into Iraq from Syria every month.

US officials have repeatedly accused Syria of not trying hard enough to stem the flow of fighters and funds across its porous border with Iraq, a charge that Syria denies.

Vines said insurgents could be broken down into four groups: al Qaeda-associated militants including foreign fighters, domestic Sunni Islamic extremists, a broader group of former regime members, and a fairly large group of mostly Sunni Iraqis opposed to all occupation in general.

Asked about the rising number of suicide bombings in recent months, Vines said most of the culprits were "coming from places like Sudan, Yemen, Saudi Arabia, Egypt."

- REUTERS