In a Nov. 30 column, Andrew Neil disclosed intelligence received at "a series of off-the-record briefings" with unnamed sources in Washington. Neil reflected that he'd been accurately warned prior to the meetings, "In both places (Iraq and Afghanistan) it is worse than you think."



A former U.S. diplomat said the coalition has only a third of the forces needed to combat insurgents, and they still don't know exactly what faction is coordinating the attacks.

"So we just go around kicking doors in which is exactly what the enemy want us to do," Neil was told.

The insurgents themselves are described as focused, forward-thinking operators with unnervingly accurate intelligence information (in one instance, details of Paul Bremer's schedule).

Spies are reportedly infiltrating Iraqi police training classes, recently revved up from graduating new local civilian police after 3 months of training to turning them out in one week.

Adding to the constant assaults on occupying troops, officials, non-governmental organizations and civilian foreign workers, Iraqis cooperating with the coalition are said to now be the most at-risk target of insurgents.

"Last week a U.S. commander reported a slackening of attacks on his own troops because the insurgents were concentrating on assassinating those they see as quislings," wrote Neil.