Iraqi tribes launch battle to drive al-Qaida out of troubled province

[ECH1969]

Al-Qaida in Iraq is being pushed out of its strongholds in Anbar province after three days of fighting with Iraq's fiercely independent tribes. A number of al-Qaida fighters have been killed and captured, including Saudis and Syrians.

The clashes erupted after a new grouping calling itself the Anbar Rescue Council - which claims to represent a large number of Anbar tribes and sub-clans - said it intended to clear the province of the terrorist group. It also follows a meeting between tribal leaders and the Iraqi prime minister, Nouri al-Maliki, last week in which they asked for government support and arms in their fight against al-Qaida.

From Falluja, where the notoriously fractious Bou Eisa clan have turned against al-Qaida, to the city of Qaim, where it is the Bou Mahal who are pursuing them, they are being being pushed out of their old strongholds in the rural west. The tribes' courtship by Iraq's prime minister has been oiled by cash gifts and alleged salaries to some sheikhs of up to $5,000 (£2,650) a month. Tribal fighters have also asked for weapons.

"The tribal leaders are pragmatic and follow their own interests," said one western official. "When al-Qaida arrived they had lots of money. Now they don't, and it is the government that is throwing lots of money at cities such as Ramadi. Also the al-Qaida types tend to come in with the ideology of killing everyone, which does not fit in with the way that tribal types think about fighting. In short, they are pissed off."

http://www.guardian.co.uk/Iraq/Story/0,,1886076,00.html

[sugapablo]

1. In short... n/t

[Whoa_Nelly]

2. A different report/slant of same story--has US occupation backing

Very interesting read:
http://www.atimes.com/atimes/Middle_East/HJ05Ak03.html

Militia 'madness' stirs Iraq
By Ali al-Fadhily and Dahr Jamail

RAMADI, Iraq - Reports of US-backed Sunni militias being organized have brought new uncertainty to deepening chaos in Iraq. Some Sunni leaders from troubled al-Anbar province west of Baghdad recently met away from their tribes to set up the new groups, according to local reports.

These new militias have received early praise from Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki and US officials. However, they could in fact undermine Maliki's four-point plan to unite Shi'ite and Sunni parties in his government in an effort to end sectarian violence.

The United States had earlier called for the disarming of all militias for the sake of peace and reconciliation, but that policy has clearly changed. The occupation forces now back both Shi'ite and Sunni militias in different areas of the country. These new groups are drawing strong condemnation from other Sunni tribal chiefs.

<snip>
Another tribal leader in the area, speaking on condition of anonymity, said: "They are only doing this in order to kill as many Sunnis as possible, and this time with Sunni hands." He said true tribal leaders should lead any militias they form, rather than issue orders from the Green Zone, the US and Iraqi government enclave in Baghdad.

"Leaders should lead their soldiers on the battlefield, but those so-called sheikhs are well protected behind concrete walls inside the dirty zone ," he said. "How can they win a battle by remote control?"

[ECH1969]

3. hmmmmm

"They are only doing this in order to kill as many Sunnis as possible, and this time with Sunni hands."

Yes, these guys are Sunni, but most of them aren't Iraqi so they have no buisness being there.

[Yupster]

4. This is the only way they'll be driven out

of Iraq, so best wishes to the effort.

Can we stay away and not screw it up?

[Whoa_Nelly]

6. Apparently we ARE in the middle of this one

From the OP's UK Guardian article:

The tribes' courtship by Iraq's prime minister has been oiled by cash gifts and alleged salaries to some sheikhs of up to $5,000 (£2,650) a month. Tribal fighters have also asked for weapons.

And from the Asia Times article I posted (post #2):

The controversial move also appears to have brought widespread condemnation from academics, Iraqi military leaders and even Shi'ite politicians. "It is a new way of making millions of dollars," said a professor at al-Anbar University in Ramadi.

New Iraqi Army Brigadier-General Jassim Rashid al-Dulaimi, from Anbar province, said: "I cannot imagine 30,000 more guns in the Iraqi field. I hope they will reject the idea. Iraq needs more engineers and clean politicians to solve the dilemma of the existing militias rather than recruiting new ones to kill more Iraqis. The idea sounds to me turning the country into a mercenary-recruitment center."

Shi'ite leader Jaafar al-Assadi said the move would bring more violence. "Al-Anbar will fight even more now with the guns given to those fools," he said. "They are surely going to sell their weapons to the terrorists or surrender to them sooner or later."

[Kagemusha]

5. Um, excuse me but um, where is this information coming from?

I mean, it's not like Western reporters can actually safely report from Anbar Province... yes, the tribes announced they were going to do this but um, well er um...

Could it be that the reports of our noble tribal allies' brave battle against our common enemies come from the tribes themselves?... They're not like er, puffing up the reports of their own heroic success for show are they?...

Not to mention "al-Qaida" may still have money, it just isn't sharing that money with them, which is why they're pissed off...