US Expands Anbar Model to Iraq Shiites

[FVZA_Colonel]

Source: Associated Press

KUT, Iraq - American commanders in southern Iraq say Shiite sheiks are showing interest in joining forces with the U.S. military against extremists, in much the same way that Sunni clansmen in the western part of the country have worked with American forces against al-Qaida.

Sheik Majid Tahir al-Magsousi, the leader of the Migasees tribe here in Wasit province, acknowledged tribal leaders have discussed creating a brigade of young men trained by the Americans to bolster local security as well as help patrol the border with Iran.

He also said last week's assassination of Abdul-Sattar Abu Risha, who spearheaded the Sunni uprising against al-Qaida in Anbar province, only made the Shiite tribal leaders more resolute.

Read more: http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20070915/ap_on_re_mi_ea/iraq...

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This is my favorite part:

"Such pacts to fill the vacuum left by Iraqi police and soldiers unable or unwilling to act against Shiite militias"

So, instead of continuing to try to develop police or military forces loyal to a central authority, be it a provincial authority or the Baghdad government, we're now shifting even further into arming militias who are loyal ultimately only to a single local ruler. Is it even possible to build a solid nation state when the real political power rests in the hands of armed bands who profess they are loyal to "our cause?"

[orpupilofnature57]

1. It's like their freed slaves during the Civil war.

[old guy]

2. The only thing that keeps my head from exploding is my tinfoil hat.

[ohio2007]

4. al Sadr feels your pain

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.ph...
People are working to force him out at the local tribal grass roots level

[bemildred]

3. What, we're going to pay tribute to them too?

Oh, I forgot, we're already paying them so we can keep our supply lines open, this must be something new.

[Torauk]

5. Has anyone seen this..

and why isn't it in the news if Fallon indeed say it, not to mention the huge discrepancy between the view of the Admiral and the WH/Petraeus vis a vis the Iraq war!!

http://www.atimes.com/atimes/Middle_East/II14Ak02.html

I know this isn't 100% related to topic but I didn't know where to put it

btw first post here (been trolling for a few weeks now )

[bemildred]

6. Fallon's comments have been chewed over some, in various threads.

I've read that piece, but I'm not sure if it was posted on its own here. If I had to guess, it's around somewhere.

Welcome to DU.

[Torauk]

8. ty good to be here :D

and ty for the link on the siege of Kut I wasn't familiar with it.

[bemildred]

7. I suppose the irony of this coming from Kut is lost on them, too.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Siege_of_Kut

[ohio2007]

9. The Ottoman empire and Kut

The fall of one Turkish empire as the British empire reached its peak.


Townshend, with some 8,000 surviving soldiers, finally surrendered Kut on April 29, 1916. The captured soldiers were impressed into slave labour until the surrender of the Ottoman Empire; more than half of them died.

The British went back on the offensive in December of 1916 with a larger and better supplied force under General Sir Frederick Stanley Maude and reconquered Kut on February 23, 1917.


http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kut


Learning from history is to let the locals deal with Iraq at the tribal level.


U.S. expands Anbar model to Iraq Shiites

KUT, Iraq - American commanders in southern Iraq say Shiite sheiks are showing interest in joining forces with the U.S. military against extremists, in much the same way that Sunni clansmen in the western part of the country have worked with American forces against al-Qaida
snip
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20070915/ap_on_re_mi_ea/iraq...

al Sadr promised to stop attacks on "ocupiers troops", he do well to also leave these other tribes alone in peace so we could reduce our footprint off their necks

[jody]

10. The militia is the Anbar Model suggested in the article.

Largely untrained and armed with weapons they already own, the citizens wear armbands and monitor traffic along the roads, keeping watch to ensure no outsiders or other extremist elements come through to bury roadside bombs. If they fail to keep violence out, they could lose their monthly paycheck. Ultimately, the idea is that they will become members of the Iraq security forces.

In the U.S., people from local areas who provide their own arms are the militia and feel morally obligated to join together to protect their community and families.

There is a cautionary element to the effort: It is still unclear what exactly motivates the individuals, beyond the money they receive. But regardless, the American military credits the program for a dramatic drop in violence against US forces and a decrease in other violence, says Major Whiteside.

What motivates the individuals? Any idiot should understand the motivation is to protect their community and families.

There, Sunnis largely motivated by self-preservation are signing up in droves, not only to protect themselves from extremists such as Al Qaeda in Iraq but also for the empowerment it provides to Sunni tribes who feel isolated from the Shiite-led government in Baghdad. Sunnis there are given a one-time $150 payment; a bag of food; and a T-shirt.

So Sunnis are motivated by self-preservation of communities and families.

"We think the {concerned citizens} are the best solution all across Iraq," says Sheikh Yusif Fadel, a Sunni who, like many, is distrustful of the government of Iraq and doubts it will pay for the program, because Sunnis make up so much of it.

So concerned citizens bearing their own arms are the best solution -- Petraeus' Anbar Model is nothing more than the Iraqi militia!