Iraqi leaders seek to secure U.S. funding, indirectly

[unhappycamper]

Iraqi leaders seek to secure U.S. funding, indirectly
By James Warden, Stars and Stripes
Mideast edition, Saturday, October 11, 2008

TARMIYAH, Iraq — The Iraqi government has taken over the costs of the “Sons of Iraq” program, but that hasn’t stopped some from seeking roundabout ways to get the Americans to continue funding Iraqi security programs.

Iraqi leaders in Tarmiyah want to use an American-funded public works program to divert people to manning checkpoints.

The program offers Iraqis jobs cleaning and improving their communities and is not intended to provide any security services, said Lt. Col. Tom Boccardi, commander of 1st Battalion, 14th Infantry Regiment. While Baghdad’s “Sons of Iraq” now come under the authority of Iraqi security forces, the public works employees fall under the local “qada,” or county council.

The Iraqi government is trying to make up for manpower shortages in the “Sons of Iraq” program by using public works employees as de facto “Sons of Iraq” members. The government lost many “Sons of Iraq” when it took over the program from the Americans.

The Americans had a fixed amount of money to spend on “Sons of Iraq” groups, which was based on hiring a specific number of people.


Rest of article at: http://www.stripes.com/article.asp?section=104&article=58054