U.S. tries to bridge gap between Iraqi rivals

[unhappycamper]

Iraqi volunteers, part of the U.S.-funded "Sons of Iraq," crowd U.S. Soldiers during clearing operations south of Salman Pak in Iraq. The U.S. is trying to bridge the gap between rivals.


U.S. tries to bridge gap between Iraqi rivals
By Michael Gisick, Stars and Stripes
Mideast edition, Tuesday, February 19, 2008

SALMAN PAK, Iraq — As about 150 men hung around in the road with their Kalashnikovs, the rival factions of the tribe’s would-be leadership made their cases against each other before the American commander.

“These men who are standing right here, their sons were all involved in al-Qaida,” said Sheik Ahmed Midjwal, indicating the four elders standing a few feet away, who had moments earlier described Midjwal and his brother as “the same thing as al-Qaida.”

“That one, his son was the minister of war for al-Qaida,” Midjwal continued, gesturing with an upturned palm. “I don’t think they should be in charge of these checkpoints.”

Saturday had started well enough for the U.S. troops from the Army’s 1st Battalion, 15th Infantry Regiment. They had set out to clear one of the main roads south from Salman Pak into a peninsula in the Tigris, a longtime al-Qaida stronghold and, before that, a combination Baath Party resort and Republican Guard training ground.

Response to a call for local men to help clear the area and later man the checkpoints that would be set up along the road had been good. But now this tribal dispute threatened to ruin the day. The sheik who had recruited the armed men recommended calling the whole thing off.


Rest of article at: http://www.stripes.com/article.asp?section=104&article=52595

[thunder rising]

1. Fuck Yes. Now it's the soldiers job to the Dept of States diplomacy. This admin is out of control

Weapon in one hand, flowers in the other. This is as fucked as Vietnam. There is no mission except to provide moving targets.