'Sons Of Iraq'

[Thranduil]

A group of Iraqi tribal leaders who turned coat during the occupation and pledged their services to anti-insurgent activities instead are currently experiencing a major 'blowback' as a result of their deeds now that the US is reducing it's influence in the country to a degree. Targeted by former insurgents (who have been released from prison) as well as a Shia Government that sees them as being against the Shiite dominated regime.

They turned the tide for America. Now, as withdrawal nears, Sons of Iraq pay the price | World news | The Guardian

This week alone, nine members were killed in five days in one of the most lethal weeks the homegrown counter-insurgents have endured. One was slain along with his entire family of five.

Attempts on their lives are becoming such that even battle-hardened leaders, who have known little else but violence for almost five years, are now fearful for themselves and their families.

"I am very worried," said Sheikh Moustafa al-Kamal Shabib, a decorated Awakening Council leader from the south Baghdad suburb of Arab Jabour. From 2005 until early 2008, Sunni insurgents had full rein over the area's farmlands and ran weapons into Baghdad across the Tigris River, which snakes through the area's heart....

In the nearby Diyala police station, Major Hisham al-Jalil, who has locked up most of the area's criminals since 2006, said the spike in attacks was being perpetrated by men who had returned from the US prisons and who blamed the Sons of Iraq for having sent them there.

"They see them as traitors," he said. "They hate the security forces too, but their vengeance is even stronger for the al-Sahwa, some of whom they fought alongside as insurgents. It is only going to get worse here."

With the US military only three months away from having no further combat role in Iraq, the Sons of Iraq are feeling isolated and abandoned. Their legacy will shape the declining months of the seven-year occupation, a fact the US military knows well....

But Sheikh Moustafa feels that brotherhood may fade away as the US withdraws from the bitter battleground of Iraq. "We were there when the Americans wanted us and we have never left," he says. "But there will be no one here for us when the Americans are gone."

I suppose you could say that they made their beds, now they have to lie in them... (although depressingly as the report states innocent familly members share their 'shame' and the price). Given the history of US treachery in that country when they supported some small group against a dominant enemy and then changed sides or abandoned them - the precedent for their abandonment and betrayal was already there.

[jcdf]

Iraq is an abysmal country. The Iraqis are just going to keep killing each other like the dogs they are. Iraq has no future with or without America.

[former wesleyan]

The US embassy - the biggest in the world - sits on 104 acres and will be well able to direct the services of the contractors who will take up any slack due to a " withdrawal ".

[mothball]

Collaboration with the invader has always been punished one way or the other.

[owedtojoy]

A group of Iraqi tribal leaders who turned coat during the occupation and pledged their services to anti-insurgent activities instead are currently experiencing a major 'blowback' as a result of their deeds now that the US is reducing it's influence in the country to a degree. Targeted by former insurgents (who have been released from prison) as well as a Shia Government that sees them as being against the Shiite dominated regime.

They turned the tide for America. Now, as withdrawal nears, Sons of Iraq pay the price | World news | The Guardian



I suppose you could say that they made their beds, now they have to lie in them... (although depressingly as the report states innocent familly members share their 'shame' and the price). Given the history of US treachery in that country when they supported some small group against a dominant enemy and then changed sides or abandoned them - the precedent for their abandonment and betrayal was already there.

The Sons of Iraq were originally supporters of Saddam, then of Al Qaeda. They turned against Al Qaeda because they were a bunch of raping. looting religious nutjobs ... and they were offered a "good deal" from the Americans who insulated and protected them from tehe Iraqi Cental Gov. The Sons of Iraq were the big success behind the "Surge".

The hatred directed at them is more because they Sunnis who supported Saddam and took part in killing Shiites and supporting Al Qaeda. At this point, what the US does is almost irrelevant to the future of Iraq.

Three years on, & Iraq had failed to unite. The Americans just have to leave. The last election saw an upsurge in Iraqi nationalism again among Shiites, and it would not be long before tensions came to a head. More Iraqi politicians look to and visit Teheran that Washington. The irony would be delicious if it was not so predictable.

The American foray into Iraq has run its disastrous course. The US should quit while it is marginally ahead. To stay to "rescue" the Sons of Iraq, who have no more clean hands than the Shiites have, would be an exercise in futility. Iraq is the new Lebanon and will exist in a state of semi-fractious chaos for the foreseeable future.

[Hagbard Celine]

Iraq is an abysmal country. The Iraqis are just going to keep killing each other like the dogs they are. Iraq has no future with or without America.

Iraqi people are "dogs"? I suppose you would be in favour of having them 'put down' to get at their oil. Are there any other ethnic groups which you dehumanise in this manner?

[Clanrickard]

Collaboration with the invader has always been punished one way or the other.

Far better to go along with Al Qaeda? You daft muppet.

[scratchnsniff]

The twaddle and armchair revolutionary talk on this thread would be laughable if it were not directed at supporting the murder of men, woman and children. "collaborators" "turncoats", your a pathetic bunch of Internet ********************ers.
Enjoy your thread.

[darkhorse]

ffs the guardian !
what do you expect
their worst nightmare is democracy in iraq!

[Thranduil]

The Sons of Iraq were originally supporters of Saddam, then of Al Qaeda. They turned against Al Qaeda because they were a bunch of raping. looting religious nutjobs ... and they were offered a "good deal" from the Americans who insulated and protected them from tehe Iraqi Cental Gov. The Sons of Iraq were the big success behind the "Surge".

The hatred directed at them is more because they Sunnis who supported Saddam and took part in killing Shiites and supporting Al Qaeda. At this point, what the US does is almost irrelevant to the future of Iraq.

Three years on, & Iraq had failed to unite. The Americans just have to leave. The last election saw an upsurge in Iraqi nationalism again among Shiites, and it would not be long before tensions came to a head. More Iraqi politicians look to and visit Teheran that Washington. The irony would be delicious if it was not so predictable.

The American foray into Iraq has run its disastrous course. The US should quit while it is marginally ahead. To stay to "rescue" the Sons of Iraq, who have no more clean hands than the Shiites have, would be an exercise in futility. Iraq is the new Lebanon and will exist in a state of semi-fractious chaos for the foreseeable future.

I have some understanding for their decision to create a pro-US Sunni faction, i believe the US were behind some of the carnage (especially the sectarian stuff - divide and conquer) to justify their continued occupation. Whenever i hear 'Al Qaeda' i immediately think 'US behind the scenes' not just because US activities in Afghanistan originally created the Mujahideen but because their actions always seem to compliment those of the US foreign policy hawks (they provided the narrative that said invasions of the region by the US was justified) and the anti-civilian nature of many of their attacks are horrendous and self-defeating to the cause of Iraqi liberation, in addition the worst death squads were Shiite and linked to the Govt - continued mayhem (such as what we would generally associate the work of 'Al-Qaeda' with) does not profit the weaker side. However i would also say that they abused their priveleged status to settle scores and get rich but that's normality in Iraq now anyway (even their most senior leaders are gangsters and murderers).

Maliki has been apeing his colonial overlords in setting up torture camps...

Al-Maliki under fire over torture allegations; election recount to begin | Stars and Stripes

Iyad Allawi was alleged to have murdered defenceless suspected insurgents in cold blood with his own hands...

Allawi shot prisoners in cold blood: witnesses: