Iraq Targets Leaders Of Sunni "Awakening"

The Shiite-dominated government in Iraq is driving out many leaders of Sunni citizen patrols, the groups of former insurgents who joined the American payroll and have been a major pillar in the decline in violence around the nation.

In restive Diyala Province, Unites States and Iraqi military officials say there were orders to arrest hundreds of members of what is known as the Awakening movement as part of large security operations by the Iraqi military. At least five senior members have been arrested there in recent weeks, leaders of the groups say.

Read the whole story here.

Comments

[Durango]

It looks like al Maliki is consolidating his power. And this is, perhaps, the best outcome we can hope for.

A strongman who can take power and suppress the various insurrections around the country.

Whether he will be successful remains to be seen. Whether the Kurds go along with his agenda is doubtful. And if his surppression of the Sunni's does not result in more terrorist campaigns remains to be seen.

What I have not heard is what happened to the Baathist insurgency?

BTW If Iraq is becoming more peaceful it is probably as much the result of Iranian influence as anything. They are supporting Maliki and advising him.

It was good for Bush/Cheney to make the world safe for Iran.

[sloburnjo]

circling the square, squaring the circle, playing "off" both sides
the only winner here is the military industrial complex

[LorettaSingbiel]

Bush PAID "former" Sunni insurgents (Saddam's LOYALISTS) to "Awaken" and fight Al Qaeda Sunnis. Bush PROMISED them jobs on Iraqi Government payrolls. BUT ... Bush's Shiite-led puppet Iraqi Government has decided to ARREST -- rather than AWARD -- Bush's PAID, PROMISED "Al Qaeda-fighting Awakeners"?

NOW ... they are paid roughly $300 a month by the United States to guard checkpoints and buildings and -- for those who used to be insurgents -- to no longer blow up American convoys and shoot American troops.

BUT ... any significant diminution of the Awakening could result in renewed violence, jeopardizing the substantial security gains in the past year.

Perhaps IF Bush PAYS the "American-paid militia guards" MUCH MORE than $300 a month ... the Bush=McCain "working surge" could be "saved"?

GET OUR TROOPS OUT OF HARM'S WAY IN IRAQ NOW!!!
NO MORE BLOOD FOR OIL!!!

[wiseapple]

I hope they are just bringing them in to ask them to support and participate in the new Iraqi government. It was bad enough for these people when al-Qaida was targeting them for turning on them.

[rivrgrrl]

And the BushCo war doctrine, losing hearts and destroying minds, continues.

Hang in there, Iraqis. Jan. of '09.

[Americatortures]

Funny how the trolls who have extolled the so-called "surge" are MIA on this thread!!!

[danoj]

Oh ya the terrible surge that would never work no matter how many troops we put in there, and the exact same surge O is calling for in A-Stan.

[Americatortures]

Obama was RIGHT about the importance of the Sunni Awakening keeping things quiet in Iraq! NOW we'll se what a farce the so-called 'Surge" is all about when the Sunnis we've been bribing start to go after their Shiite "Arab Brothers"!! BOMBS AWAY,JOHNNY MAC!!!

[SimonNZ]

Anyone remember what happened when the Reagan Administration stopped paying off the Mujahadeen in Afgahanistan? Oh that's right - they became Al Qaeda.

History never repeats.......?

[Americatortures]

Great point...too bad McBush CAN'T remember back that long ago!!! But...I think they became the TALIBAN!

[danoj]

Yetsrterdays friends sometimes end up as tommorrows enemies that's the way the world has always run and the way it will run in the future.

[Durango]

That is not exactly how that happened.

It is way more complicated than that.

Taliban didn't arrive on the scene for years after the USA quit supporting the Mujahadeen.

And the Taliban were not al Qaida. Allied with al Qaida. But not the same thing.

[justobserve]

"the Awakening that began well before the surge in 2006 in Anbar Province and continued in Baghdad last year was the most significant reason for the decline. In some places, American casualties plunged within weeks of the Sunnis joining with American forces."
This is the REAL reason for the McCain's "success of the surge". Yet now the Iraqi government is killing the Awakening leaders! How can they, different forces within Iraq, work together to bring peace and reconstruction to their own country? Peace must come from within from its own people's will. Americans can't do anything further for them.

[Kassandra]

So, ethnic "cleansing" is baaack, and they will do it with the weapons Mr. Bush sells to them. And then, we can all donate to the starving families like in Darfur. Beautiful!

[LorettaSingbiel]

"So, ethnic "cleansing" is baaack, and they will do it with the weapons Mr. Bush sells to them."

Bush doesn't "sell" them WMD's ... Bush GIVES them WMD's!

But Bush CAN'T (WON'T) GIVE every American UNIVERSAL HEALTH CARE!

MONEY spent to KILL people ... rather than CURE people ... PRICELESS!

[danoj]

It's socialized medicine not universal healthcare. Dems have a way of polishing terds with nicer words, and a lot of people will not be on board when they figure out how muc it's going to cost.

[pico]

Congratulations, America. You've given birth to Iran 2.

[MissingAmerica]

Democratic ideals have never lasted long in this theocratic region. The death and destruction will continue long after the pathetic warlords in the White House have vacated the premises. These guys wanted to rule the world, but instead have devastated it.

[hsk01945]

Just as soon a American forces withdraw, blood will run in the streets. Better get out now while the gettin's good. No victory in this Bush/Cheney/GOP created quagmire.

Bring out troops home now!

[mouselion]

Same story. Different chapter. Same results.

[indyleftist]

This is long standing US policy, I don't know why anyone is surprised

We funded both sides of the Iran-Iraq War
We fund both sides of the Afganistan war (Pakistani money goes directly to the Taliban)
We fund both sides of the Israeli -Palestinian war (To Palestine directly and to the Saudis/Egyptians/Jordanians)

The object is to get them to all kill each other leaving us more or less unharmed.