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| Iraq |
| Iraqi province vows to finish off Al Qaeda |
| 2006-12-10 |
| BAGHDAD - Leaders of Iraq’s restive Sunni province of Al Anbar vowed Saturday to finish off Al Qaeda insurgents in their area but pleaded with US authorities to end air strikes in the region. “Al Qaeda is just a term ... we will kill anyone who kills our innocents,” said Abdel Salam Abdullah, the head of the Anbar provincial council. Big talk, little man. Start doing it and we'll be impressed. Some 25 tribes from Anbar, known as a hotbed of anti-US insurgents, have come under attack from Al Qaeda linked fighters after they switched sides and joined sides with the government and US forces to fight the militants. The tribes have formed an alliance -- the “Anbar Awakening” -- to take on Al Qaeda militants and have formed their own paramilitary units. Likely not well trained and also not constrained by the Geneva Conventions, or the ACLU. But Abdullah said the province was not receiving enough help from the government and US forces and called for more funding. Abdullah, who was in Baghdad for a provincial council meeting with US ambassador to Iraq Zalmay Khalilzad, told reporters that efforts to fight the insurgency were hampered by US air strikes that alienate civilians. “We frankly urged the ambassador to stop these air strikes as many civilians are getting killed and there are many other ways to fight terrorists,” he said. Yup, lots of ways, why don't you show us a couple? The governor of the province, Maamun Sami Rashid, also demanded more funds to carry out economic projects in the province, saying there were “200 economic projects currently underway in Anbar.” Iraq’s defence ministry meanwhile praised Anbar’s tribal leaders. “The work done by the council is magnificient and the situation is better now. There are many regions that are liberated from terror,” ministry spokesman Mohammed Al Askari told state television. He said the government was working on plans to further improve the situation. “We are sure the impact will be seen early next year,” he added. Quickest way for you guys to persuade us to leave is to get your province under control. Our Marines don't particularly want to be in Anbar. Whack the jihadis for us and we'll be happy to pull out. |
| Posted by:Steve White |
| #1 These guys have no concept of decisive victories. Their societies "thrive" under low-level, festering conflicts. |
| Posted by: Perfesser 2006-12-10 08:20 |