Pakistanis angry over detentions in Times Sq. case Monday, May 24, 2010
ISLAMABAD – Relatives of three men detained by Pakistan for alleged links to the suspect in the attempted Times Square bombing say the men are innocent.
They
AFP - Thursday, August 6TAIPEI (AFP) - - Taiwan's Beijing-friendly government on Wednesday denied boycotting an Australian film festival amid a row over the e
BERLIN (Reuters) - Chancellor Angela Merkel suffered a double blow on Thursday as a senior party ally in east German
Minister seeks closure of anti-Berlusconi websites Wednesday, December 16, 2009
ROME (AFP) - – The Italian government moved Tuesday to close down Internet sites encouraging further violence against Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi, who
By ELAINE KURTENBACH,AP Business Writer AP - Wednesday, March 18SHANGHAI - Asia's stock market rally seemed to be running out of steam Wednesday, despite an
Navigation
Primary Navigation
Home
Singapore
Asia Pacific
World
Business
Entertainment
Sports
Technology
Top Stories
Most Popular
Secondary Navigation
Africa
Europe
Latin America
Middle East
North America
Search
Search:
Government gets control of Sons of Iraq in Diyala
By JIM HEINTZ,Associated Press Writer AP - Monday, January 5
BAQOUBA, Iraq - The U.S. military in a turbulent province northeast of Baghdad handed over control on Sunday of the Sons of Iraq, a predominantly Sunni group of former insurgents and tribesmen whose revolt against al-Qaida in Iraq significantly boosted security here.
U.S. and Iraqi officials hailed the transfer in Diyala province as a step toward reconciliation.
But some group members at the handover ceremony in the Iraqi portion of a large military base were wary, saying they feared control by the Shiite-led Iraqi government could put them in jeopardy.
The Sons of Iraq movement began in Anbar province west of Baghdad in 2006 when its leaders became dismayed by al-Qaida in Iraq's brutality and religious zealotry and apparently by the amount of foreign influence in the group. The revolt later spread to other regions.
The United States paid the group's estimated 90,000 members nationwide about $300 a month. Eventually, the members are to be either integrated into the Iraqi military and police or provided civilian jobs and vocational training.
Under the phased handover, which began last year in Baghdad, Iraqi authorities will continue that pay and education strategy. Last year, Iraqi authorities demanded the handover in Diyala take place in January, despite U.S. concerns that the date was too early for a province with an explosive mix of Shiites, Sunnis and Kurds.
The government of Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki has been suspicious that the Sons of Iraq is a ploy by Sunni insurgents to gain time and money to regroup.
Nonetheless, officials at the handover ceremony in a bare and unheated hall on the base 35 miles north of Baghdad portrayed the change as positive.
"Today is a historic day as we see the manifestation of the reconciliation process of these men back into Iraq," said U.S. Maj. Gen. Robert Caslen, the commander of coalition forces in northern Iraq. He praised the Sons of Iraq, saying "they stood in the gap between evil and the Iraqi people."
"We were known to be the heartland for terrorism ... with our sons we were able to ensure our security," said Diyala Governor Ra'ad al-Tamini.
But in the audience, two local Sons of Iraq leaders were skeptical.
"This is all just false talk, empty talk. There is no reconciliation," said Abu Ali, complaining that both he and colleague Abu Taleb had arrest warrants for terrorism hanging over their heads. They were concerned the warrants would be executed now that Iraqi authorities were taking over.
"We're not staying in our houses" for fear of arrest, said Abu Taleb, who denied the charges. "We were just normal citizens."
Although they spoke bitterly about the transition, they smiled easily when consulting later about the warrants with U.S. Col. Burdett Thompson.
Burdett, who leads U.S. security initiatives in Diyala, tried to reassure them that the issue was being investigated and that Americans weren't abandoning them.
Al-Tamini, the provincial governor, said the amnesty law passed by Iraq last year would protect the Sons of Iraq members from improper arrest.
Roughly 9,000 Sons of Iraq member have been registered in Diyala. Iraq is also taking control of the group in three other provinces in January, and groups in the remaining provinces will be transferred by April.
Email Story
IM Story
Printable View
Blog This
Recommend this article
Average (0 votes)
Sign in to recommend this article »
Most Recommended Stories »
Related Articles: World
Israeli troops and tanks slice deep into GazaAP - 30 minutes ago
Woman suicide bomber kills 35 near Baghdad shrineAFP - 37 minutes ago
Thousands in Lebanon, Turkey protest Israel attackAP - 41 minutes ago
Richardson withdraws bid to be commerce secretaryAP - 46 minutes ago
Grandma, guardsman, girl: War's toll felt at homeAP - 53 minutes ago
Most Popular – World
Viewed
US steel industry in collapse, eyes government aid: report
Israeli army storms Gaza as Palestinian toll passes 500
Rare Bugatti untouched for 50 years could fetch millions: report
World's oldest person dies at the age of 115
John Travolta's teenage son dies, autopsy planned
View Complete List »
Search:
Home
Singapore
Asia Pacific
World
Business
Entertainment
Sports
Technology
Top Stories
Most Popular