Former Iraqi allies turn against US

[sabra]

Source: The Australian

IRAQ is threatened by a new wave of sectarian violence as members of the "Sons of Iraq" - the Sunni Awakening militias that were paid by the US to fight al-Qa'ida - begin to rejoin the insurgency.

If the spike in violence continues, it could affect US President Barack Obama's pledge to withdraw all combat troops from Iraqi cities by the end of June. All US troops are due to leave the country by 2012.

A leading member of the Political Council of Iraqi Resistance, which represents six Sunni militant groups, said: "The resistance has now returned to the field and is intensifying its attacks against the enemy. The number of coalition forces killed is on the rise."

...

The US had been paying nearly 100,000 Sons of Iraq to participate in its security "surge", but handed over responsibility for their welfare to the Iraqi Government last month.

Their pay has since dried up. Only 5000 members of the Awakening have been employed by the Iraqi security forces. Ginger Cruz, the US's deputy inspector-general for Iraq reconstruction, said disillusioned Sunnis could join forces with al-Qa'ida as well as resistance groups.

Read more: http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/story/0,25197,25422383-2703,00.html

[AlphaCentauri]

1. Former Iraqi allies or W$ corrupt allies?

[mmonk]

2. Playing people against each other will always come back and bite you

on the ass.

[Gman]

6. Especially when it involves money

[mmonk]

7. Yep. They won't play anymore when the spigot is turned off.

Then they align against you.

[kirby]

3. This is why the Sunni Awakening was a sham...

All we did was pay them large salaries each month to not shoot at us. That does not make for a lasting peace. All it means is that once we stop paying and/or leave, things return to where they were.

[Ganja Ninja]

4. Who didn't see this coming?

:eyes:

[sabra]

5. Condi?

[DavidDvorkin]

8. Obama will get the blame for this

That will be the GOP spin, and the media will run with it.