Iraqi Sunni leader turns his guns on foreign insurgents

Telegraph ^ | April 16 2006 | Aqeel Hussein and Colin Freeman

[jmc1969]

He looks every inch the face of the Iraqi resistance: a tribal leader from the Sunni badlands west of Baghdad, who once served in Saddam Hussein's feared intelligence network.

But Sheikh Osama Jadaan's dislike of foreign occupation is nothing compared to his contempt for Iraq's other intruders - the foreign jihadists who have indiscriminately killed thousands of his countrymen.

Now, in what coalition commanders hope will mark a turning of the tide against al-Qaeda in Iraq, he has become the first of the Sunni tribal leaders to declare war on the terrorists to whom, until now, they have given safe haven.

He is well-placed to do so - his al-Karabla tribe lives around the desert city of Al Qaim, near the Syrian border in Anbar province, the Sunni insurgents' stronghold.

Sheikh Jadaan's armed followers claim to have arrested and killed 300 would-be jihadis entering from Syria, many bound for service as suicide bombers with Abu Musab al Zarqawi, the leader of al-Qaeda in Iraq.

On his side, against al-Qaeda, are thousands of his fellow tribesfolk, whose bond of blood takes precedence over loyalty to any other cause.

[gondramB]

Good. But there is still no need to mistake him for a good guy.

[Fido969]

Bought him.

[jmc1969]

Neither are the Shia religious leaders something the US has learned reciently, but I wish we had figured out long ago.

[gondramB]

"Neither are the Shia religious leaders something the US has learned reciently, but I wish we had figured out long ago."

Yeah...our learning curve in this region has been somewhat disappointing.

[buck61]

Bought him.
If he was bought it was a good investment, that is if he has already killed 300 insurgents.
The sad irony of this is we will be fighting him next month.

[nevergiveup]

This report is many months old. The battle out in the wild west was won a long time ago.

[PzLdr]

Rented him. These clowns never stay bought, as long as someone else is renting.

[TNdandelion]

You know..the sooner these guys start running their own country...then our "foreign invaders/occupiers" can come home. We have the same goal, folks!

[Marine_Uncle]

"This report is many months old. The battle out in the wild west was won a long time ago."
That was my immediate reaction. This sheik changed side in May of 2005 when Matador and a number of other missions where carried out by the 1MEF along the northern rivertine cities and towns. These frigen news media are just generating news for the sake of it. No one calls them on anything, because most of the readerships simply do not keep track of anything.