Gathering the Tribes (Newsweek's first positive Iraq report in a very very long time)

Newsweek ^ | June 4 2007 | Melinda Liu

[ASC2006]

Pungent smoke floats through the chandeliers of the tribal chief's reception room. At his home in Ramadi, capital of Anbar province and a onetime Iraqi insurgent stronghold, Sheik Shakir is enjoying after-dinner cigars with his guest of honor, battalion commander Lt. Col. Craig Kozeniesky of the 2/5 Marines. Around the room, Marines and Iraqi tribesmen and police are sitting together, swapping jokes and stories.

Some of these Iraqis were probably shooting at Americans less than a year ago. Now they and the Marines are fighting side by side against Al-Qaeda. "We are not just friends but also brothers," the sheik tells Kozeniesky. "This is a new beginning for both of us." Kozeniesky can only agree: "Things have changed dramatically."

A 5-year-old Iraqi boy in traditional robes and headdress is racing around the room and vaulting into U.S. troops' laps. What does he want to be when he grows up? He proudly announces: "American general named Steve!"

The success of the Ramadi experiment has given rise to hopes that the model can be applied elsewhere in Iraq. A year ago insurgents were launching nearly 30 attacks a day in the city; now the daily average is less than one. Anbar province as a whole is showing similar improvements.

From roughly 500 attacks a week, the rate has sunk to barely a third of that figure.

The insurgents are in retreat now, thanks largely to traditional tribal leaders who began trying to organize themselves in late 2005.

All 23 of the major tribes in and around Ramadi have joined the Awakening, according to Abdul Sattar's elder brother, Sheik Abu Rishah, who claims that more than 1 million of Anbar's 1.3 million people support the Awakening—"and it's spreading to other parts of Iraq." Last week the Awakening even sent envoys to Sadr City.

[ASC2006]

[fishergirl]

This article was on MSNBC’s website - I was shocked when I saw it, positive news from Iraq! I pray that this works - local sheiks taking up the fight against AQ, it seems to be spreading into other areas as well.

[GoBucks2002]

The MSM is desperate to show that the Democratic Congress is turning the tide in Iraq, so that whoever the Dem nominee is can take credit for turning a Bush failure into a Democratic rescue.

[moose2004]

Iraqi’s and Americans working together kicking Al Qaeda’s ass, doesn’t get any better!

[Recovering_Democrat]

Here is NewsWeaks' (and for that matter, 99% of the LameStream Medias') idea of objective reporting: it is like a freaking "Where's Waldo?" Find one POSITIVE in an ocean of negatives....a constant and irrepressible drip of negative news, throw in an obligatory positive story once in a great while...kind of like the rare negative story on the latest liberal icon...and then say, "SEE?! WE'RE BALANCED, OBJECTIVE REPORTERS!"

CHALLENGE: FIND THE ONE POSITIVE IN THIS SEA OF NEGATIVES!

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[jveritas]

Most excellent news. Al Qaeda terrorists are breathing their last breath in Iraq.

[jveritas]

They will fail miserably in doing this after all the treasnous action by the democrats to defeat us in this war. There are too many stupid voters to believe this but not a majority of voters and no media on this planet can change this fact and make them believe that the democrats Congress won the war.

[Blind Eye Jones]

I found it — on the right... and the right is positive!

[Fred Nerks]

har-de-har-har-give that man a cigar!

[Ernest_at_the_Beach]

Thanks for the ping.....passing it on....

[hawkaw]

Found it!

Great post and what a great way to make your point.

[WashingtonSource]

9th row, 18th line, end of column.

[beebuster2000]

NEGATIVE NEGATIVE NEGATIVE NEGATIVE NEGATIVE NEGATIVE POSITIVE NEGATIVE NEGATIVE NEGATIVE NEGATIVE NEGATIVE NEGATIVE

found it

[SunkenCiv]

Thanks F and E for the pings.

[Marine_Uncle]

"har-de-har-har-give that man a cigar!"
heheh Fred. Pretty good. Maliki had better keep pushing for unity across the board. Somehow the concept must get across that each province, whether tribal/religious sub cult integrated or somewhat pure breed, must work hard to stay in line with the central government over the long haul.
The Maliki government MUST resolve the mineral resource issues. Each province must obtain monies to rebuild and modernize. Only a united central government dishing out a fair share to all provinces will work in the long run. Good governance must be shown to provide more then allegiance to a given sub cult/tribal allegiance can offer.
Else, all the underlining things that have existed since the Brits loosely formed Iraq, will continue to divide the regions people.
As most at this site fully understand, Saddam's Baathist communistic party was the only reason Iraq stayed together with the artificial hodge-podge imposed upon the diverse peoples. By brutal dictatorship he keeped down for the most part all those that by nature and cultic teachings distrust one another and in some outright cases simply view as dogs etc..
I say nothing new. But at any rate, it is great to see these Sunni tribes finally smoking cigars with the American military.
Perhaps the many very ignorant Iraqi folks are slowly awakening to the fact, the US never meant them harm, but came to remove their evil leader, who took relish in hearing about them being tossed into shredders.
Obviously, the key thing all along is the world flow of oil, and who controls the wells. But that aside. They must realize their country can modernize on a scale most of them could never had dreamed of, and still maintain their millinium old ethnic/religious character within their local bounds. Clean cool water and a modern toilet, and 24 hour electricity, clean roomy schools for their children, new well equiped hospitals perhaps will turn the final tide in support of a democratic form of government for all.

[Constantine XIII]

Unite the clans!

Also, WAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAUGH!

[Ernest_at_the_Beach]

Finally saw it !!!

[Fred Nerks]

Clean cool water and a modern toilet, and 24 hour electricity, clean roomy schools for their children, new well equiped hospitals perhaps will turn the final tide in support of a democratic form of government for all.

compared to the islamofascist cleric's promise of death and destruction to achieve the caliphate and sharia law, it's really no contest...but, as in all things having to do with human beings and their ideologies, it will take time for them to wake up. Ultimately, they will act in their own self-interest.

[Marine_Uncle]

And let us hope they choose clean flush toilets and 24 hours of electricity over killing one another. Frigen goons are like...... well 7^th century goons.
Their probably as stupid in a lot of ways as some of the south of the border jerks I have to attempt to explain basic wiring of circuit breaker boxes, wiring to given AMP/Voltage outlets, etc. when coming into my electrical department at Home Depot for their electrical needs.
I can tell them they will burn their frigen houses down, if they don't listen to what I say, and they look at me with glazed eyes and just laugh. Worlds full of idiots!

[lonevoice]

Encouraging ping