[Justa]

Signing an "alliance" with the Anbar tribes in October 2003 would most likely have been a ruse. They were and probably still are criminal tribes. ,p>Fighting and killing off many of their soliders went a long way in molding the type of relationship we have with them now. It's sort of like the British and the Zulus or Ghurkas.

We earned their respect their way and will likely keep it for a long time -unless the politicians screw it up.

[bukkdems]

What kind of idiot (referring to Bremer) does not know that Arab civilization is based on tribes and bribes? It is the sheiks who arrange marriages, settle arguments, divvy up jobs and arrange all the bribes. It was the height of arrogance and ignorance to think you could change that system by snapping your fingers as a conqueror.

Even Ghengis Khan had better military sense than that.