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| Iraq |
| Iraqis vow to avenge America's murdered ally |
| 2007-09-14 |
| Sunni Muslims in Iraq's Anbar province vowed angrily to avenge the death of a tribal leader who led an American-sponsored uprising against al-Qaeda, as they carried his remains to a cemetery in Ramadi today. Sheikh Abdul Sittar Bezea al-Rishawi, who helped the US military drive the terror group from large swathes of western Iraq, was killed along with three bodyguards yesterday afternoon when his armoured vehicle was torn apart in a bomb attack. Sheikh Sittar, also known as Abu Risha, met President Bush on a visit to Anbar two weeks ago and had been praised by General David Petraeus, the top US commander in Iraq, for having helped transform one of Iraq's most dangerous provinces into one of its safest. Thousands of people joined the sheikh's funeral procession as the 36-year-old's body was carried the 10 km (six miles) from his home to a Ramadi cemetery for burial beside his father and brother, both victims of Iraq's sectarian conflict. Two other brothers have been kidnapped and disappeared in the past three years. “Revenge, revenge on al-Qaeda,” shouted the crowd of mourners, an AFP correspondent reported. “There is no God but Allah and al-Qaeda is his enemy." Sheikh Sittar's assassination - seen as a heavy blow to Washington - came on the first day of the holy month of Ramadan and almost a year after he formed the Anbar Awakening Conference, a coalition of 42 Sunni tribes who along with US troops fought Al-Qaeda in Anbar. “We blame al-Qaeda and we are going to continue our fight and avenge his death,” said Sheikh Ahmed al-Rishawi, another of the sheikh's brothers who was elected to lead the tribal coalition. Nouri al-Maliki, the Iraqi prime minister, was represented at the funeral by his national security adviser, Muwaffaq al-Rubaie, who condemned the assassination. “It is a national Iraqi disaster. What Ab Risha did for Iraq, no single man has done in the country's history,” Mr Rubaie told the mourners gathered at the sheikh’s house. “We will support Anbar much more than before. Abu Risha is a national hero." In a statement issued by his Baghdad office, Mr al-Maliki said the attack bore “the fingerprints of al-Qaeda” and was “aimed at destabilising the province of Anbar”. The radical Shia cleric Moqtada al-Sadr also condemned the Sunni sheikh’s murder. “Abu Risha was a man who proved that terrorism can be fought and security can be restored even in the most volatile area in Iraq,” said Sheikh Saleh al-Obeidi, al-Sadr’s spokesman in the holy city of Najaf. Tareq al-Dulaimi. the Anbar security chief, gave a new version of the attack that killed the sheikh. He said a suicide bomber had blown up his car as Abu Risha’s convoy passed, and that it was not a roadside bomb that killed him as he had initially reported. “There is reconstruction work going on between the sheikh’s home on one side and a series of orchards on the other so the road which is usually sealed off had to be opened for traffic,” Mr al-Dulaimi said. “The terrorists exploited this situation to drive through a Mercedes car and blow it up near the sheikh’s vehicle." The interior ministry’s director of operations, Major General Abdel Karim Khalaf, confused issues, however, by saying that in fact two bombs had exploded, the second a car bomb. Statements on Islamist websites usually used by insurgent groups rejoiced at the sheikh’s killing and said it was the work of al-Qaeda. “The apostate Abdul Sittar al-Rishawi, one of the biggest pigs of the Christian crusade, has been killed by the lions of Islamic unity. This is the beginning of the end of the Anbar Awakening Conference,” one message said. “Abu Risha wanted to drive al-Qaeda out of Anbar. But al-Qaeda drove him not just from Anbar, but from the world itself." The sheikh’s killing is seen as a setback to US efforts to contain the violence raging through Iraq and to crush the local wing of Osama bin Laden’s jihadist group. The slow restoration of order in Anbar has been presented as a sign that the US troops surge strategy was working. In a speech from the Oval Office last night in which he promised a limited troop reduction from Iraq by next July, Mr Bush praised the sheikh's bravery and pointed to the improved security in Anbar as evidence of that U.S. strategy was making headway. The President said that some 21,500 combat troops would be withdrawn by mid-2008, but ruled out a full withdrawal and promised an “enduring” US presence in Iraq. “Some say the gains we are making in Iraq come too late,” Mr Bush said. “They are mistaken. It is never too late to deal a blow to al-Qaeda. It is never too late to advance freedom. And it is never too late to support our troops in a fight they can win." Sheikh Sittar is the closest thing to a matyer that I've seen so far from a Iraqi leader. He went against the norm and fought for a better life. |
| Posted by:Boss Craising2882 |
| #14 Crapping on their own doorstep: It's what Muslims do best Zen: Seems like this time they may have stepped it up a notch and crapped in their own dinner. :-) |
| Posted by: gorb 2007-09-14 17:39 |
| #13 How can this be a *heavy* blow to Washington (unless they are referring to Reid/Pelosi/MoveOn Washington)?? This is a huge blow to AQ in Iraq (sorry MESOPOTAMIA). Civil wars are okay for me as long as they are Anbar-Sunni vs. AQI. Now to get the Shia on the same page (tougher with Iran in the background). |
| Posted by: Jack is Back! 2007-09-14 13:57 |
| #12 I really appreciate AQ stepping up to the plate and taking responsibility for the car bombing so quickly. It tells me this was planned well in advance and it was at least partially an inside job. It also says they are calling the breakaway-Sunni's bluff. How this falls out over the next week or so may very well determine the outcome in Iraq. I say that because it could bring those Baathists who have been resistant thus far into the fold. It could provide a wealth of actionable intel on AQ. It could shut down the rat line. It could put a lot of AQ with their 72 virgins. |
| Posted by: anymouse 2007-09-14 13:50 |
| #11 AJ Strata: Six years ago the US saw the cheers of Palestinians at the destruction of 9-11. We saw the smiles of Saddam and his butchers and we heard the gloating of Bin Laden. Six years later Saddam is gone and Bin Laden is still running from justice. But now Iraqis are chanting “al-Qaeda is the enemy of Allah”. This is a stunning turn around, and it is all due to the wide gulf that separates American values from al-Qaeda’s bloodlust and hunger for absolute power over others. |
| Posted by: lotp 2007-09-14 13:40 |
| #10 Nothing prevents these Sunnis from exporting their war against Al Qaeda. Any IDs of Saudis they find, sue the families of the jihadis in Sharia court in Saudi. Don't forget to kill a few too, just so they know you mean business. |
| Posted by: Penguin 2007-09-14 13:22 |
| #9 And remember - these are SUNNIS chanting that. AlQaeda is nominally Sunni (Wahabbists, from Saudi). |
| Posted by: OldSpook 2007-09-14 13:18 |
| #8 “Revenge, revenge on al-Qaeda,” shouted the crowd of mourners, an AFP correspondent reported. “There is no God but Allah and al-Qaeda is his enemy." Thats the salient point of the article - didn't the reporter notice how different that is? Yet the reporter keeps harping this it being a huge setback for the allies. So much for non-bias. |
| Posted by: OldSpook 2007-09-14 13:16 |
| #7 Of course, Brett dear. Just as you say. ;-) |
| Posted by: trailing wife 2007-09-14 13:07 |
| #6 Sheikh Abdul Sittar Bezea al-Rishawi spawned what could be seen as a reformation. He was a good Leader. It is a shame. It is possible to have these folks on as allies, long term. It could really change the way I feel if more men like al-Rishawi stand and deliver. |
| Posted by: newc 2007-09-14 13:03 |
| #5 tw, is so much easier than |
| Posted by: Brett 2007-09-14 12:51 |
| #4 Sheikh Sittar is the closest thing to a matyer that I've seen so far from a Iraqi leader. He went against the norm and fought for a better life. Well said, Boss Craising2882. I was thinking the same thing as I read through the article. (Only you want to highlight your own thoughts, not italicize them. Not a big deal, just so you know.) |
| Posted by: trailing wife 2007-09-14 12:33 |
| #3 I recall on interview I read about with some Sunni Sheikh talking about how they want to model Anbar on SKOR and be a vibrant, successful place. It might have been him or one of his compatriots. I agree that this is bad news for AQI and jihadis in general. |
| Posted by: Brett 2007-09-14 12:32 |
| #2 Crapping on their own doorstep: It's what Muslims do best. |
| Posted by: Zenster 2007-09-14 12:25 |
| #1 The model here is South Korea, not South Vietnam. And for those of you who don't have the background or time to understand the tribal politics involved, Al Qaeda just did the equivalent of whacking "Godfather Don Corleone". There will be severe consequences for them through the entire region in Iraq. |
| Posted by: OldSpook 2007-09-14 12:18 |