Team Infidel
Forum Spin Doctor
In Sunni Arab city, tribal leader's assassination leads to flood of tips for U.S. forces
By ANTONIO CASTANEDA - Associated Press Writer
SAMARRA, Iraq - (AP) After keeping their distance for months,
Iraqis in this Sunni Arab city suddenly began cooperating with U.S. troops,
leading them to insurgents and hidden weapons caches. The reason: anger over
the assassination by insurgents of a local tribal chief.
"That's when they decided to make a stand," said Capt. Ryan Wylie,
commander of Bravo Company, 3rd Battalion, 69th Armored Regiment. "They
definitely had an idea of the terrorists and where they hang out."
U.S. commanders cite other reasons for a lull in violence in this
city 60 miles (100 kilometers) north of Baghdad. They include construction
of an 11-mile (18-kilometer) berm around the city to block gun runners and a
greater reliance by the military on covert monitoring positions.
But almost everyone agrees that the biggest reason for the reduction
in violence here was the public backlash against the insurgents after the
Oct. 11 assassination of Sheik Hikmat Mumtaz al-Bazi, chief of one of the
area's seven tribes.
The reason for the killing remains unclear. Some say he was targeted
for working with U.S. forces. Others believe he was killed because of a
contract dispute over a U.S.-funded project. Most agree that the sheik's
American connection cost him his life.
"They killed him to send a message that you can't be working with
coalition forces," said Lt. Col. Mark Wald, commander of the 3rd Battalion.
"I think they were trying to rein him back in."
Tribalism is deeply rooted in Iraqi society and adds a dimension to
the insurgency that outsiders find difficult to understand. Some tribes
support the insurgency, while others back the government. In many cases,
tribes are divided in their loyalties.
Before al-Bazi's death, U.S. forces in Samarra had struggled to cope
with the insurgent threat in this city of 200,000, many of whom strongly
opposed the Shiite-led government in Baghdad.
Last year, al-Qaida in Iraq, led by Jordanian terrorist Abu Musab
al-Zarqawi, openly operated in Samarra, and the group's black flags
fluttered from rooftops until U.S. forces regained control.
U.S. soldiers heard some Samarra residents speak openly of the right
of "legitimate resistance" to the American presence.
Others admitted they could not cooperate with the Americans for fear
of insurgent reprisals.
Those fears vanished when one of their own leaders was slain. All of
a sudden, Iraqis began coming forward with information about insurgent
hideouts and weapons caches.
The flood of intelligence was welcomed. Attacks against U.S. forces
tapered off after al-Bazi's death, dropping to one or two a day _ compared
with seven a day in January. The decline prompted a U.S. decision to remove
about two-thirds of the American soldiers inside the city and replace them
with Iraqi paramilitary commandos.
"It really speaks to the potential this city has when tribesmen get
fed up and take action against terrorists," said Lt. Nathan Adams. "It's as
simple as one tribe having something happen to them and motivating them to
take action."
In western Anbar province, also dominated by Sunni Arabs, the Marine
command reported tribal fighting last summer between those who supported
dealings with the U.S. military and those opposed.
Last month, American forces in Anbar began raising a scout force,
known as the "Desert Protectors," from the ranks of a tribe whose rivals had
ties to al-Qaida.
Samarra is still far from peaceful, and some soldiers said the
wealth of information revealed how deeply rooted the insurgency was in the
city.
One tribe is believed to have knocked out phone service to a rival
group's neighborhood to prevent people from phoning tips to the police. A
car bombing last Monday destroyed a gas station and killed six people,
police said.
And no foreign fighter has been caught by Wylie's company after
nearly a year in this city.
In addition, soldiers say, it is difficult to say whether the trend
toward greater cooperation will last. Some caution that the surge in tips
has recently tapered off. Samarra's population could return to the old habit
of looking the other way when insurgents plant roadside bombs or launch
mortars from the streets.
"There was definitely a surge at the beginning," Wylie said of the
tips. "I don't think it's to the same extent that it had been."
By ANTONIO CASTANEDA - Associated Press Writer
SAMARRA, Iraq - (AP) After keeping their distance for months,
Iraqis in this Sunni Arab city suddenly began cooperating with U.S. troops,
leading them to insurgents and hidden weapons caches. The reason: anger over
the assassination by insurgents of a local tribal chief.
"That's when they decided to make a stand," said Capt. Ryan Wylie,
commander of Bravo Company, 3rd Battalion, 69th Armored Regiment. "They
definitely had an idea of the terrorists and where they hang out."
U.S. commanders cite other reasons for a lull in violence in this
city 60 miles (100 kilometers) north of Baghdad. They include construction
of an 11-mile (18-kilometer) berm around the city to block gun runners and a
greater reliance by the military on covert monitoring positions.
But almost everyone agrees that the biggest reason for the reduction
in violence here was the public backlash against the insurgents after the
Oct. 11 assassination of Sheik Hikmat Mumtaz al-Bazi, chief of one of the
area's seven tribes.
The reason for the killing remains unclear. Some say he was targeted
for working with U.S. forces. Others believe he was killed because of a
contract dispute over a U.S.-funded project. Most agree that the sheik's
American connection cost him his life.
"They killed him to send a message that you can't be working with
coalition forces," said Lt. Col. Mark Wald, commander of the 3rd Battalion.
"I think they were trying to rein him back in."
Tribalism is deeply rooted in Iraqi society and adds a dimension to
the insurgency that outsiders find difficult to understand. Some tribes
support the insurgency, while others back the government. In many cases,
tribes are divided in their loyalties.
Before al-Bazi's death, U.S. forces in Samarra had struggled to cope
with the insurgent threat in this city of 200,000, many of whom strongly
opposed the Shiite-led government in Baghdad.
Last year, al-Qaida in Iraq, led by Jordanian terrorist Abu Musab
al-Zarqawi, openly operated in Samarra, and the group's black flags
fluttered from rooftops until U.S. forces regained control.
U.S. soldiers heard some Samarra residents speak openly of the right
of "legitimate resistance" to the American presence.
Others admitted they could not cooperate with the Americans for fear
of insurgent reprisals.
Those fears vanished when one of their own leaders was slain. All of
a sudden, Iraqis began coming forward with information about insurgent
hideouts and weapons caches.
The flood of intelligence was welcomed. Attacks against U.S. forces
tapered off after al-Bazi's death, dropping to one or two a day _ compared
with seven a day in January. The decline prompted a U.S. decision to remove
about two-thirds of the American soldiers inside the city and replace them
with Iraqi paramilitary commandos.
"It really speaks to the potential this city has when tribesmen get
fed up and take action against terrorists," said Lt. Nathan Adams. "It's as
simple as one tribe having something happen to them and motivating them to
take action."
In western Anbar province, also dominated by Sunni Arabs, the Marine
command reported tribal fighting last summer between those who supported
dealings with the U.S. military and those opposed.
Last month, American forces in Anbar began raising a scout force,
known as the "Desert Protectors," from the ranks of a tribe whose rivals had
ties to al-Qaida.
Samarra is still far from peaceful, and some soldiers said the
wealth of information revealed how deeply rooted the insurgency was in the
city.
One tribe is believed to have knocked out phone service to a rival
group's neighborhood to prevent people from phoning tips to the police. A
car bombing last Monday destroyed a gas station and killed six people,
police said.
And no foreign fighter has been caught by Wylie's company after
nearly a year in this city.
In addition, soldiers say, it is difficult to say whether the trend
toward greater cooperation will last. Some caution that the surge in tips
has recently tapered off. Samarra's population could return to the old habit
of looking the other way when insurgents plant roadside bombs or launch
mortars from the streets.
"There was definitely a surge at the beginning," Wylie said of the
tips. "I don't think it's to the same extent that it had been."