Commanders warn groups of infiltration

[unhappycamper]

Commanders warn groups of infiltration
By Drew Brown, Stars and Stripes
Mideast edition, Monday, February 4, 2008

While the formation of U.S.-aligned militias, called “Awakening Groups” by the Iraqis or “Concerned Local Citizens” by the U.S. military, has proven effective in many areas of Iraq, some commanders have been reluctant to form them, often citing the possibility of terrorist infiltration.

Others have raised concerns that they might just become another armed group on an already-complicated battlefield.

Lt. Col. Rod Coffey, commander of 3rd Squadron, 2nd Stryker Cavalry Regiment, whose troops moved into a 43-square-mile area near Muqdadiyah in Diyala province in early January, said he did not plan to form any of the groups until he was certain that he had captured or killed most of the al-Qaida forces in the villages his soldiers now patrol.

Coffey said he also wanted “to be careful with the process.”

“You don’t want the ( concerned local citizens ) to become just another power base or a mob gang,” Coffey said. “What I want is for them to prevent AQI ( al-Qaida in Iraq ) from coming back. I don’t think they’re part of the solution in getting al-Qaida out.”


Rest of article at: http://www.stripes.com/article.asp?section=104&article=52182