The "genius" Petraeus put Anbar in the hands of a highway brigand...Now it's falling apart

[blitzen]

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/06/10/AR2007061001453_2.html

Suleiman said 12 Anbar tribal leaders have signed an agreement to form a new coalition that would result in the dissolution of the Anbar Salvation Council and the purging of Abu Risha. "Those people have thrown themselves in the arms of the U.S. forces for their own benefit," he said.

Suleiman and Welch alleged that Abu Risha runs an oil smuggling ring and that his followers have worked as highway bandits on Anbar's roads, activities in which many tribal groups engage.

Abu Risha "made his living running a band of thieves who kidnapped and stopped and robbed people on the road between Baghdad and Jordan. That's how he made his fortune," Welch said. Tribesmen accuse Abu Risha of passing false information to U.S. forces about other tribal leaders in order to eliminate business rivals, Welch said.



meanwhile, elsewhere in Anbar, the US just got run off their base in Rutbah

http://www.uruknet.de/?p=m33579&hd=&size=1&l=e


June 10, 2007

Reported right now from Anbar province:

Occupation forces abandon Rutbah (H3) military base and Iraqi resistance are attacking the retreated forces with mortars, two Hamvees were hit in the street leading to Rutbah bank, no more details.

[thunder rising]

1. They are learning to wage war...keep that in mind

[eagler]

2. It just keeps perpetuating itself doesn't it?

[Kool Kitty]

3. I think I saw a videoclip of the good General

saying that either the "progress" or "changes" in Anbar were "breathtaking". Looks like they were.

[Phredicles]

4. And some neocon apologist in the LA Slime was saying just the same thing,

including the word "breathtaking". So the propaganda machine still works, at least.:eyes: