US buying loyalty of 'concerned' Iraqis

[babylonsister]

US buying loyalty of 'concerned' Iraqis
By Agence France Presse (AFP)

Wednesday, October 17, 2007

US buying loyalty of 'concerned' Iraqis

CAMP ASSASSIN, Iraq: "Tell me what you need and I'll get it for you." The US general is opening his proverbial checkbook to leaders of Iraq's concerned citizens groups.

American commanders are unashamedly buying the loyalty of Iraqi tribal leaders and junior officials, a strategy they trumpet as a major success but which critics fear will lead to hidden costs in terms of militia and sectarian strife.

These low-level Iraqi leaders from the Madain area south of Baghdad are meeting top US military brass for the second time in four days.

Their first gathering featured the overall commander of US forces in Iraq, General David Petraeus - proof that concerned citizens are now right at the forefront of the US war effort.

"Tell me how I can help you," asks Major-General Rick Lynch, commander of US-led forces in central Iraq.

A Sunni sheikh who lost his son to an Al-Qaeda suicide bomber says he needs more bodyguards as he has hardly left his house in three months for fear of attack. Others list money, drinkable water, more uniforms, more projects.

more...

http://www.dailystar.com.lb/article.asp?edition_id=10&categ_id=2&article_id=86009

[Botany]

1. So now we get to pay the people who were shooting @ us?

[Rhythm and Blue]

3. Yep. This cannot possibly ever backfire.

It worked really well in Afghanistan, didn't it?

[Botany]

4. I see it now ......

.... "We have peace in al-Sandii provience thanx to the surge." aka we paid people off
to stop the killing for a little while .... and then when somebody thinks they did not get
enough money then they start up again.

[Mist]

2. I guess the Bush admin. has to make it look like SOMEBODY wants us there. nt

[EFerrari]

5. Because this has worked so well before, all over the world.

Our government is trying to get us killed AND they want us to pay for it.