Iraq: U.S. Hands Back a Quieter Anbar

[Breeze54]

U.S. Hands Back a Quieter Anbar

By DEXTER FILKINS
Published: September 1, 2008

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/09/02/world/middleeast/02anbar.html?hp

RAMADI, Iraq —

The American military handed over responsibility for the security of the western province of Anbar, once a stronghold of the Sunni insurgency and one of the most violent regions in Iraq, to the Iraqi government on Monday, a long-delayed milestone.

The transfer was made possible, Iraqi and American officials said, by an increase in Iraqi security forces and a reduction of violence largely attributed to the local forces known as Awakening Councils. It is the first handover of a province bordering Baghdad, where there has been intense sectarian conflict. Other provinces that have been shifted to Iraqi control have been in the less troublesome south and in the northern Kurdish region.

The transfer ceremony took place in the center of this city, which two years ago had been destroyed by almost daily battles between the American military and insurgents. Now, Ramadi has been rebuilt, and the number of deaths of American soldiers has fallen virtually to zero.

“You have lost a lot of blood and life to reach this day,” said Mowaffak al-Rubaie, Iraq’s national security adviser.

“This would have been a dream two or three years ago. This was the cradle of Al Qaeda.”

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[FVZA_Colonel]

1. How much money are we having to pay to keep it quiet?

[Breeze54]

2. What do you mean? keep the news quiet or keep Anbar quiet?

If the latter, I know we're pouring tons of money into Iraq.

Probably some are being paid off but let the Iraqi's handle it.

[FVZA_Colonel]

3. The latter, definetly.

Let's hope we can stop bribing the militias not to attack us now and let the Iraqi's handle it themselves.

[Breeze54]

4. I hope that means our troops are LEAVING!!

NOW!!