Very interesting read:
http://www.atimes.com/atimes/Middle_East/HJ05Ak03.htmlMilitia 'madness' stirs Iraq By Ali al-Fadhily and Dahr Jamail
RAMADI, Iraq - Reports of US-backed Sunni militias being organized have brought new uncertainty to deepening chaos in Iraq. Some Sunni leaders from troubled al-Anbar province west of Baghdad recently met away from their tribes to set up the new groups, according to local reports.
These new militias have received early praise from Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki and US officials. However, they could in fact undermine Maliki's four-point plan to unite Shi'ite and Sunni parties in his government in an effort to end sectarian violence.
The United States had earlier called for the disarming of all militias for the sake of peace and reconciliation, but that policy has clearly changed. The occupation forces now back both Shi'ite and Sunni militias in different areas of the country. These new groups are drawing strong condemnation from other Sunni tribal chiefs.
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Another tribal leader in the area, speaking on condition of anonymity, said: "They are only doing this in order to kill as many Sunnis as possible, and this time with Sunni hands." He said true tribal leaders should lead any militias they form, rather than issue orders from the Green Zone, the US and Iraqi government enclave in Baghdad.
"Leaders should lead their soldiers on the battlefield, but those so-called sheikhs are well protected behind concrete walls inside the dirty zone
," he said. "How can they win a battle by remote control?"