thedrifter
10-03-08, 05:01 AM
Iraqis start to take control of ‘Sons of Iraq’
By James Warden, Stars and Stripes
Mideast edition, Friday, October 3, 2008
BAGHDAD — The scene was familiar to soldiers from any century. Dozens of "Sons of Iraq" members waited patiently in line to collect their pay from Maj. Khaden Abbas in a crisp fistful of dollars.
But this will likely be the last time Sons of Iraq members will be collecting U.S. dollars from Abbas, an Iraqi commander who works with many of the groups in his area. Starting next month, he will be distributing their pay in Iraqi dinars — a sign of the Iraqi government’s newly established authority over the program.
Close to 250 Sons of Iraq visited Joint Security Station Muthana in Baghdad’s Rusafa district on Wednesday to receive their last payment from the Americans, who are turning the program over to the Iraqi government.
The transition is part of a push to transfer responsibility and costs to the Iraqis, yet it has caused much worry among Sons of Iraq members, nervous about working for an Iraqi government that has often accused them of being militia members.
Cooperation between Iraqi security forces and the groups varies across the country. Many areas have seen extensive success, often through creating Iraqi army or National Police liaisons to the groups, or by having the Sons of Iraq report directly to an Iraqi military leader instead of the Americans.
Yet many group members in other places have refused to stay in the program when the Iraqi government takes control. Members have accused the Iraqi army of beating and detaining them illegally, while the Iraqi soldiers accused the Sons of Iraq of aiding the insurgents.
None of this trouble was seen at Muthana. Hammad Zedan Khalaf, who manages the Sons of Iraq members who collected their pay Wednesday, said all his members chose to stay on. About 5 percent failed to collect their pay Wednesday, but Khalaf attributed that to the annual end-of-Ramadan celebrations that took place the same day.
He dismissed fears about the future of the program under the Iraqi government. Political leaders who criticize the program are just trying to win points with their constituents, he said. Most of the ground-level problems are simply personality conflicts between the leaders on each side.
"We succeeded at our work," he said. "We didn’t find any trouble working with the Iraqi army or coalition forces."
Abbas, too, foresaw no problems with the Iraqi government taking over the program. He portrayed it as the natural evolution of a military that has grown increasingly independent and self reliant.
"Before, the Iraqi army was kind of weak, but right now we’re getting stronger," said Abbas, a company commander in the Iraqi 43rd Brigade, 11th Division.
Wednesday’s payment was actually more of a midway point on the road to transition. U.S. soldiers observed from the background and intervened occasionally, but the goal was to give the Iraqis a dry run managing the program before they take it over for real.
The current Sons of Iraq security badges bear the 10th Mountain insignia, a symbol no longer appropriate with the unit getting out of the Sons of Iraq business. Khalaf hopes his men will receive new badges that reflect the groups’ newfound official status with the Iraqi government. The members themselves, though, are more concerned about subjects like pay. They are expected to see a reduction in their pay from $300 to 300,000 Iraqi dinars, about $255.
Multi-National Division—Baghdad expects only about 20 percent of the Sons of Iraq to be absorbed into the Iraqi security forces. The government and the Americans have a slew of other programs to either employ the members in civilian jobs, provide them with job training or both.
"We are not soldiers. We are like civilians," said Salama Riyadh Achmet, an 18-year-old Sons of Iraq member.
Osama Salim Achmet, 30, hopes to join the Iraqi security forces and didn’t mince words about the importance of finding another job.
"We came here to this job for the money, because I have a family," he said.
Khalaf hopes to see the program stretch out five more months before the government ends it for good. He’s no stranger to uncertainty, though. Khalaf got involved 10 months ago when he organized a group of 100 men under American auspices. The group had a contract for just six months, and it was unclear what would happen during that time, much less in the months afterward.
Khalaf owns a contracting company, so he’ll have no problem earning a living after the program ends. Yet 10 months after he began, his men, at least, are facing much the same uncertainty they did in the beginning.
Ellie
By James Warden, Stars and Stripes
Mideast edition, Friday, October 3, 2008
BAGHDAD — The scene was familiar to soldiers from any century. Dozens of "Sons of Iraq" members waited patiently in line to collect their pay from Maj. Khaden Abbas in a crisp fistful of dollars.
But this will likely be the last time Sons of Iraq members will be collecting U.S. dollars from Abbas, an Iraqi commander who works with many of the groups in his area. Starting next month, he will be distributing their pay in Iraqi dinars — a sign of the Iraqi government’s newly established authority over the program.
Close to 250 Sons of Iraq visited Joint Security Station Muthana in Baghdad’s Rusafa district on Wednesday to receive their last payment from the Americans, who are turning the program over to the Iraqi government.
The transition is part of a push to transfer responsibility and costs to the Iraqis, yet it has caused much worry among Sons of Iraq members, nervous about working for an Iraqi government that has often accused them of being militia members.
Cooperation between Iraqi security forces and the groups varies across the country. Many areas have seen extensive success, often through creating Iraqi army or National Police liaisons to the groups, or by having the Sons of Iraq report directly to an Iraqi military leader instead of the Americans.
Yet many group members in other places have refused to stay in the program when the Iraqi government takes control. Members have accused the Iraqi army of beating and detaining them illegally, while the Iraqi soldiers accused the Sons of Iraq of aiding the insurgents.
None of this trouble was seen at Muthana. Hammad Zedan Khalaf, who manages the Sons of Iraq members who collected their pay Wednesday, said all his members chose to stay on. About 5 percent failed to collect their pay Wednesday, but Khalaf attributed that to the annual end-of-Ramadan celebrations that took place the same day.
He dismissed fears about the future of the program under the Iraqi government. Political leaders who criticize the program are just trying to win points with their constituents, he said. Most of the ground-level problems are simply personality conflicts between the leaders on each side.
"We succeeded at our work," he said. "We didn’t find any trouble working with the Iraqi army or coalition forces."
Abbas, too, foresaw no problems with the Iraqi government taking over the program. He portrayed it as the natural evolution of a military that has grown increasingly independent and self reliant.
"Before, the Iraqi army was kind of weak, but right now we’re getting stronger," said Abbas, a company commander in the Iraqi 43rd Brigade, 11th Division.
Wednesday’s payment was actually more of a midway point on the road to transition. U.S. soldiers observed from the background and intervened occasionally, but the goal was to give the Iraqis a dry run managing the program before they take it over for real.
The current Sons of Iraq security badges bear the 10th Mountain insignia, a symbol no longer appropriate with the unit getting out of the Sons of Iraq business. Khalaf hopes his men will receive new badges that reflect the groups’ newfound official status with the Iraqi government. The members themselves, though, are more concerned about subjects like pay. They are expected to see a reduction in their pay from $300 to 300,000 Iraqi dinars, about $255.
Multi-National Division—Baghdad expects only about 20 percent of the Sons of Iraq to be absorbed into the Iraqi security forces. The government and the Americans have a slew of other programs to either employ the members in civilian jobs, provide them with job training or both.
"We are not soldiers. We are like civilians," said Salama Riyadh Achmet, an 18-year-old Sons of Iraq member.
Osama Salim Achmet, 30, hopes to join the Iraqi security forces and didn’t mince words about the importance of finding another job.
"We came here to this job for the money, because I have a family," he said.
Khalaf hopes to see the program stretch out five more months before the government ends it for good. He’s no stranger to uncertainty, though. Khalaf got involved 10 months ago when he organized a group of 100 men under American auspices. The group had a contract for just six months, and it was unclear what would happen during that time, much less in the months afterward.
Khalaf owns a contracting company, so he’ll have no problem earning a living after the program ends. Yet 10 months after he began, his men, at least, are facing much the same uncertainty they did in the beginning.
Ellie