Hashing out their differences

Left: Iraqi Maj. Gen. Abdul al-Kareem Khaleef, the police chief of Diyala province, speaks to “Sons of Iraq” leaders in a meeting Wednesday. Right: Abu Talib, leader of the U.S.-funded “Sons of Iraq” civilian security force in Diyala province, raises issues during the meeting. Both parties eventually agreed to work together to help families who lost their homes to al-Qaida in Iraq insurgents


Hashing out their differences
By Sean Kimmons, Stars and Stripes
Mideast edition, Friday, August 29, 2008

BAQOUBA, Iraq — Abu Talib entered Iraqi Police headquarters in Diyala province clearly upset about outstanding arrest warrants on him and his fighters. An hour later, he walked out smiling.

Talib, leader of the U.S.-funded "Sons of Iraq" civilian security force in Diyala, met with the brass Wednesday to air his fighters’ concerns about crooked police officers.

Some observers see signs that Iraq’s Shiite-led central government is on a mission to drive out the groups — credited by coalition forces with helping to calm down the country — and put only a fraction of them into legitimate roles within the Iraqi security forces.

During the meeting in Diyala, Iraqi Maj. Gen. Abdul al-Kareem Khaleef, the provincial police chief, assured Talib that his 20,000 fighters are still needed in the province. Khaleef wants them to work alongside police to protect displaced families as they move back into their homes, many of which were destroyed by al-Qaida in Iraq fighters.

More than 1,000 families have been displaced in the province, Iraqi Lt. Gen. Ali Ghaidan, commander of all Iraqi army ground forces, said last week.


Rest of article at: http://www.stripes.com/article.asp?section=104&article=57063