Iraqi sheikh volunteers for Afghanistan
posted at 11:04 am on June 10, 2008 by Ed Morrissey
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One of the sheikhs credited with the Anbar Awakening wants to put his experience to use in another theater: Afghanistan. Sheik Ahmad al-Rishawi has studied the war in Afghanistan and Pakistan and believes he can help lead a rebellion against al-Qaeda and the Taliban in both Afghanistan and Pakistan, and wants to fight alongside Americans to put his plans into action:
The leader of the tribal confederation that has fought to expel Al Qaeda from most of Iraq’s Anbar province is offering his men to help gin up a rebellion against Osama bin Laden’s organization along the Afghanistan-Pakistan border.
In an interview, Sheik Ahmad al-Rishawi told The New York Sun that in April he prepared a 47-page study on Afghanistan and its tribes for the deputy chief of mission at the American embassy in Kabul, Christopher Dell. When asked if he would send military advisers to Afghanistan to assist American troops fighting there, he said: “I have no problem with this; if they ask me, I will do it.” …
“Al Qaeda is an ideology,” Sheik Ahmad said. “We can defeat them inside Iraq and we can defeat them in any country.” The tribal leader arrived in Washington last week. All of his meetings, including an audience with President Bush, have been closed to the public, in part because the Anbari sheiks, while likely to win future electoral contests, are not themselves part of Iraq’s elected government.
Of his meeting with Mr. Bush, Sheik Ahmad said he was impressed. “He is a brave man. He is also a wise man. He is taking care of the country’s future, the United States‘ future. He is also taking care of the Iraqi people, the ordinary people in Iraq. He wants to accomplish success in Iraq.”
Ahmad’s brother Sattari originally led the Anbar Awakening. AQ assassinated Sattari last September in what looked like a severe blow to the American-Sunni alliance. Ahmad took control of the tribal leadership of the group and has pressed forward, and now sees victory within his grasp over the foreign extremists that attempted to usurp the roles of native Iraqi tribal leaders.
Ahmad also met with Congressional leadership on his Washington trip, urging them to keep American troops in Iraq until the Iraqi Army is fully trained and ready to handle all security matters. He used the models of Japan and Germany, as John McCain has done during his campaign, to outline what he sees as the future of US-Iraqi relations. He wants a close partnership, having seen what American power can do when the proper strategies and tactics come to bear.
Would his experience in Iraq help in Afghanistan? His perspective on how to break AQ’s grip on the Sunni imagination would benefit the US, and Ahmad would have tremendous credibility among Muslims in talking about the benefits of an American partnership. The issues and situation in Afghanistan are quite a bit different, though, with the Pashtun tribal leadership much more closely aligned with the Taliban than Iraqi sheikhs were with AQ or even the Saddamist insurgents. The US probably sees Ahmad as much more valuable where he is, helping bring stability and peace to western Iraq.
Still, it shows the tremendous change in Iraq that Ahmad would publicly volunteer to serve with the Americans in Afghanistan. Two years ago, who could have predicted that from a Sunni sheikh in Anbar? The repudiation of al-Qaeda and its lunatics could not possibly be more explicit.
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I like the cut of this guy’s jib.
MikeZero on June 10, 2008 at 11:05 AM
.
Technically, it’s a jibjab….
Think_b4_speaking on June 10, 2008 at 11:06 AM
HELLO I AM VERY EXCITE YES
LimeyGeek on June 10, 2008 at 11:11 AM
Stepping up to the plate, representing, kicking ass and taking names.
Go for it!
Mommynator on June 10, 2008 at 11:11 AM
Hmm, we must be doing SOMEthing right, but can’t seem to figure out reading the rest of the media.
JamesLee on June 10, 2008 at 11:13 AM
LOL. Man, that was fast. Less than a minute. Awesome.
The Apologist on June 10, 2008 at 11:14 AM
This guy gets it. I wish Dems weren’t so dim.
Doug on June 10, 2008 at 11:18 AM
In five years, America succeeded in only one thing:
Creating Iraqi media whores.
Indy Conservative on June 10, 2008 at 11:22 AM
Building good will. Liberators, not conquerors. God Bless the Heroes of the United States Military. Inspiring excellence in our friends, the Iraqis.
May Allah watch over this brave Iraqi and his men.
Dr.Cwac.Cwac on June 10, 2008 at 11:24 AM
“We uh, need to send this uhhhh, guy to Afghanistan to help translate. Uhhhh, although I know they speak Pashtun… or Urdu or something. Because essentially… uh, waitaminit… essentially…, we have made no progress in Iraq.”
Rhinoboy on June 10, 2008 at 11:25 AM
We had a young man of our town, a captain in the Marines, killed by a sniper during the Anbar Awakening. He left behind two infants and a loving wife.
When someone wants to spout off about how the dead have sacrificed for nothing in Iraq, I invite this gentleman to seek them out as well along with his camel for a spiced camel ham facial.
Hening on June 10, 2008 at 11:31 AM
How exotic
LimeyGeek on June 10, 2008 at 11:32 AM
Good man.
Just like a few million other good men who watched us fly away.
Limerick on June 10, 2008 at 11:33 AM
I could have sworn this headline said “Iron Sheikh” the first couple of times I read it, and my head was filled with thoughts of Persian club-wielding, handlebar-mustachioed men in curly boots invading Al Qaeda camps threatening to “humble the Osama bin Laden in the Old Country way”.
That might be better, come to think of it.
Man this post was useless. Amusing, but useless.
CSM126 on June 10, 2008 at 11:33 AM
This must be a hoax, because that is a photo of Mr. Bean.
faraway on June 10, 2008 at 11:36 AM
I have no idea what that means, but it has inspired me with hope.
BohicaTwentyTwo on June 10, 2008 at 11:36 AM
When will John Murtha?
profitsbeard on June 10, 2008 at 11:40 AM
Hearts and minds, baby. Hearts and minds.
Mallard T. Drake on June 10, 2008 at 11:41 AM
I, too, smell change in the air……or is that my garbage?
Dr.Cwac.Cwac on June 10, 2008 at 11:41 AM
Frankly, I think it is time for a change…
Mallard T. Drake on June 10, 2008 at 11:41 AM
Didn’t Michael Yon talk about this Sheik in his book?
Rogue Traveler on June 10, 2008 at 12:00 PM
Is this good for the children?
RushBaby on June 10, 2008 at 12:02 PM
So how does this fit in with the left narrative that as soon as we stop paying them they’ll turn on us?
apollyonbob on June 10, 2008 at 12:18 PM
Now that’s what I’m talking about!
True, the experiences are likely not directly transplantable, given the very different ethnic, linguistic, and sociocultural factors in Iraq and Afghanistan. Also, men of this one’s mettle have vital work to do at home, further legitimizing and consolidating the Iraqi government’s character as a truly National body by running for and winning a place in the upcoming parliamentary elections.
But right you are, Ed, that this fellow and his like are (at last!) wide awake. It is brave blokes like this who may yet lead the Arab world out of its long, troubled slumbers and make the world safe from its deadly somnambulant spasms.
Noocyte on June 10, 2008 at 12:23 PM
Ahmad al-Awesomeness.
I like the idea of an insurgency inside an insurgency. Kinda like double secret probation but with guns, intel and aircraft.
moxie_neanderthal on June 10, 2008 at 12:30 PM
It’s about time a prominent muslim steps up and takes charge in this battle.
He just painted a large target onhis head. That takes guts.
redshirt on June 10, 2008 at 12:34 PM
Don’t ya just love it? His men could sneak across the border and blend in.
Does anybody still think it’s better to have enemies than allies? Iraq and A-stan have been ‘flipped’ over to our side. Why? Because their people were oppressed and we LIBERATED them. God bless our Troops and President Bush, yes he WILL be remembered favorably by History.
Tony737 on June 10, 2008 at 12:37 PM
What’s a jib, where can I locate mine and what is the criteria for assessing the quality of one’s jib? Also, if I discover that my jib is sub-standard, what can I go to get help on improving my jib? Can they and will they send me some place special for jib modification or enhancement? Kidding. I love that phrase and jib is a great word.
BTW, I think this guy has the right idea. I think we should support this man once he has been vetted. How do we vet him? I don’t know however I think we want to avoid supporting another potential Saddam. (Just a grain of caution is all)
Claypigeon on June 10, 2008 at 12:57 PM
Didn’t Michael Yon talk about this Sheik in his book? - Rogue
Yup, his brother was the leader of the Awakening and a.q. killed him for it. But this guy stepped up the plate and replaced him and is doing great work there.
Tony737 on June 10, 2008 at 1:04 PM
You’re right, Ed, one couldn’t have a clearer evidence of the turnaround in what was once the worst place in Iraq than this. Still, I have to wonder how much good al-Rishawi could do in Afghanistan. The Pashtuns are pretty xenophobic, all that Muslim “umma” stuff notwithstanding. Seems to me they’d be pretty resentful of another outsider showing up to tell them what to do, not to mention that the ways of Anbar and the ways of Pashtunistan have to be way different.
Color me skeptical, but grateful nonetheless.
irishspy on June 10, 2008 at 1:05 PM
Lol some of the comments on this thread are hysterical!!!
blatantblue on June 10, 2008 at 1:08 PM
When someone wants to spout off about how the dead have sacrificed for nothing in Iraq … - Hening
Also remind them that the Fallen Heroes WILL have died for nothing if we leave before the Iraqis are ready for us to leave.
Tony737 on June 10, 2008 at 1:18 PM
Just like a few million other good men who watched us fly away. -Limey
That’s what happens when ya let demonrats run the show. Let’s not repeat that mistake again. BTW, I flew with a pilot last week who was involved in Carter’s failed attampt to rescue the hostages in Iran. He said Carter screwed it all up because he tried to micro-manage the whole operation. Let’s keep these idiots as far away from the White House as possible.
Tony737 on June 10, 2008 at 1:22 PM
To all you punk ass snarky trolls that post here at HA with the pretense that you have something to say I’ll listen when you start risking your life to defend your country as this “media whore” is doing in his.
You and the dozens of others here are a pathetic pieces of shit my friend. When you climb back into the shit hole you call your life many of us will be greatly relieved.
And on another note you pieces of shit, I use my real name. I don’t hide behind an alias so that I can easily disavow anything I have said by changing my handle.
patrick neid on June 10, 2008 at 1:26 PM
*waves goodbye*
LimeyGeek on June 10, 2008 at 1:45 PM
I think, initially, he’d be the equivalent of a former drunken hellraiser who has come to Jesus. He’s a great testimony among other drunken hellraisers because there’s a kinship there that we can’t bridge, even if they are hesitant to embrace outsiders. He speaks in a way they not only can understand but also can relate to.
This Sheikh can go among the other Muslims and say “Yes, I know what you think of them, but I’ve been there. I’ve talked to them and fought with them and they are not what you’ve been told they are. They are brave and they want to help us. They will bleed with us”.
Jimmie on June 10, 2008 at 1:46 PM
McCain? Is that you?
LimeyGeek on June 10, 2008 at 1:46 PM
Until there is a long string of suicide bombings in Afghanistan where kids get killed, there will be no Afghan Awakening. And Ed is right in saying that Taliban and AQ have almost identical ideologies. Iraq was fairly secular during Saddam’s 2 decades in power which is why ideologically the Sheiks in Anbar were fast in repudiating the ideology of the foreign jihadi AQ fighters. But the Afghanis are one of the most religious people on earth, so it is doubtful that the Awakening can be implemented there. The first step is to separate the ideologies, and the 2nd step is for AQ to start carpet-suicide-bombing there to set the population against them. Neither is likely to happen.
AlexB on June 10, 2008 at 1:53 PM
In dealing with the Iraqis myself I can tell you this man has no plans on going to Afghanistan. This is just his way of thumping his chest at AQ. It’s a cultural thing and just the way they are. Iraqi men want to be seen as the man in charge, and it is important for him to show that he is unafraid. You can’t always look at these things from a western mindset. I definitely have heard some crazy unrealistic claims from these guys, which in a way, is one of their endearing qualities. Once you get used to them, you can’t help but gain attachments to them.
gator70 on June 10, 2008 at 2:34 PM
Anyone listen to Mark Levin? Remember how he talks about how unhappy and bitter liberals are? I give you Exhibit A.
Hey Patrick, the Jerk Store called and they’re all out of you!
Mallard T. Drake on June 10, 2008 at 5:48 PM
“To all you punk ass snarky trolls that post here at HA with the pretense that you have something to say I’ll listen when you start risking your life to defend your country as this “media whore” is doing in his.”
Well Mallard I guess I was talking to you also.
patrick neid on June 10, 2008 at 6:12 PM
Long as he doesn’t turn out to be another Arminius, it might have some potential..
Reaps on June 10, 2008 at 7:15 PM