On February 9, the Marines of 1st Marine Expeditionary Force (MEF) under Maj. Gen. Richard Zilmer turned over responsibility for Iraq’s Al Anbar Province to Maj. Gen. Walter Gaskin and the Marines of 2nd MEF.  Incoming CG Gaskin emphasized his intent in continuing Gen Zilmer’s tri-partite strategy of economics – military – government, and concluded by thanking 1st MEF for the foundation of professionalism that he and his Marines are inheriting.

A Marine Transfer of Authority (TOA) ceremony is a significant occasion. Americans attending included U.S. Army Lt. Gen. Ray Odierno, U.S. Marine Corps Lt. Gen. James Mattis, and Acting American Ambassador to Iraq Daniel Speckhard.  Iraqis present were Anbar Province Gov. Mamoud Sami Rasheed and his entire staff, Ramadi Mayor Latif Obaid Ayadeh, and Sheik Ahmad Abureeshah, representing the 25 sheiks of “The Awakening of Al-Anbar”, the tribal leaders who have banded together in order to cooperate with the Marines in pushing Al Qaeda in Iraq out of Al Anbar.

Although the TOA was not an inconsequential event for the Americans, the real story of the day was the active, forceful, and vocal participation of the Iraqi contingent. Through a translator, ON Point interviewed Shiek Ahmad Abureeshah, the leader and TOA representative of the tribal council “Awakening of Anbar.”

ON Point: Please tell us about the “Awakening of Anbar.”

Sheik Abureeshah: It consists of 25 Sheiks who decided we had enough of Al Qaeda and their criminals.

ON Point: Why did you and your brother start this group?

Abureeshah:  My father was killed. They [AQI] killed my 3 brothers. 14 Sheiks from our fellow tribes were killed. They killed many of our people. So my brother and I called the other sheiks to join us.

ON Point:  Are all the Sheiks in Anbar working with you, and with the Marines?

Abureeshah:  No. There are 42, and only 25 joined us. Some are still undecided, a few fled the country, and some are involved with AQI.

ON Point:  Are you supported by Prime Minister Maliki’s National Unity Government? Are you receiving your share of reconstruction projects? Reconstruction money? Security Forces?

Abureeshah:  If it were not for American pressure we would get even less than we receive now.

(At this point in the interview, Maj. Gen. Zilmer interjected that Ambassador Speckhard and other American officials press the government very, very hard in order to get them to support Anbar Province.)

ON Point: As a Sunni, how do you perceive the National Unity Government?

Abureeshah: So long as there are militias, there will be problems, and the militias all listen to Moqtada al-Sadr.

ON Point:  Are Sunnis still fleeing Baghdad?

Abureeshah: Yes. There are 3,000 families now in Ramadi and 2,000 in Al-Qaim. About 20,000 Sunni families have fled Baghdad.

ON Point: You are forming and training an Anbar security force. Will it be loyal to Anbar, or to Baghdad?

Abureeshah: Initially to Anbar, because security in Anbar helps security in Iraq. But we are committed to Iraq.

How the relations between the Sunni Sheiks in Anbar and the Shia-heavy National Unity Government resolve themselves is far from decided. But looking at the vast improvement the Marines have made in the economic, security, and governmental sectors here makes one hope the government of Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki will eventually decide to join in.

(Pictured at top: Maj. Gen. Richard Zilmer and Sheik Ahmad Abureeshah of the group "Awakening of Anbar."  Photo and article by Andrew Lubin.)