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By Capt. Brett Walker
1st Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division
BAGHDAD – Anxiety is evident throughout the neighborhood of Doura regarding the transition for the responsibility of the Abna al-Iraq security program from the control of coalition forces to the government of Iraq.
At a neighborhood council meeting in Doura, Sept. 25, 2008, several Sons of Iraq leaders offered a boisterous protest to the Iraqi National Police taking full control of their program scheduled to occur in October.
"The national police do not respect us," explained Muthaser Thaer Mehdi, the appointed leader of a Sons of Iraq team, one of ten in the Doura community, located next to the Tigris River in southern Baghdad's Rashid District. "If you let them take control of the Sons of Iraq program, they will fire all of us and then arrest us all."
Led by Muthaser, a former general in the Saddam-era Iraqi army, the local SoI leaders accused the national police of unfair targeting and blatant attempts at humiliating the Sons of Iraq.
Hashem Mahmud, the deputy district chairman for the Rashid District, which is comprised of 1.6 million Iraqis, including Doura, responded to the complaints.
"You are focused on the wrong thing," he replied. "It is true that some members of the Sons of Iraq have been detained by the national police but far more of them have established positive relationships with the national police in which they share information and assist each other in providing security."
Hashem, a well-respected member of the Jabouri tribe with strong connections in the government of Iraq, silenced all in attendance.
The Soldiers and leaders of the 2nd Battalion, 4th Infantry Regiment, attached to the 1st Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division, Multi-National Division – Baghdad, assigned responsibility for the Doura area, continue to focus their efforts in the transition of the SoI program to the control of the Iraqi security forces.
Lt. Col. Timothy Watson, battalion commander of the 2nd Bn., 4th Inf. Regt., said that he conducts frequent meetings with various influential members of the Iraqi government, ISF and SoI representatives on the matter of transitioning the concerned local citizens program to Iraqi national police supervision.
"I have great confidence that the 7th Brigade of the 2nd National Police Division will manage the transition properly," Watson said. "If current members want to seek alternative employment, we have had considerable success arranging follow-on opportunities."
The Fire and Effects Cell of the 2nd Bn., 4th Inf. Regt., managed the Sons of Iraq program in Doura for the past eleven months.
Spc. Kristopher Prusac, a forward observer, assigned to Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 2nd Bn., 4th Inf. Regt., attached to the 1st BCT, 4th Inf. Div., elaborated on the registration and transfer of SoI members for the transition scheduled to take place in October.
Prusac, a native of Largo, Fla., explained that during the most recent SoI payday in Doura, approximately 100 members of the program resigned for various reasons and some of the SoI volunteers exceeding 50 years of age retired because their excessive age prohibited them from providing capable service in the security realm.
Prusac's records also indicate that many SoI are voluntarily leaving the program in favor of private business ventures.
According to Watson, that process is being encouraged by microgrant offers wherein former Sons of Iraq members are eligible for the equivalent of up to $5,000 U.S. to start their own business.
In the last month alone, said Prusac, 55 members of the Doura Sons of Iraq program left to explore alternative employment options.
Additional accommodations have been made for members of the Abna al-Iraq who have not been successful in finding other jobs or are only interested in working in security-related positions, explained Watson.
Sgt. 1st Class Jason Scorpio of Bosque Farms, N.M., who serves as the 2nd Bn., 4th Inf. Regt.'s FECC non-commissioned officer in charge, assisted in the establishment of a program that leverages some of the most respected and connected citizens of the Doura area to provide job placement assistance for its residents.
Employment assistance managers can be contacted by members of the Sons of Iraq program, recently released detainees, or any other resident of Doura seeking legitimate employment, he said, adding that the EAMs were especially selected by the battalion commander and are paid through the U.S. Army.
Another step of progression towards Iraqi self-governance, the 2nd Bn., 4th Inf. Regt., has transitioned the responsibility of paying the Sons of Iraq to the 7th Bde., 2nd NP Div., stationed in Doura.
In administering their first round of payments to the Abna al-Iraq, the national police identified a few discrepancies in previous payments. They noted that some of the members of the Doura Sons of Iraq program were already members of the Iraqi national police or the Iraqi army.
Others were full-time government representatives, and still others were collecting government retirement benefits. Policies regarding the Sons of Iraq program prohibit its participants from drawing two pay checks for government service.
The violators were released from service with the local SoI.
Capt. Parsana Deoki, of Queens, New York, who is the commander of Co. C, 2nd Bn., 4th Inf. Regt., works very closely with the Sons of Iraq as well as the national police and Iraqi civilians.
In describing the contributions that the SoI continue to make in Doura, Deoki said "the SoI do a good job of policing the muhallahs. They are the first responders to most incidences in the muhallahs and they are the first trusted sources the residents look to for security."
The transition of the SoI to NP supervision and the specter of possible future termination of the program may evoke scrutiny of the entire SoI program, but such criticisms are not shared by the U.S. Soldiers participating in its implementation.
"The [Sons of Iraq] is the one group that is most likely to spot anyone who does not belong or is not from their neighborhood," said Capt. Ryan Edwards of Neoga, Ill., commander of Co. B, 2nd Bn., 4th Inf. Regt.
Some skeptics have also suggested that termination of the Sons of Iraq program will result in many of its former members resorting to terrorism.
Deoki scoffed at the notion of large-scale migration to illicit activity.
"The national police have a detailed dossier on all of them," he said, referencing the paper work required to gain admittance to the Sons of Iraq program.
"We have their names, photos, addresses, and finger prints on file, among other things," explained Watson. "Besides, there are minimal traces of organized militias remaining in Doura."
Fear of capture aside, Deoki said that there is a more wholesome rationale for the former members of the Sons of Iraq to remain productive members of the new Iraqi society.
"They have an understanding of what effect their former activity has on their country," he explained. "They can see the effect that stabilization has on their homes.
"Their family and friends see them everyday protecting their muhallahs and working an honest job. They have little incentive to give all that up."
| Date Taken: | 09.29.2008 |
| Date Posted: | 09.29.2008 10:20 |
| Story ID: | 24287 |
| Location: | BAGHDAD, IQ |
| Web Views: | 214 |
| Downloads: | 186 |
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