Photo By 1st Lt. Kelly McManus | Col. Scott Efflandt, commander of 1st Brigade, 1st Cavalry Division, addresses Sons of...... read more read more
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BAGHDAD, Iraq - In an ornate room once used for Saddam Hussein’s meetings with Ba’ath party members, nearly 20 Sons of Iraq members and sheiks from Iraq’s central and southern provinces met with members of the State Department and Col. Scott Efflandt, the commander of 1st Brigade, 1st Cavalry Division, Oct. 19, to discuss the future of Iraq.
The sheiks main concern: What will happen after U.S. forces leave Iraq?
“It’s really important for me that you know I’m committed to Iraq through [Dec. 31] and beyond,” Efflandt announced in his welcoming speech. “I won’t waste your time today with silly promises, but I will address the problems within the scope of my power and authority.”
A few members of the State Department sat among the sheiks and engaged in the talks to continue cementing their delicate relationship that will become more important as the deadline for U.S. forces to depart Iraq draws nearer.
“The embassy is simply a smaller presence than the U.S. military,” said Josh Archibald, a member of the State Department, as he addressed the group of sheiks. “And one of the areas we place an immense amount of value on is continuing conversation and interactions with you.”
The issues of security for sheiks who have recently become targets of assassinations is a growing concern for the sheiks, as well as the safety of Sons of Iraq members who have loyally supported U.S. forces since 2003.
Efflandt assured the sheiks and members of the Sons of Iraq that U.S. forces continue to make their safety a priority.
“I want to connect the threat of your safety with the forces that can protect it,” said Efflandt. “I will work with the people I trust to protect it.”
But it is more than just security that the sheiks fear losing.
The relationship between the tribal sheiks and the government of Iraq is fragile, and when U.S. forces depart Iraq, the sheiks believe they will no longer have the support they require to influence the political discourse of Iraq.
“We will help you, but the relationship between the U.S. and Iraq is fundamentally changed now, “said Archibald to the sheiks. “Moving ahead, we will try to find areas we can influence the government”
Despite the effort by the State Department to solidify their authority in Iraq as U.S. forces leave, the sheiks and members of the Sons of Iraq are wary.
“We started together in the same boat with the U.S. forces,” said Nafa Khesara Meher Al Ziyadi, a member of the Sons of Iraq. “We hope that the U.S. Forces will not be the first to leave this boat because then we will not shake hands with them again.”
Efflandt, drawing from his experiences in Iraq during a prior deployment, pointed out that the power base the sheiks and the Sons of Iraq are capable of attaining on their own.
“It was the sheiks and the Sons of Iraq that took the power away from the militia and al Qaeda in 2007. It was people wanting to do the right thing,” said Efflandt. “The same spirit can solve the problems of today.”
Efflandt plans to continue talks with the sheiks and the State Department despite the pending departure of U.S. Forces from Iraq in less than 75 days.
The 40,000 U.S. troops that are currently in Iraq are set to depart by the deadline set forth in the 2008 Security Agreement at which the U.S. embassy in Baghdad will assume authority from the U.S. military.
| Date Taken: | 10.19.2011 |
| Date Posted: | 10.24.2011 15:52 |
| Story ID: | 78935 |
| Location: | BAGHDAD, IQ |
| Web Views: | 121 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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