A Sunni Iraqi sheik who seems to have it straight

RAMADI, IRAQ — At 35, he is younger than many sheiks. And his Sunni Arab tribe is not one of the largest in Al Anbar province. But Sheik Sattar Bazeaa Fatikhan projects the aura of power and seriousness that comes to a man who has taken a stand.

After Sunni insurgents killed his father and four of his brothers last year, Fatikhan declared war against the insurgency.

He convened a summit of about a dozen prominent sheiks. From that meeting came a document called "The Awakening," in which Fatikhan persuaded all but one sheik to join him in opposition to the insurgency.

The sheiks pledged to encourage young men to join the police force and even the Shiite-led army. The document states that killing an American is the same as killing a member of their tribes. Since the gathering, Fatikhan said, the sheiks have "eliminated" a number of insurgents.

Continue reading it here.....

http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/world/la-fg-sheik23jan23,1,448732.story?coll=la-headlines-world

 

Let's make this guy president.

(Of Iraq, I mean. Just wanted to make that clear.)

 

CNN would probably infer he's a racist for opposing Obama

 

I am very impressed. I'm surprised Bush hasn't pointed him out as an example of what is going right in the country, stories like this could help his image here.

 

This is yet another I'll Believe It When I See It story for me.

 

I can understand your skepticism F_B, but this appears to be on the up and up. Just because most things aren't going well in Iraq doesn't mean there can't be glimmers of hope from some sources.

 

GBH --
I'm not saying that this guy's a plant, or a disinformation campaign or something. (Although he may turn into one, if only for his own survival.) That's not my point. I'm going to wait and see if he develops some kind of constitiuency, or just becomes another local chieftain with his own army, looking for a cut of whatever comes out of the chaos. I mean, in their own way, the Shiite death squads are "fighting the insurgents" too.

 

But can he defend against the spread offense?

 

He puts 8 in the box and then blows up the mutha-fucking box

 

No way you can defend the spread with 8 in the box. You'll get killed deep.

 

End of thread.

 

I for one hope he's as honorable as he sounds. I think the fact that he's younger, has been directly affected by the conflict and has the ear of the people in the area are all positive signs. His progressiveness is impressive.