Sunni Fighters Say Iraq Will Never Hire Them

By Neal Colgrass, Newser Staff

Posted Mar 23, 2009 7:45 PM CDT

(Newser) – The US turned over tens of thousands of Sunni fighters to Baghdad this weekend to take government jobs and mend fences with ruling Shiites, but many Sunnis are skeptical, the New York Times reports. After helping tame al-Qaeda in Iraq, the militiamen say few jobs are being offered in return. “Until now, promises are all we’ve gotten,” said one, who added that al-Qaeda pays "generously."

With oil prices dropping, Iraq may be unable to hire 84,000 Sunnis for security and civilian jobs. Only 5% have gotten work thus far, and they complain of missed paychecks and comrades being arrested, despite amnesty vows. Sunni complaints are nothing new, however, and may be considered a bargaining chip—although the threat to rejoin insurgent groups is growing. "There are problems,” a US official said, “but it’s not a crisis yet.”

[Images (7)]

[Quotes (1)]

Iraqi soldiers pay salaries to Awakening Council members, also known as Sons of Iraq, at an army base in Taji, north of Baghdad, Iraq, Wednesday, Dec. 17, 2008. (AP Photo/Loay Hameed)

U.S.-backed Awakening Council fighters provide security in a street in Tarmiyah, 50 kilometers (30 miles) north of Baghdad, Iraq, Thursday, Aug. 14, 2008. (AP Photo/Karim Kadim)

U.S.-backed Awakening Council fighters provide security in a street in Tarmiyah, 50 kilometers (30 miles) north of Baghdad in Iraq, Thursday, Aug. 14, 2008. (AP Photo/Karim Kadim)

Members of the Sunni Awakening council of Baqouba take positions after closing their offices, in Baqouba, Iraq, Friday, Feb. 8, 2008. (AP Photo)

U.S. and Iraqi soldiers walk with the Azamiyah Awakening council leader Amir al-Azawi in the Shaab district of Baghdad, Iraq, Saturday, Jan. 3, 2009. (AP Photo/Karim Kadim)

« Prev« Prev | Next »Next » Slideshow

Do we really think the Iraqi government is going to bring 100,000 new employees in at a time when their revenue stream is taking a nosedive? - Unnamed US military official

« Prev« Prev | Next »Next » Slideshow

To report an error on this story, notify our editors.

More Newser Stories

Another Iraq Suicide Blast Kills 53 Shiites in Basra

Victims were marking a holy day

(NEWSER) - Iraq's Sunni-Shiite tensions worsened yet again today when a suicide bomber killed at least 53 Shiite pilgrims marking a holy day, reports Reuters . The bomber, dressed as a police officer, struck at a checkpoint in Basra. No claims of responsibility yet, but it bears the hallmarks of Sunni-dominated al-Qaeda, which is trying to capitalize on the sectarian chaos, notes the New York Times . More»

Wave of Bombings Targets Iraq's Shiites, Killing 72

Heightens fears that attacks will increase now that US has withdrawn

(AP) - A wave of bombings targeting Shiites in Iraq killed 72 people today, deepening sectarian tensions that exploded just after the last American troops left the country in mid-December. The bombings began early in the morning when explosions struck two Shiite neighborhoods in Baghdad, killing at least 27 people. A few hours later, a suicide attack hit Shiite pilgrims heading to the holy Shiite city of Karbala, killing 45; those explosions took place about 200 miles southeast of Baghdad. More»

Despite Maliki Crackdown, US Still Selling Arms to Iraq

Iraqi PM hasn't followed through on his end of agreement

(NEWSER) - The US is charging ahead with an $11 billion arms deal with Iraq, and has even delivered some of the promised fighter jets, tanks, and weapons—even though Nouri al-Maliki has blatantly failed to follow through on an agreement intended to ensure he would not marginalize his Sunni rivals. Indeed, Maliki has moved aggressively to cement his power since the US left Iraq, leading some diplomats to express concern about the sale, the New York Times reports. More»

Biden Tells Iraqis to Mend Fences —Like, Now

VP urges Maliki to strengthen coalition with Kurds, Sunnis

(NEWSER) - Joe Biden called Iraqi officials today, urging them to calm rising sectarian tensions after a bombing killed at least 63 people there earlier this week, the AP reports. Biden and other US officials have been phoning Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki as well as Sunni and Kurdish leaders all week, asking them to "stop hurling accusations at each other through the media and actually sit together and work through your competing concerns,” a White House official tells the New York Times . More»

VP: Maliki Pushing Iraq Toward Sectarian War

Tariq al-Hashemi accuses Shiite PM of eliminating rivals

(NEWSER) - Sunni VP Tariq al-Hashemi today openly accused Nouri al-Maliki of trying to eliminate his political rivals and run Iraq like a "one-man-show," a move that Hashemi says is pushing the country toward sectarian war. The comments came during an interview with the AP, which notes that the escalating tension between the two men , along with the series of bombings that killed at least 69 people yesterday , have hiked fears that Iraq could indeed be thrown into new violence following the exit of US troops. More»

NEWS FROM OUR PARTNERS

What is Newser?

Face it: there's too much news. At Newser, we choose the most thought-provoking and entertaining stories from hundreds of US and international sources and reduce them to a headline, picture, and two paragraphs. And we do it 24/7—you can come back morning, noon, night (and in between) for something new that matters. Read less, know more.

Learn more »

Partnering with: Slate

View Newser on the mobile website