In another blow to US President Barack Obama’s strategy to “degrade and defeat” the Islamic State, a number of tribal sheikhs in Anbar province have pledged allegiance to ISIS.
In a statement on Thursday Ahmed Dara al-Jumaili, an influential sheikh of Anbar, cited a number of reasons for the decision: broken promises by Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi’s government, deployment of Shiite militiamen in Sunni areas in the fight against ISIS and collective punishment of Sunnis through random bombardments.
The announcement comes amid a US diplomatic struggle to enlist the support of Sunni tribes in the fight against ISIS, as trust continues to dramatically erode between the Sunni community and the Shiite-led Iraqi central government.
US diplomats have been talking to Sunni leaders, trying to convince them to join the fight against ISIS. But they have failed to talk to the real influential Sunni leaders who enjoy greater trust in their communities. Instead, the Americans have depended on elected officials, or tribal leaders who are seen as pawns of the Baghdad government. This has amounted to a major blunder in the US strategy to bring the Sunni tribes on board against ISIS.
When Anbar’s capital Ramadi fell last month, the Iraqi army abandoned large numbers of weapons of all types, including tanks, Humvees and munitions, which were seized by ISIS. Meanwhile, the Sunnis had been begging Baghdad for months for enough weapons to push back ISIS from Anbar.
To the Sunnis, it appears as if the government prefers the weapons to fall into ISIS hands than to be given to their own fighters. This has angered many Sunni tribal sheikhs, who have accused Baghdad of backstabbing.
In a miscalculated move – following a doubtful vote by members of Anbar’s Provincial Council -- Abadi ordered the deployment of Shiite militia forces, known as the Popular Mobilization Force (PMF), into the province. Many analysts had warned that the move could mobilize the Sunnis against government forces.
After Ramadi, Abadi unseated two-time elected Nineveh province governor Atheel al-Nujaifi, after he returned from a trip in the US where he lobbied government officials and lawmakers to directly arm the Sunnis.
The premier made his move cleverly and legally through parliament. Nevertheless, it mimicked the policy of his infamous predecessor, Nouri al-Maliki, of marginalizing Sunni politicians.
This political move by Abadi hammered another nail into the coffin of increasing mistrust between the Sunnis and the central government: Nujaifi was a popular governor, despite claims he was unlike by the Sunni community.
The prime minister made a public commitment when he stated that Ramadi would be recaptured within days, ignoring facts on the ground. Soon after, a military campaign under the codename “Labayk Ya Hussein” was announced. The moniker, with clearly Shiite overtones, dismayed the Sunnis, who had complained about the many reported PMF violations and abuses in the Sunni towns and villages in other provinces where they had fought.
As more time passes, more hurdles pop up against the US and Iraqi governments in their aim of clearing ISIS from Iraq’s Sunni areas. This is most likely due to ill-advised tactics that include Baghdad’s decisions to pick some Sunni leaders and marginalize others.
The Obama administration needs to issue an ultimatum to Baghdad to withdraw the PMF from Anbar, let the locals make their own decisions and do their own fighting. Washington needs to give Baghdad a deadline for the fair distribution of arms and salaries for Sunni fighters combating ISIS. Unless this happens the US risks having the whole Sunni community moving over to ISIS in an effort at self-protection.
The views expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the position of Rudaw.
