[Anderson]

Iraq Sunni mourners vow revenge
Sunni Arab tribesmen have vowed revenge for the killing of a leader who had become a focal point for opposition to al-Qaeda in Iraq.

More than 1,500 mourners attended the funeral of Abdul Sattar Abu Risha, who was killed in a bomb attack in the city of Ramadi, Anbar province, on Thursday.

Abu Risha led the Anbar Awakening alliance and was endorsed in a meeting with the US president just 10 days ago.

The group has been praised for dramatic improvements in security in Anbar.

'Outrage'

Iraq's national security adviser, interior minister and defence minister all attended the funeral in Ramadi, along with the second-in-command of US forces in Iraq, Lt-Gen Raymond Odierno.



The procession was guarded by scores of Iraqi police and US military personnel.

Mourners chanted "We will take our revenge" and "There is no God but Allah and al-Qaeda is the enemy of Allah" as the procession continued to the family cemetery.

No group has said it carried out the attack but most believe it was the work of al-Qaeda.

Ahmed Abu Risha has been named as the tribal group's new leader after the death of his brother.

He told the Reuters news agency: "All the tribes agreed to fight al-Qaeda until the last child in Anbar."

Sheikh Rashid Majid, a leader of the al-Bufahad tribe in Ramadi, said: "The killing will give us more energy... to continue confronting al-Qaeda members and to dispose of them."

Abu Risha was killed in his car, along with two bodyguards, by a roadside bomb planted near his home in Ramadi.

Reports said he was one of al-Qaeda's top targets and that the group had made a number of attempts on his life.

Iraqi National Security Adviser Mowaffaq al-Rubaie said: "It is a national Iraqi disaster. What Abu Risha did for Iraq, no single man has done in the country's history."

The White House also condemned his assassination as "an outrage".

Anbar Awakening, or the Anbar Salvation Council, is an alliance of clans that sided with US forces and the Iraqi government in order to try to reclaim Anbar province from al-Qaeda.

Anbar was once controlled by the insurgents, and was where they declared an "Islamic State of Iraq".

It was one of the deadliest parts of Iraq for US troops.

But the tribal alliance managed to force the insurgents back and reduce violence.

Abu Risha said last week: "I wish we could do in all the provinces of Iraq what we did in Anbar, which is that the people and the government come together."

Story from BBC NEWS:
BBC NEWS | World | Middle East | Iraq Sunni mourners vow revenge

[Khairan]

al-Qaeda has sown the wind...

[ChotooMotoo]

Originally Posted by Khairan

al-Qaeda has sown the wind...

Al-Qaeda is a horrible organization, May Allah (swt) give them hidayat. See what happens when you become arogant and self-righteous to the point where you don't question what you are doing according to Islamic principles, instead you use what "kaffirs" do as a justification of your actions. Since when do we follow "kaffirs" I thought we were supposed to follow Islam.

[Khairan]

Originally Posted by ChotooMotoo

Since when do we follow "kaffirs" I thought we were supposed to follow Islam.

Everyone who calls themselves muslim likes to think they are following Islam, or at the least likes to have other people think so. The critical issue here is pride. I'm always wary of the "godly" who believe that they understand exactly what God wants -- it leaves very little room to acknowledge differences or to see people who have such differences as truly human and engaged in the same process of discovery and spiritual exploration as oneself.

It's much easier to understand and forgive another person for being fallible and misguided on the path to God if we truly see ourselves in the same way and if we *fear* being wrong. Once we stop being afraid of being misguided it's so much easier to have contempt for those who we believe are.

[MossadConspiracy]

killing al-qaeda nutcases isnt going to bring the guy back. All they can do is continue making their province safe for their people.

[MossadConspiracy]

Its also interesting to see how Al-Anbar went from being Iraq's most dangerous province by far to a relatively safe one within Iraq's Arab region. That part of the country is a perfect example of how America did everything wrong in Iraq, and also of how local leaders and populations can come together with a commitment to help secure their own lands. Without money and guns, the tribal coalitions couldnt have brought down Al-Qaeda in most Anbar towns and reduced the level of violence in the province. But without the tribes, Al-Anbar would still be an out-of-control bloodbath today, like it was 2 years ago.

I think that if the local leaders become stronger and US troops withdraw, that province will be one of Iraq's safest