« Previous · Home · Next »

Cultural Differences

By Richard S. Lowry

Last week, I had a forty-minute telephone conversation with the Multi-National Force-West commanding general, Major General W. E. Gaskin, USMC. His Area of Operations (AO) encompasses all of al-Anbar Province. We spoke about many things, but the subject that intrigued me the most was our talk of the Tribes of Anbar and how their tribal culture is different from American Society.

Here is what I learned about the tribes of Anbar.

Tribes have been the center of Iraqi life since the beginning of recorded history. Iraqi identity is derived from the tribe. In America, we have a country of individuals and individual rights are supreme. A man is known for his own actions and is responsible only to himself and maybe his immediate family. In Iraq, a man is an extension of a larger family – of his tribe. His actions are always connected to the group. If he is successful or compassionate toward others, it brings honor to his tribe. If he is a criminal or treats others unfairly, it reflects negatively on his tribe.

For generations, the tribe has been the cultural, economic and governmental center of the Iraqi society. And the Sheikhs lead the tribes. As go the Sheikhs and tribal elders, so goes the tribe. They are the glue that holds the Iraqi people together. In the Saddam regime, the Sheikhs spoke for their people. Even Saddam would not defy the local authority of the tribes. He allowed for tribal governance, as long as the tribal leaders pledged their allegiance to his national government. Iraqi Sheikhs never relinquished local authority over their brethren.

When the US moved in to Iraq in 2003, the tribal concept was not thoroughly appreciated. In the first few years, we did little to help the Sheikhs become part of the solution to ever increasing anarchy. Iraqi Sheikhs viewed the Americans as usurpers of the tribal authority. So, the tribes, especially Sunni, fought against our intrusion. They were easily convinced by al-Qaeda that the infidel would ruin the tribal system and that the Americans needed to be expelled.

Nowhere in Iraq are the tribes more important to the survival of its members than in Al-Anbar. The rugged people of Anbar have been struggling to survive in a harsh environment since the beginning of time and they are fiercely independent. When American forces rolled in to Fallujah and Ramadi in 2003, it was evident immediately that the local inhabitants were firmly opposed to American military authority.

The war never ended in Al-Anbar province. It became a haven for die-hard Saddam Loyalists and soon became a rallying point for foreign Islamic extremists. Local unemployed men and teenagers became willing recruits and U.S. Marines suffered heavy casualties clearing the cities of enemy forces.

Finally, the Sheikhs and tribal elders came to realize that America was not in Anbar Province to change the people’s way of life. The Americans were there to bring normalcy back to the people. It took some time for the Sheikhs to realize that al-Qaeda was there to impose its radical Islamic totalitarianism. It took some time for the Sheikhs to realize who their actual enemy was.

Once they figured this out, it took even more time to loosen the grip that the terrorists had on the tribes. For more than two years, al-Qaeda ruled through fear. If anyone would help the Americans, if they would even talk to an American – they would be killed. Sheikhs, tribal and community leaders and their families were killed regularly. Anyone who questioned al-Qaeda’s authority was brutally murdered. The lucky ones were killed instantly, most were tortured. Marine Lieutenant Colonel Christopher Starling described al-Anbar Province in 2005 as a cross between the “Wild West” and “Mad Max.”

As late as last year, some politicians and media commentators were claiming that al-Anbar was a lost cause. But then, last fall, the Sheikhs of Anbar realized that al-Qaeda was the real enemy and they said, ‘enough-is-enough.’ They came together and decided that “the enemy of my enemy is my friend.” The Sheikhs went to the U.S. Marines and asked for their help to rid their neighborhoods of the al-Qaeda scourge. They brought forth the sons of Anbar to join the Iraqi Army and local police forces so that they could fight al-Qaeda themselves and eventually maintain their own security.

In a recent covenant celebration, two-hundred Sheiks came together in Ramadi. They all pledged to fight al-Qaeda and they pledged to support the Coalition. They pledged to rebuild their society and to do it all through the Iraqi government and the rule of law. And, the Marines pledged to provide a protective umbrella until the people are able to maintain their own security. Despite the continued threat of al-Qaeda attacks, the cities of Anbar are all now relatively safe places to live and work.

Today, Major General W. E. Gaskin and his Marines and soldiers are working closely with the tribes of Anbar to keep al-Qaeda away from the population; to clean up the rubble from four years of fighting; to restore vital services; and to rekindle commercial development. General Petraeus has said many times that the solution in Iraq is not purely military and General Gaskin’s work in Iraq’s “wild west” is proof of that.

The Marines, now with their tribal Iraqi allies, continue to chase and fight al-Qaeda. The military component of Operation Iraqi Freedom will not soon be over. But, General Gaskin has developed a close relationship, a covenant, with the Sheikhs of Anbar. He has asked each of them for a prioritized list of what each needs in his community. Using Iraqi money, he has started to work that list: by clearing rubble and restoring vital resources like drinking water, electricity, and a reliable flow of petroleum products.

Iraqis are being employed in these projects. For the first time in years, the individual Iraqi sees improvements in his daily life and has hope for the future. We have turned a corner in al-Anbar Province, but we have not finished the job. General Petraeus and General Gaskin would be the first to tell you that it is still too early to say that they have achieved their goals and that the security situation is stable. There is still much work to be done.

America used to be known throughout the world as a “can-do” nation. We had that reputation because we finish anything we set our minds to accomplish. We built the Panama Canal. We defeated NAZI Germany. We put a man on the moon. We built the World Trade Center, commercial jets, telephones and computers. The American worker is known for his ability to solve problems and his tenacity to stick to a job until it is completed.

Yet, there is an element today in this country that believes that the job at hand in Iraq is too difficult. These individuals believe that the cost is too great in wealth and lives. They believe that the Iraqi people are unworthy of our commitment. They believe that the best course of action is to quit before the job is finished. If we succumb to this desire, we will have done our nation and the world a great disservice. We will have abandoned thousands of brave Iraqis who are risking their lives to bring freedom and hope to their country. We will have abandoned 20 million innocent Iraqis to what would most likely become the largest, bloodiest, struggle for power the world has ever seen. And, we will have shown the world that America can no longer be trusted.

On the other hand, if we honor our covenants with the Iraqi people and tribal Sheikhs of al Anbar and the other provinces, we will win this war yet. Other provinces are close behind Anbar. Iraqi Army and police recruits are lining up in droves in Diyala, Baghdad and Arab Jabour. General Petraeus’ “Surge” is working. Sunni and Shia tribal leaders north of Baghdad recently pledged to work together to bring peace to their communities. The Iraqi people are beginning to see that there is hope for the future.

Richard S. Lowry is the author of "Marines in the Garden of Eden." Visit http://www.MarinesintheGardenofEden.com for more information on Richard and his writing.

TrackBack

Comments

Post a comment

Awards

Feedback

Military.com

Friends of OPFOR

Blogroll

Authors

Categories

Archives

Blogspot Archives

Search

Subscribe

Atom
RSS 2.0
RSS 2.0 Full Post





OPFOR for your PDA

Link to OpFor

Blogger Alliances

Data

Credits