Sutherland: 'Former' insurgents who attacked, killed U.S. troops now 'patriots'

Above: Frame grabs from a video posted earlier this year by the 1920 Revolution Brigades showing an IED attack on a Humvee with U.S. troops inside. The organization is the military wing of the Islamic Resistance Movement in Iraq, formerly called the Iraqi National Islamic Resistance. The group is named after the 1920 Iraqi uprising against British colonial occupation following World War I, when the League of Nations granted the United Kingdom control over three Ottoman territories – Baghdad, Mosul, and Basra – that make up present day Iraq. Arabic script in the group’s logo contains a verse from the Quran popular among Jihadists, 'Fight them, God shall torture them by your hands'. The 1920 Revolution Brigades has employed tactics common to other Iraqi insurgency groups includeing IED attacks, suicide bombings, and mortar and rocket barrages.

’Patriotic’ ex-rebels working with US military in Iraq

American forces in Iraq are working with a Sunni former insurgent group to root out Al-Qaeda cells fighting north of Baghdad, a commander said on Saturday, branding his new allies “patriots”.

Colonel David Sutherland said fighters from the Brigades of the 1920 Revolution acted as scouts and informants for US and Iraqi forces during a recent operation to secure an area around Baquba, capital of Diyala Province.

“The 1920s as they are called, again we call them Baquba Guardians,” he told reporters. “We call them concerned local nationals. These are people, patriots that have come forward and joined the security process.

“They are working with my soldiers, they are working with Iraqi security forces to assist us with information with being the eyes and ears.”

Read the rest at the Khaleej Times

U.S. rebrands Iraq ex-insurgents

U.S. forces have rebranded one of the main insurgent groups in Iraq and now use the term "concerned local nationals" to refer to a group that once claimed responsibility for killing scores of Americans.

The updated vocabulary for referring to the 1920 Revolution Brigade, described by a U.S. commander on Saturday, is a sign of the abrupt change in tactics that has seen U.S. forces cooperate with former Sunni Arab enemies.

The 1920 Revolution Brigade was one of the main anti-American Sunni Arab insurgent groups in Iraq in the years after the 2003 U.S.-led invasion and has claimed responsibility for killing scores of U.S. troops in ambushes and bomb attacks...

Sutherland said the 1920 Revolution Brigade name was now being used widely to refer to local pro-government militia and not anti-American insurgents. Some Shi'ite elders were asking if they too could recruit "1920s", he said, a sign the Sunni Arab group's name was no longer seen as sectarian.

Read the rest at Reuters/Alternet

Related Link:
Report: U.S. moves forward with plan to hire Sunni 'guardians' for Iraqi neighborhoods

Related Link:
Perspective: 'Former' insurgents become 'security contractors'... for now

Related Link:
Perspective: 'This is a seed for civil war'

Related Link:
Sources: U.S. increasing funding, support of armed civilian militias

Related Link:
Aide: Maliki may ask Petraeus be sent home

Related Link:
Report: Insurgent leaders hold planning meeting in Damascus

Related Link:
Reports: Seven Sunni insurgent groups form political alliance

Related Link:
Key Advisor: Maliki has problems with Petraeus' "purely American vision"; Says Patraeus' policy arming insurgents "will leave Iraq an armed nation"

Related Link:
General Fil: U.S. enlisting tribal and 'former' insurgent fighters by the hundreds daily

Related Link:
Report: U.S. begins 'major offensive' in Iraq; 'Former' insurgents part of push

Related Link:
Maliki: U.S. arming of Sunni tribes 'is dangerous because this will create new militias'

Related Link:
Perspective: Arms deal with Iraqi tribes could spell success... or disaster

Related Link:
Opinion (Robert Fox): Putting out a fire with gasoline

Related Link:
Lynch: US will continue to back Sunni tribal police even as Anbar force splinters

Related Link:
Report: U.S. providing 'former' insurgent Sunni groups with arms, ammunition, cash, fuel and supplies; Same groups may have killed American troops

Related Link:
Report: Pro-U.S. Tribal Coalition in Anbar Said to Be Crumbling

Related Link:
Insurgent group announces cease-fire with al-Qaeda

Related Link:
Odierno: Commanders at all levels told to 'reach out' to insurgents 'because there are insurgents reaching out to us'