Iraqi Sheik to Obama: We Miss You!

[Valin]

The Daily Beast:

As a leader of the Anbar Awakening, Sheik Ahmad Abu-Risha helped turn the tide in the Iraq war. Today, he tells Eli Lake, the U.S. has turned its back on its onetime allies. Where’s the love, Mr. President?

Eli Lake

9/6/12

 

A little more than four years ago in western Iraq, then-senator Barack Obama met for 90 minutes with a group of Arab sheiks, allies of the U.S. military in the war against al Qaeda. Known as the Anbar Awakening, the tribal leaders are credited by the Marine Corps’ own official historian with helping turn the tide of the Iraq War and creating the conditions on the ground for the country’s fragile government to survive. During the meeting the future president assured the group that there would be a long-term partnership between America and Iraq, according to two of the sheikhs who were there and a U.S. translator in the meeting.

 

Four years later, one of those sheiks, Ahmad Abu-Risha, says he feels betrayed. Abu-Risha, the president of what is now known as the Iraqi Awakening Council, told The Daily Beast in a phone interview that he has not had any meetings with U.S. officials since American forces withdrew from Iraq in December. “President Obama said he would not forget all the sacrifices that were made,” he said. “Now we look back at that meeting and we think it was political propaganda. What he said, we don’t see it happening.”

 

(Snip)

 

If Abu-Risha were given a chance to speak to Obama, he says he would ask him: “Why did you leave Iraq to Iran? Why did you give up the many sacrifices that Americans made? You can still have a partnership with us. If you are going to be president for the next four years, bring Iraq back into a strategic partnership with the United States and remember the people who fought against al Qaeda with you.”

[Valin]

It might help if Abu-Risha sent some money to "The One" and his campaign.....worked for Solyndra

[pollyannaish]

This is the kind of stuff that just depresses me to no end.

 

To leave people who sacrificed everything, who believed we would help, to the wolves of Iran.

 

It's unconscionable.

[WestVirginiaRebel]

We should only go back in if we have to.

 

Other than that, it's their country and their responsibility now.