Desperate for arms and military training to fight ISIL, Sunni tribes were considering Iranian assistance as an option.
Iraq's Sunnis want a bigger role in the battle against ISIL [Al Jazeera]
Baghdad -
Iraqi Sunni tribal sheikhs threatened to resort to the United States'
rival in the region, the Islamic Republic of Iran, to get the needed
military support in their fight against the Islamic State of Iraq and
the Levant (ISIL), if the US did not respond to their demands, warned
Iraqi lawmakers and tribal sheikhs.
The warning came during a meeting with US Senator, John McCain, who embarked on a short visit to Baghdad on Friday.
McCain met
with several Iraqi lawmakers and tribal sheikhs representing the
Sunni-dominated provinces of Anbar, Saladin, Diyala as well as the towns
constituting the belt of Baghdad, to discuss proposed plans to confront
ISIL.
Three
Iraqi Sunni figures who attended the meeting told Al Jazeera that a
list of demands was submitted to McCain asking for US ground troops,
weapons and funds to accelerate the liberation of areas seized by ISIL
and grant them (Sunni tribes) a bigger role in the battle against ISIL.
The
disgruntled tribal leaders, according to Sunni figures, made it clear
that they were considering alternative options to get the much needed
military support to drive away ISIL fighters, and that Iran was on top
of the list of alternatives.
"[McCain]
was told clearly that if the Americans kept watching the situation [in
Anbar, Saladin and Diyala provinces] and did not intervene, we will ask
another regional power to fill the gap," a senior Iraqi lawmaker who
attended the meeting, told Al Jazeera on condition of anonymity.
"We
have already opened many channels with Iran and they have offered
unconditional support including weapons, funds and even fighters if
required," he said.
|
The attendees have expressed their anger and dissatisfaction at the
US and the [US-led] international coalition that does not support them
in its war against Daesh [ISIL] while they rose up when Daesh got close
to the Kurdish region and quickly, intervened. |
ISIL
fighters overran the second largest city in Iraq, Mosul, in June, with
hardly any resistance from the Iraqi army. A few days later, ISIL
fighters seized the neighbouring province of Salahuddin and vast parts
of southern Kirkuk.
They now have control over most of the cities and towns of the Sunni-dominated province of Anbar.
Iran
was the first regional country that responded to the Iraqi government's
calls for assistance to stop ISIL advances towards the capital.
Iranian
military commanders, accompanying Iraqi forces and Shia militias, have
played a vital role in gaining control over the border towns of Jalawla
and Saadia, in Diyala province, a few weeks ago and driving ISIL
fighters from Jurf al-Sakhar, one of the main supply routes for ISIL in
southern Baghdad.
Iran,
according to analysts, was also quick to cover the large shortage of
weapons and ammunition for the Iraqi troops and Kurdish forces.
On
Sunday, official Iranian media reported that an Iranian Revolutionary
Guards commander, who was training Iraqi troops and militia fighting
ISIL, was killed in the Iraqi city of Samarra.
McCain, who was mostly just listening during the meeting, according to the lawmaker, asked for clarification relating to that point.
"McCain
stopped us a lot when it came to that point, he looked very interested
and was asking questions like who, when, where, why and how," the
lawmaker said.
The
meeting which lasted 90 minutes was held at the house of the Iraqi
speaker, Saleem al-Joubori, in the Green Zone, the most fortified area
in Baghdad that contains governmental buildings and many foreign
embassies including the US and British embassies.
The
tribal leaders and lawmakers had also expressed their dismay at the
lack of a serious US policy to liberate their lands and "the US' double
standards" in dealing with the Sunni tribes in these provinces compared
to the Kurds.
"The
attendees have expressed their anger and dissatisfaction at the US and
the [US-led] international coalition that does not support them in their
war against Daesh [ISIL] while they rose up when Daesh got close to the
Kurdish region and quickly intervened," Salah al-Joubori, a senior
Sunni lawmaker who also attended the meeting, told Al Jazeera.
Salah
al-Joubori, who confirmed that Sunni tribes have threatened to get
assistance from Iran, added that McCain did not make any promises or
offer any plans to explain how the US will address their demands
although the meeting was "frank and realistic".
"The
man is a senator and he has nothing to do with the decision-making
[related to arming and funding the Sunni tribes]. He will transfer all
what he heard, in addition to the written list of demands, to Congress,"
Joubori said.
 |
| US to help Iraq train and arm tribesmen as part of a future National Guard [EPA] |
Iraqi
Sunni leaders who met McCain, as several senior officials who are
familiar with the talks confirmed, were hoping to convince the US
administration to put pressure on the Iraqi government to form the
long-awaited National Guard troops, arm the Sunni tribes and keep the
Kurdish forces and Shia militias away from the Sunni areas.
"US
is able to put great pressure on the Iraqi government and force it to
form the National Guard, support the [Sunni] tribes and prevent the
Peshmerga and Shia militias from entering the Sunni areas," a senior
Sunni figure told Al Jazeera on condition of anonymity.
"We
believe that the Iraqi government is deliberately holding up the
formation of the National Guard and does not support the [Sunni]
tribes."
In a briefing held on Saturday at the US embassy in Baghdad, McCain
told reporters that the US will train and arm Sunni tribal fighters who
will be part of the planned National Guard troops in Anbar.
"The
Iraqi government will arm 4,000 tribesmen, in Anbar, within the
National Guard troops which will be formed [later], and their training
and arming will be through the Iraqi government," he said.
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