The United States pulled an old play out of its wartime playbook for use in Iraq. Commander George Bush called a TEOMEIMF or "the enemy of my enemy is my friend". This brought onto the field a rag tag, scuffy group of Sunni's known as the 1920s Revolution Brigades. Sunni fighters have provided critical intelligence information to the U.S. military on al Qaeda.
But U.S. officials defend the TEOMEIMF strategy, first tested in Afghanistan in the 1980's when America supported Afghan freedom fighters. That produced Osama bin Laden, our current enemy. What is the military's position on supporting a different batch of Sunni freedom fighters?
"They're grassroots, organized - even like neighborhood firemen - and they've decided they want a safe environment," said Brig. Gen. Mick Bednarek, deputy operations commander for the Army's 25th Infantry Division. "Will we leverage that? Darn right we will. And is it a potential risk? Sure it is - but it's one we're willing to take." I hope we don't cry when we get stung...
But U.S. officials defend the TEOMEIMF strategy, first tested in Afghanistan in the 1980's when America supported Afghan freedom fighters. That produced Osama bin Laden, our current enemy. What is the military's position on supporting a different batch of Sunni freedom fighters?
"They're grassroots, organized - even like neighborhood firemen - and they've decided they want a safe environment," said Brig. Gen. Mick Bednarek, deputy operations commander for the Army's 25th Infantry Division. "Will we leverage that? Darn right we will. And is it a potential risk? Sure it is - but it's one we're willing to take." I hope we don't cry when we get stung...
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