IRAQ

Portrait of a Shadow

He helped create and equip the Iraqi insurgency. U.S. forces tried for years to kill or capture him. Now he has a different mission: to destroy Al Qaeda in Iraq.

By Scott Johnson | NEWSWEEK
Published Feb 14, 2009
From the magazine issue dated Feb 23, 2009

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  • Posted By: BD11won @ 03/19/2009 10:06:34 PM

    Man this is crazy...Our mistakes led to the Iraqi's having all these weapons. Im glad the war is ending though

  • Posted By: motown67 @ 02/20/2009 10:47:23 PM

    I think this article touched on some important points about why the tribes in Anbar turned on Al Qaeda in Iraq, but missed some other just as crucial as well. The Anbaris generally turned on the U.S. invasion seeing the U.S. as occupiers. They had actually been relatively weak before under Saddam relying upon his patronage to keep their followers. After the invasion, the tribes found a new patron in Al Qaeda who provided money and know how. Al Qaeda made two big missteps. First they began taking over the tribes businesses, many of them illegal, to fund their campaign, which denied the sheikh's money to keep their followers. Second, they declared the Islamic Republic of Iraq. These two moves changed the tribes' views of the Islamists as allies to rivals. This eventually led to a shift to the U.S. beginning in 2005 who were now seen as the lesser of two evils. The 2006 debate in Congress about withdrawing also helped as it made some Iraqis think that the Americans would eventually leave. The U.S. became the new patrong because they recruited tribesmen directly into the local police, and also provided the sheikhs with lucrative reconstruction contracts. The problem now is that all of these tribes have fractured and they will do just about anything to get power. They have turned on each other and then reformed alliances before and after the provincial elections. The sheikhs feel entitled to power. Actually governing will be something completely new to them and their bickering along with the 50% budget cut due to the drop in oil prices could leave them deadlocked. That's the real issue rather than hunting down the remanants of Al Qaeda in Iraq. For more see: musingsoniraq.blogspot.com

  • Posted By: HDavidsonNeverDies @ 02/20/2009 1:28:03 PM

    BTW Michael Steele, wonderboy for the RNC, yeah he's under federal investigation for FRAUD....DOH!

  • Posted By: christopherkidwell1 @ 02/18/2009 7:04:38 PM

    You cannot stop people's ideas by killing them. That only makes those people martyr's to their friends, family and other people who they have touched. The only way to stop Al-Qaida is to show how brutal and backwards they are..... but unfortunately, that also means that Islamists are going to have to admit that THEY are brutal and backwards, and that they are creating a fertile ground for these murderers dressed up as 'terrorists'.

    • Posted By: boomshakalaka48 @ 02/18/2009 9:25:18 PM

      Listen Christopher Kidwell, I myself am not a follower of Islam nor am i sympathizer to these terrorist acts and their intentions of Islamic extremists. But you need to understand that not all followers of Islam are blood-crazed brutes in which your ignorant fantasy describes! Stating such an idiotic and mentally dense comment where you group all Islamic believers into a stereotype developed by ignorant Americans is stupidity. It is representative of some ignorant, uninformed, slack-jawed, prejudiced and provincial PRICK. Remember that these terrorists are extremists of their religion easily comparable to the great crusades led by "christians" hundreds of years ago. You are obviously someone lacking in insight and are contributing to an ignorance that contributes to a false American pride that we know everything. You are nothing but a bit of dust that floats with it's counterparts at the whims of the mob -or how some of us like to say, the ignorant masses-. Those in the middle east are not much different from us. Many living their are simply consumed by hate, ignorance, a chaotic environment, fear, and trapped by oppression. Most people are just simply trying to live their lives in peace and hope for a time where there is no more fighting. I too wish too defeat these cowards, these wolves in sheep's clothing, but let us fight those who are truly responsible and not lose ourselves in hatred you condescending ass. I will join this fight and take up arms if need be once i have graduated from my senior year high school and then college. The best way to defeat your enemy is to use one's head otherwise one can be dragged deep into a sea of ignorance and become lost from your true intentions thus leading you astray bringing a horrible result. Learn what you can from all around. Finding the truth is like a bunch of puzzle pieces separated in multiple boxes with some pieces from different versions of the puzzle. Without all the boxes you won't be able to see the true picture.

      I enjoyed reading this article it lets us no that there are people out there that can change and also that we all are just searching for peace. That is something I'm willing to serve my country for come the time i get through college.

      • Posted By: boomshakalaka48 @ 02/18/2009 9:47:32 PM

        The earlier entry i forgot to edit and so i apologize for anyone who read this already. In my haste to enter my comment i forgot to proofread. And so hear it is:

        Listen Christopher Kidwell, I myself am not a follower of Islam nor am i sympathizer to these terrorist acts and the intentions of Islamic extremists. But you need to understand that not all followers of Islam are blood-crazed brutes in which your ignorant fantasy describes! Stating such an idiotic and mentally dense comment where you group all Islamic believers into a stereotype developed by ignorant Americans is stupidity. It is representative of some ignorant, uninformed, slack-jawed, prejudiced and provincial PRICK. Remember that these terrorists are extremists of their religion, easily comparable to the great crusades led by "christians" hundreds of years ago. You are obviously someone lacking in insight and are contributing to an ignorance thus contributing to a false American pride that we know everything. You are nothing but a bit of dust that floats with it's counterparts at the whims of the mob -or how some of us like to say, the ignorant masses-. Those in the middle east are not much different from us. Many living there are simply consumed by hate, ignorance, a chaotic environment, fear, and trapped by oppression. Most people are just simply trying to live their lives in peace and hope for a time where there is no more fighting. I too wish to defeat these cowards, these wolves in sheep's clothing, but let us fight those who are truly responsible and not lose ourselves in hatred you condescending ass. I will join this fight and take up arms if need be once i have graduated from my senior year high school and then college. The best way to defeat your enemy is to use one's head otherwise one can be dragged deep into a sea of ignorance and become lost from your true intentions thus leading you astray bringing a horrible result. Learn what you can from all around. Finding the truth is like a bunch of puzzle pieces separated in multiple boxes with some pieces from different versions of the puzzle. Without all the boxes you won't be able to see the true picture.

        I enjoyed reading this article it lets us know that there are people out there that can change and also that we all are just searching for peace. That is something I'm willing to serve my country for, once i get through college of course.

  • Posted By: heckertr @ 02/18/2009 5:32:23 PM

    Not everything which is known should be published. I am glad to know that what this article describes is happening, but isn't it actually endangering the very people it praises? Al Qaeda kills indiscriminately - are you not also endangering this man's wife and children? Please be cautious - we must protect our friends as well as defeat our enemies.

  • Posted By: alphamale11 @ 02/18/2009 12:11:58 PM

    What a delightful concept, appealing to their self interest. If the various factions want the US out of Iraq clean up your acts. Quit trying to kill each other and the Americans and the US will leave, asap. This guy understands that now try to convince some of the others. They will figure out on their own that the ones that are instigating from Iran and Saudia Arabia are the ones creating grief in Iraq. What happens after the US leaves is up to the region to deal with in its own way.

  • Posted By: joe_mama @ 02/18/2009 11:13:34 AM

    I have to admit I'm a little amused - and more than a little disturbed - at the comments posted regarding this article.

    Make no mistake about it: this guy does not support America or her interests. He is not interested in a secular Iraq. He just wants revenge against the people who killed his family.

    Don't get me wrong, I'd rather be working with him than against him, but don't forget Osama Bin Laden started the EXACT SAME WAY. As soon as he had no more use for America, he turned his sights against us.

    We should expect the same from this guy and be prepared to face him as an adversary once again as soon as Al Qaeda is eliminated.

    Love,

    JM

  • Posted By: OhioGal @ 02/14/2009 9:27:20 PM

    Thank you Abu Ahmed. Your country needs young men like you.

    • Posted By: Mr Funk @ 02/15/2009 1:44:10 PM

      I'd like to second that. But I'd also like to ask him a question. I can understand how his pride was damaged with the American invasion of his country. But from day 1, our intent was also to leave, and do so as quickly as possible. Early on, the actions of the Americans were to return Iraq to its own people. But as Colin Powell said early on, we could not just bust this egg without also attempting to put it together. For us, putting it back together meant stabilizing Iraq and - without a strong military and police force in Iraq - that meant the job fell to Americans. So my question is, "Why did you - and now the current insurgency - not realize that the Americans have wanted to leave, but couldn't because of your actions?" "What is taking so long to realize that al Qaida is using Iraq?" I'll accept an answer that you could not trust the Bush administration, but that administration is gone now and was on its last days for a long time now.

      • Posted By: alex92ut @ 02/15/2009 2:10:02 PM

        If there had not been a Bush Adninistration this young man would still be living under Sadam's rule.

        • Posted By: Rigorous_storm @ 02/18/2009 3:36:04 AM

          True but al-queda wouldn't be there either. and as soon as we took out their government it was our responsibility to ensure the citizens saftey and we failed horribley in that respect.

      • Posted By: Rigorous_storm @ 02/18/2009 3:34:01 AM

        How much true information did they have though? we forget that the information they have had all their lives was controled by saddams government, it's not like here where the media can report things how they want. I'm sure it's not something normal there for a country to invade to give your people control of thier own lives.

      • Posted By: oi8122 @ 02/15/2009 4:30:31 PM

        It is easy to buy the lie, that 's what the left did during the war. When you hear Americans spreading the lies why wouldn't they believ them as well

        • Posted By: Rigorous_storm @ 02/18/2009 3:07:44 AM

          would you believe anything anyone said as they were driving tanks through your streets and dropping bombs on your cities. Just as in any war there were a lot of innocent people killed by both sides, Saying well we didn't mean to kill your kids is not going to take the pain and rage away.

    • Posted By: Rigorous_storm @ 02/18/2009 3:29:56 AM

      Not that I disagree with you but what if it were an american soldier helping al queda to stop the insurgency, he'd be a traitor deserving of the most brutal of punishments, I know it's not exactly the same. But I think you can see where I'm going with this.

    • Posted By: ruthy5599 @ 02/17/2009 8:15:27 PM

      don't be so fooled by these guys, geeeeeeeeeee!

  • Posted By: NahaniSilverWolf @ 02/15/2009 4:03:14 PM

    I applaud this young man. He has realized that war is a waste, and that it creates a wasteland. He has seen the suffering of the PEOPLE and responded. Al Qaeda does not care how much the people suffer, so long as its aims are furthered. From what this article states, Abu Ahmed has seen that Al Qaeda is wrong. He knows that, the sooner the people in Iraq are made safe from the radicals, that the American presence will diminish, and then go away. He looks forward toward what will be best for the people he tries to protect. Iraq needs this man.
    I read also that the Saudis had funded the insurgents in Iraq. Unlike some in these posts, I was not surprised in the least. Osama bin Laden is Saudi. Though the official stance in Saudi Arabia is that his family has disowned him and he is not considered a citizen, and though the SA leaders are oficially not seen to support Al Qaeda, many of Al Qaeda's biggest financial backers are from Saudi Arabia.

    • Posted By: ralphcp @ 02/15/2009 5:23:45 PM

      I support that view 100% percent! To win the hearts & minds of those insurgents in seeing the wasted lives & torn relationships with each other, Sunni or Shiite, that Al Quaida is causing. That is the ONLY hope of stabilizing that country,& Pakistan for that matter!

      • Posted By: ruthy5599 @ 02/17/2009 8:08:03 PM

        abu ahmed is to be trusted, oh well look at obama, AMERICA trust him to run our country even if it's to run it right into the ground! such fools!

        • Posted By: Rigorous_storm @ 02/18/2009 3:25:20 AM

          The same could be said and even more justifiabley by the previous administration. Obama did not put the country in the state it's in in the last month. Don't blindly follow your party off the cliff, it won't matter who is to blame if we were to collapse.

  • Posted By: Scuba19 @ 02/15/2009 6:10:51 PM

    Everyone is applauding this man for changing his ways. However, he did say that he is still very proud of what he has done in helping the insurgency and fighting American forces - thus he is still proud that he killed Americans. Also, this only shows what kind of people we are dealing with. These people have no honor, dignity, integrity, etc.. They will side with their "enemies" just to fight their "enemies' enemy". Just wait and see what happens once Al Qaeda is driven out of Iraq; he will be back to fighting and killing American soldiers who are there only to help enforce peace.

    • Posted By: itsalljustaride @ 02/15/2009 9:42:22 PM

      "Also, this only shows what kind of people we are dealing with. These people have no honor, dignity, integrity, etc.. They will side with their "enemies" just to fight their "enemies' enemy"."

      Uhh, Scuba19, if that's your stance, then the US military is just as dishonorable, undignified, and lacking in integrity as Ahmed. I mean, I'm not saying they are of course, but by your logic anyone who puts aside differences to fight a common enemy for a time is dishonorable and undignified, so the Americans who are putting aside their differences to work with Ahmed in fighting Al Quaeda are no different. It takes two to tango, so to speak.

      • Posted By: Rigorous_storm @ 02/18/2009 3:19:59 AM

        Yeah there was a time when we backed Saddam while they were fighting Iran. Honor, dignity, and integrity do little against gunfire.

    • Posted By: Rigorous_storm @ 02/18/2009 2:57:54 AM

      Would you not be proud of killing Chinese forces if they invaded your country, even if they said they were there to make your life better it would certainly be hard to see while the bombs are raining down and your children are crying in the corner. In many ways the insurgents are more justified in fighting us than we are in fighting them. We seem to forget that we invaded their country wether right or wrong I think any of us would do the same.

    • Posted By: Scuba19 @ 02/16/2009 7:56:23 PM

      Sorry, that didn't come out how I meant it to. What I meant was this shows what kind of people Al-Qaeda truly are. They will turn their backs on a devoted ally who is extremely important to their cause, and kill his family. They decapitated multiple close relatives of his just because he said he wouldn't go on a recruiting mission outside of Iraq.

      • Posted By: chemistryjessica @ 02/17/2009 11:11:56 PM

        Interesting comment. There are so many concessions to be made when you're an occupying force. You have to constantly re-examine whether your allies are still your allies, and whether or not the harm they cause you is greater than the assistance they provide. Once trust is established, it can be a strong force. Especially in a time when you don't know who to trust. He respects our military, and if he trusts that we both want the same thing maybe we've gone a long way to build some bridges between the cultural gaps. I don't think this man has 'changed his ways'. I think he's always wanted the same thing, he just sees things from a different perpective now. He sees AQ now more like the way we see AQ. I'm truly worried for his safety. One of these extremists he is trying to convert is going to have him killed. Of course I don't want that to happen, it's just really hard to imagine him making it out alive. I don't think we can, or even should, expect him to always be on our side. Our interests are aligned NOW, but who is to say that once this mission is accomplished that our next interest will be aligned? Maybe he believes he will have more influence over what happens in Iraq if he is working with us instead of against us? So many questions. One thing is certain, he loves his country and wants it to be a peaceful and again sovereign nation. I wish him well....until he doesn't wish me well! :)

  • Posted By: Captain Jack @ 02/18/2009 3:08:36 AM

    Abu Ahmed sounds like a real hero, but wait a second. lets go back about 28 years and change Iraq to Afganistan and Al Qaeda to the Rusian Army, all of the sudden Abu Ahmed sounds like Abu Osama. I am a US Soldier in Iraq on my second tour and i do give credit to the Abu Ahmeds and sheiks for turning the tide in our favor but we (US) need to be weary of what we are breeding with the Abu Ahmeds. He will soon be of no use to us here and then what, is this guy going to go back to being a regular habibi.

  • Posted By: radar73 @ 02/15/2009 4:20:49 AM

    We need some guys like this in Afghanistan--SFC IFT

    • Posted By: Rigorous_storm @ 02/18/2009 3:04:03 AM

      As I understand it there are plenty of guys like this in afghanastan as well.

  • Posted By: Captain Jack @ 02/18/2009 3:01:57 AM

    Abu Ahmed sounds like a real hero, but wait a second. Lets go back about 28-years and lets change Al Qaeda to Russian Soldiers and Abu Ahmed sounds like Abu Osama. I am a US Soldier in iraq right now and i appreciate the help of all the Abu Ahmeds out here they have turned the tide, but we need to be weary of what we are breeding here.

  • Posted By: azureblue @ 02/17/2009 9:49:57 PM

    I am trying very hard to understand why I have not heard of this young "Patriot" for Iraq before now. Must be that it did not serve the political agenda of the media at the time. Now I suppose it is to be counted as an achievement for the new administration even though it is the fruit of the work of the prior. Make no mistake, the current one does not have what it takes to create this alliance. If it did, they would have been talking about this man long ago and claiming him ally rather than victim.

    • Posted By: Rigorous_storm @ 02/18/2009 2:43:09 AM

      I think it's more a testiment to the guys on the ground in Iraq than those at home in their offices.

  • Posted By: vladh0007 @ 02/18/2009 12:19:14 AM

    excellent article! I hope the far left Democrats take note of the progress being made in Iraq. However, I hope by getting a good story you don't help identify this insurgent Abu Ahmed, who had his personal epiphany after his won were slaughtered. I would rather read this story when the dust has truly settled in Iraq as the road to paicification is still long and winding. thank you.
    VH

  • Posted By: Twister52 @ 02/17/2009 11:55:43 PM

    Hey Newsweek, you do realize that this article is actually something positive about America's success in winning the war in Iraq, don't you?....

    Having said that, I sure hope that this Iraqi that is now helping us doesn't get killed because you've exposed his work. False names don't mean jack. How many fairly senior Al Qaeda operatives have visited other operatives and tried to convince them to work for the Americans? You gave a lot of details about this guy. I hope you just didn't give him a death sentence...

  • Posted By: Against-Ignorance @ 02/15/2009 2:48:42 AM

    This is what Bush could never understand. True power, and true results, come from time, patience and conversion of ones' opponents.

    • Posted By: oi8122 @ 02/15/2009 4:26:48 PM

      I think bush knew this all along. It takes time to win the hearst and minds of the people. Sadamn had to go and even when things went bad Bush stood with the people of Iraq to secure their future, not like some that wanted to cut and run.

      • Posted By: thinkTwice @ 02/16/2009 2:38:34 PM

        bush knows and knew nothing. He was, is and will always be a retard

        • Posted By: Twister52 @ 02/17/2009 11:47:34 PM

          "think Twice" - Your sophomoric, blanket comments about Pres. Bush, have revealed you as a complete idiot. Mad? Go look in the mirror....

  • Posted By: arias1 @ 02/14/2009 8:54:26 PM

    Herein lies the threat, the Sheik says it himself "the enemy of my enemy is my friend ... FOR NOW". One wonders whether Abu Ahmed will go the way of Bin Ladin if Qaeda is abolished in Iraq.

    • Posted By: pmeagre @ 02/15/2009 2:00:01 PM

      had the same thought - that's what happens when you start this stuff up

      • Posted By: chemistryjessica @ 02/17/2009 11:34:04 PM

        Interesting comments. When you are the occupying force you put yourself in the position of always needing to re-examine your allies, and deciding whether they are causing you more harm than good. We can't expect this man to always be on our side. But if trust is built, who knows? He's a smart man if he believes that he can do more good for Iraq by working with us than against us. We need to keep our friends there if possible. I think we need to listen to him, too! He sounds like he has a lot of influence there, and maybe this could be the beginning of better relations. I don't care who gets the credit, I just want things to be better for the Iraqis and our Military. I mean, how selfish to care about credit in times like these. It's pretty unbelievable after such a terrible war to believe any glory is deserved to anyone. Shame on all those who killed innocent people, ourselves included.

  • Posted By: gdf140 @ 02/17/2009 10:01:41 PM

    excellent article. hopefully, we can rebuild the economy and infrastructure before these former insurgents start trading their skills for AQ cash. then we can get the hell out of there, eventually. however, if we leave prematurely - it would be nothing short of a blood bath, making lebanon's civil war look like a mere disagreement.

  • Posted By: azureblue @ 02/17/2009 9:57:05 PM

    To Abu Ahmed, even though we have never and will never meet, I count you as a friend. You understand what must be eliminated for people to live a peaceful and free life. You have had occasion to see that sometimes "talk" does not work and that harsh actions become the only result, even if it means taking another life. Sometimes death is the only justice that will serve.

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