An open letter from the Association of Muslim Scholars in Iraq (AMSI) to the members of Sahwa (Awakening) Project.  

Bism-illah-al-rahman-al-rahim 

In the name of Allah, the Compassionate the Merciful, 

Praise be to God, 

Peace and blessings be upon Prophet Muhammad, His Family and Companions,

This is an explicit message to those who register in time to the projects of Sahwa which the occupation sought its founding, and build funding, after the Iraqi resistance narrowed, strangulated and destroyed the occupation forces.

We address in this letter to numbers not minority from the country, the enemy was able from falling to lure into the partnership, and achieve its objectives, and taking advantage of a reality again suffered their environments. The occupation drew most of its features, its own death squads, and the deliberate disruption of the lives of those before him, and involvement in the rest of milestones This fact, people who have lost the compass of Shar al Haneef (Pure Sharia) in their forward calendar in expelling the enemy, and taking the pillars of Jihad into account. 

The occupier have helped to these projects from the aspirants for collecting money, power and suddenly they saw the resistance as a barrier between them and access to these purposes, and other purposes. the occupier provided themselves, shining pictures, drawing playing roles as savior, and they are so, but their rescue were heading in the foundation of the invader enemy, to save them from the predicament in which they were, not Iraqis, who continued to suffer - despite these projects – from servility, barely living and poor case. 

Your illusions on these awakening projects were that these would provide get rid of injustice of oppressors and interventions of aspirants in your country, and would be new window to join at the Iraqi arena. They have embarked on the formation of patrols and armed batches of you, under the pretext of securing your residential areas, under the pretext of the fight against Al Qaeda, terrorism and criminal sectarian militias. 

They have paid to you such projects in such pretexts, and entertained you that the Americans occupiers did wanted behind this to move injustice away from you, intended to provide security to you. However they wanted to use you not able to function, of which main purpose is the elimination of Iraqi resistance that is making effort to liberate the country and worshippers. They made you a tool to prosecute the sons of the resistance, and stabbing its elements in the back, in addition to lifting the burden from the American occupation soldiers, who had a larger role – still they are- in the killing of your sons, the demolition of homes, destroying the infrastructure of the regions, stealing your charities, and colonizing you for a long not seen perspective. 

While your groups were working to impede the movement of resistance in these areas and, perhaps, you besieged in some parts, restricting them, one of the leaders of the U.S. occupation was smoking his cigarettes and saying to those who were accusing: “We have succeeded in privatizing the war against terrorists in Iraq.” Most recently he was saying: “Awakenings (Sahwa) have presented us what the American modern technology has not offer to us.” 

At a time when your groups seek for information on the Iraqi resistance, pursuing the sons of pure country, showing store of their arms to the occupation; the commander of the U.S. occupation in Diyala called Levi who was not stifling his joy said to you as: “In these pieces of intelligence information presented us, we know everything about the movements of terrorists.” 

At the time of one individual was receiving a salary from the occupation, sum of 300 $, and the leaders of awakening obtain high amounts not secret for the leaders of the U.S. occupation forces viewpoint in dealing with you. Because for them you are just required equipments and tools till the end and then to be neglected. American General (Phil) is supervising the process of forming these groups in Baghdad, was not shy of saying: “The influence of these groups is wonderful and huge. If the American army has awarded the volunteers in comprehensive purpose amount 17 million dollars so far, it would have been less than the price of Apache helicopter.” He says such, this has provided a great interest much higher than one is expected, and the process has saved the lives of many American occupation soldiers. 

The U.S. strategic expert Stephen Biddle was describing the American funding for awakening councils as: “the most successful deal in the history of warfare.”  

Thus, the completion of exploitation, and so was deception, and pass it to you.  
 
Let us talk about some of large services which awakening projects provided to the U.S. occupation in Iraq: 

First: the decline number of the military operations against occupying forces, under the pretext of the fight against Al Qaeda and terrorism was completed the tendency of the awakening councils to eliminate resistance in the difficult or hot areas on the occupation. For this reason, the formation of paramilitary forces becomes confronting the resistance factions, in order to create buffer zones separating the occupation forces on the resistance strikes, as well as the shrinking of the area easing the spread of the occupation forces as a result of limiting the number of resistance operations and a fall in the number of available targets. 

Here, you must know the truth, when the Americans and their agents mention about terrorism and terrorists in Iraq, they refer to all the resistance factions, not talking about a specific name. It is no secret to anyone that this pretext serves their objectives in eliminating the resistance of an occupied people. To not to do so this pushes them embarrassment in front of the world. The recognition of the existence of resistance implies the recognition of its legitimacy, because the charters of the United Nations granted the right of occupied people to resist against occupation. 

But when this is promoted in the media as they are fighting against terrorist organizations not to the occupied people; then they are supported by states in their unjust war, or are tolerated for their crimes at the very least, considering that terrorism is internationally unacceptable. 

The enemy occupier could use this pretext to achieve the results of what he had dreamt to implement. Observers have noted that the awakening where they exist, ruled on the resistance activities of almost non-discrimination between the organization and the organization, or faction and another. Even one of the Sahwe leaders acknowledged in a report prepared by awakening to assess this phenomenon as: “The awakening caused fully or half of the suspension of Jihad projects in some areas where it was operating especially in Anbar province.” If you knew, that the leaders of the occupation forces had stated more than once that 50 % of the operations targeting them were directed from Anbar province. It seems that you commit great crimes against the Iraqi resistance, the future of the Iraqi people and the future of the Muslim nation (ummah). 

Second: your exploitation as a pressure and maneuvering card is at the hands of occupation administration, using to force the current government to provide more concessions and political subordination to this administration, through threating to merge these forces into the Interior Ministry of Defense. This is what this sectarian government having power and excluding others does not want to do. 

Your exploitation again in forcing political forces was calculated on Sunni Population to provide more concessions and subordination. It is done by waving you because you are ready to fill the political vacuum in case of their (government) refusal to comply with the U.S. administration and its dictations. 

In both cases the matter was just an exploitation and deception in exchange for nothing. 

Third: the occupiers enable you to broach the task of securing their forces this year. They entrusted you the responsibility of maintaining their security to be able to secure this way, these withdrawals from the hot spots, and to remain you at the site of the confrontation with the sons of your skins. 

Fourth: To devote the division of Iraq in political terms in adoption of sectarian and ethnic quotas that would not be possible unless there had the constitution which ignores the will of the Iraqi people at the presence of the Kurdish Peshmarga forces, Shiite militias, which mostly attended to the police forces and the government guard. It was no doubt to emerge strong armed Sunni forces in equivalent to fill these forces in order to complete the game, to achieve sick dreams of separation and division. You were the tools that were used in order to achieve these failing dreams with help of Allah Almighty. 

Fifth: to lure some factions of resistance to the game, enabling the occupier to obtain a wealth of information about various resistance factions. The occupier often helped to target many of them and undermined their performance. 

Sixth: the alleviation of the American predicament, and gaining support for American public opinion, thus supporting the Congress and Senate for the Bush Administration. Therefore we see that Bush had visited the province of Anbar ahead of the discussion and adoption of the budget of U.S. forces in Iraq and Afghanistan, and he has achieved what he wanted. 

Seventh: to give significant momentum to the occupation in imposing its policies and making propaganda for alleged successes to the world.  

This is some of what al Sahwa (Awakening) Organizations provided to the occupier at the expense of cheaply gripped services, an exorbitant price paid for its reputation, dignity, and its blood as well.  

The day after each of the foregoing, the occupation forces announced that they benefited from awakening forces in their aims, no longer it needs to these organizations, like tissues and paper. Now after relieves itself through them the occupation wants to upload trash. 

The occupation forces announced a few days ago from near to hand over its files to the sectarian government that wait on the warmest of embers to receive these files, to settle accounts with them, to make impact from them after determination. This government with its political components will not allow anybody to participate in the security power, whoever he is. 

The one is true who said such: "TheAmericans exhausted the security tool at their purposes, and realized the proportional security would be at the expense of larger security purposes in this country. It will soon be the remains of these councils in the cemetery including the remains of many of the political groups and leaders pledged to the drawn direction of occupier, and lost to reach real homeland. 

Dear Participants in Awakening Projects! 

We have warned you of these projects earlier in its inception, and warned of its dangers. They were just a play from a game of the occupation. It would not be standing, but many of you joined in it. You did not accept our advices in this regard. 

We are now regretful to tell you again: the awakening projects to which you are participated in, regardless of your efforts to justify, is merely a trap set by the occupier cunningly in your path. The biggest deception and fool is what you have felt from the first glance, you are like someone who is slaughtering itself with his rifle, killing his own children and destroying its home with shovels.  

These are this world’s accounts... 

However, there are other accounts. You are like someone who sells his hereafter by the world of others, there is no obtain in the hereafter like obtained in this world from collaborators of the occupation and its supporters. Although the gain is worthless it continues through this bad connection. To obtain something from the afterlife is better and better. 

Nevertheless, there is a chance in front of you. It is sudden abandonment of the occupier from you, the acquittal of you in the most critical circumstances. The coup of current Iraqi Government is over you to prosecute you. Deem it not a bad thing for you; nay, it is good for you. Because, in any case, it is a golden opportunity for you to review yourselves, to grasp your mistakes before it is too late. Allah Almighty have known better of remaining of you, or your good intentions, gives this opportunity, does not give you time like the others in their sins, increasing their sins. Perhaps something from what Allah Almighty says: “And indeed We will make them taste of the Penalty of this (life) prior to the supreme Penalty, in order that they may (repent and) return." (Sajda Surah: Verse-21)

O you sons of Sahwa. Is it an awakening before it is too late?  

Today before you there is a paved way to atone for your mistakes, and to reform what is between you and Allah Almighty, and to compensate people for jihad and what have been the chances of undermining the enemy occupier, and to restore confidence for yourselves like pure sons of the homeland who do not accept without freedom of their country. 

We are sure that Allah (swt) be forgiven for truly repentant of you the fervent sons of homeland will accept your steps, and will be joyful for your repentance, and will be the best to embrace you certain to overcome this ordeal.  

To be freed from humiliation and shame and beware not to be lost the opportunity of a chance to take into consideration what is happening, the chance of rehabilitation.  

We have just notified…O our God, be witness. 

General Secretariat  

The Association of Muslim Scholars in Iraq (AMSI) 

17 Ramadan 1429 / Hegira 

17 September 2008 / Miladi