RAMADI, Iraq - Ramadi welcomed the arrival of 89 new Iraqi police officers, the second group of trained officers to return to the city’s neighborhoods. The men, known as the Sons of Al Anbar, were transported by bus to Camp Ramadi after graduating from the eight-week, Iraqi police academy at the Jordan International Training Center Satuday April 8, 2006.

“Nothing could be further from the truth,” said Maj. Gen. Rick Lynch, Mult-National Force - Iraq spokesman, April 10. “AMZ and al-Qaida in Iraq have openly declared war on the democratic process in Iraq and are responsible for the overwhelming majority of suicide attacks against the people of Iraq – a tactic developed and honed by him,” said Lynch.

There were 140 suicide attacks in Iraq In 2004, 133 of them as vehicle-borne attacks. In 2005, there were a total of 478 suicide attacks, 411 of which were car bombs. These attacks are almost exclusively perpetrated by al-Qaida operatives.

Viewed in a timeline graph, these numbers spike upward at each critical stage of Iraq 's development – a clear indication of the strategic targeting tactics of the terrorist network.

“As we have always stated, while AMZ and al-Qaida in Iraq do represent a relatively small portion of the overall insurgency, their impact has been ruthlessly devastating,” said Lynch, “The terrorists and foreign fighters that he recruits, trains and equips carry out more than 90-percent of the insidious suicide attacks against the men, women and children of Iraq – attacks that have killed or injured thousands of Iraqis in the last year alone.

Lynch cited a letter from Ayman al-Zawahiri, an Osama bin Laden deputy, to Zarqawi. “The goals of al-Qaida were outlined clearly: Through the use of Iraq for their own purposes, al-Qaida wants to become the dominant influencing power throughout the region,” said Lynch.

Sons of Al Anbar return to Ramadi

More Iraqis are joining the fight against terrorism by volunteering for the security forces.

Eighty-nine new Iraqi police officers returned to Ramadi April 9. The men, known as the Sons of Al Anbar, are the second group of trained officers to return to the city's neighborhoods. They arrived in Ramadi by bus after graduating from the eight-week Iraqi police academy at the Jordan International Training Center April 8.

“The men of Ramadi need to take care of their city,” said a new officer stepping off the bus. “If we don't stand up against the insurgents, who will?” He added that his family encouraged him to become a police officer.

The Al Anbar Provincial Police Chief, Gen. Sha'aban Muhammed Samier, welcomed the newly-commissioned officers. He stressed the importance of establishing a strong Iraqi police presence in Ramadi, saying the Iraqi police must succeed to ensure the safety of Ramadi's citizens.

These officers' class left for the JITC training course in early February. In the coming days, the graduates will receive uniforms, boots, body armor and weapons, as well as additional training on patrolling the Ramadi's neighborhoods.

While Iraqis take on the challenge of defending themselves, world leaders urge Iraqi politicians to form a national unity government that respects the human rights of its citizens.

Coalition leaders stress that political unity will help defeat terrorism. The Iraqis have already made strides toward that goal, electing and seating of a council of representatives and ratifying a constitution, but until the government is formed, there will be a vacuum.

“Our assessment, our professional judgment that (Zarqawi) is trying to fill this vacuum by inflaming sectarian violence is based on human reports and signal intelligence and our own assessment of the situation,” said Lynch. “This is not pure conjecture on our part.”

The U.S. government continues to offer up to a $25 million reward for information leading to the capture of Abu Musab Zarqawi.

(Compiled from official Defense Department sources)