The US military will likely change the commander of a new Iraqi brigade taking over security in Fallujah, bringing in another Saddam Hussein-era general named Mohammed Latif, a US military official said.
The current commander, Maj. Gen. Jassim Mohammed Saleh, who moved into Fallujah late last week at the head of the new brigade, will likely take a subordinate position to Maj. Gen. Latif, the official said, requesting anonymity.
The change came amid signs of confusion among American officials over the identities of the generals who are forming the "Fallujah Brigade," which has already taken control of the cordon on the southern half of the city as Marines pull back from the siege.
US officials have acknowledged that the generals and their soldiers were not vetted to see what their ties were with Saddam's regime.
Latif took part in meetings with Marines last week on the creation of the Fallujah Brigade, the top Marine commander, Lt. Gen. James Conway, said over the weekend.
Conway said he believed that Latif had been exiled by Saddam's regime for several years.
"He is very well thought of, very well respected by the Iraqi general officers. You can just see the body language between them. And if I had to guess at this point, when we have this brigade fully formed, he demonstrates a level of leadership that tells me that he could become that brigade commander," Conway said, according to The AP.
The US official, speaking Monday, said the decision to make Latif in charge emerged as it became clear that he was more influential. "Gen. Saleh as I understand it will be working at the battalion level, not the brigade level," he said. (Albawaba.com)
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