Special groups in Iraq are “like the mafia”

There are about fifteen to twenty key leaders of “special groups” within Iraq, Army Col. John Hort, commander of the 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division said during a live brief to the Pentagon from Iraq. It’s hard to tell how many followers they have, Hort said, about two to four thousand, but it’s hard to count. However, that number isn’t nearly what it was before March, according to Hort.

Those “special groups” are those that are unaligned with not only the government, but also with the political movement within the country. They just create their own group sort of like the mafia, Hort said. “They’re more interested in power,” sometimes with religious connotations, but it’s really more about power, he said.

The al-Queda threat still exists but with the help of the Sons of Iraq (directed by and reporting to the Iraqi Army), Hort said there has been significant improvement. Approximately a year ago, the attacks in Sadr City averaged about six to seven attacks a day, and now they are averaging about one a day. According to Hort, there has been “significant progress” in regards to security.

Hort said he approximates that 98% of the SOI are paid by the Iraqi Army.