$30 million a month to tribal leaders.

"This is not a pro-war book, or even, ultimately, a pro-surge book. It's inspiring along the way, but in the end deeply discouraging. It's clear that the single biggest innovation the surge introduced was not American soldiers respecting, and living alongside, Iraqi civilians and military troops, although that was important. It was the decision to ally with and arm Iraqi tribal leaders and even militias, Sunni and Shia alike. That strategy aided the "Anbar Awakening," in which Sunni sheiks rebeled against the abuses of al-Qaida in Iraq, but was also used in and around Baghdad, with Americans handing out guns and money to Sunni and Shia tribal leaders. For a time Ricks says the Americans were paying a staggering $30 million a month to these local leaders, some of whom were former insurgents who had killed American soldiers -- and some of whom could well kill again, either American soldiers if the U.S. stays, or rival Iraqis when we leave."

Arf