Mr Ahmed and his buddies work for about US$230 (Dh844) a month guarding one of several dozen checkpoints in his hometown. Fluorescent yellow sashes identify them as SOIs - 'Sons of Iraq' - the name given by the US military to the largely Sunni militia they created to help drive out al Qa'eda.
There are more than 90,000 SOIs -- a force of untrained, armed, minimally employed young men which the United States cannot disband and the Iraqi government is reluctant to embrace.
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Key U.S. Iraq strategy in danger of collapse
Iraqi Exodus
10 people killed in 24 hours throughout Iraq, official says
