The continued presence of al-Qaeda in areas next to the Saidat clan remains a constant worry.
Of 22 members of his clan that were Saddam-era army officers, Chilab said only two have volunteered to join the Awakening Brigade.
"They fear being killed,'' he said, running his right hand across his throat to suggest that al-Qaeda militants would slaughter them.
The Saidat's alliance with the Americans also strained relations with clans that inhabit al-Qaeda controlled lands nearby. Chilab travels with four armed guards and has received several telephone threats.
One of the guests on Friday, who identified himself only as Bilal, suddenly broke into English to warn the reporter that Chilab could not talk as openly as he would like about the Awakening Brigade.
"Sir, "he said, "the sheik cannot trust everyone in this room."
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