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Q&A: Anbari tribal leaders

The fall of Ramadi was long in the making, and is only the latest symptom of long-standing dysfunction in the Iraqi government's strategy for Anbar province.
Members of Kataeb Hezballah, standing in front of their militia flag, distribute food for other fighters and displaced people in the desert near Ramadi city east of Anbar province on May 28, 2015 in Anbar, Iraq (AHMAD MOUSA/The Washington Post via Getty Images)

BAGHDAD - Months before the so-called Islamic State (IS) organization chased pro-government forces out of Ramadi, Anbari tribal fighters throughout the province were raising alarms.

On a practical level, the problem was that pro-government forces were not numerous or strong enough to defend the areas they still held while also wresting territory back from IS militants.

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