The Anbar Tribes vs. al-Qaeda The Anbar Tribes vs. al-Qaeda

The Fourth Rail: The Anbar Tribes vs. al-Qaeda, Continued points out that Anbar Province has become increasingly inhospitable for foreign born terrorists, esp. al Qaeda, in the last year:

Lost in the current debate over Iraq - civil war or sectarian violence, success or failure, increasing troops or strategic redeployment, victory or defeat - is the sea-change occurring in western Iraq. The U.S. military has coaxed a large majority of the Sunnis of Anbar province, perhaps one of the most sympathetic groups to al-Qaeda in the Middle East, to turn on al-Qaeda. The choice wasn't difficult after the tribes saw what al-Qaeda had to offer – death, torture, Taliban like sharia, humiliation, destruction of commerce. The relationship and intelligence gained form operating in western Iraq will benefit the west during the Long War – if the U.S. doesn't withdrawal precipitously and leave the Anbar tribes to the predations of al-Qaeda in Iraq.