Sunni Insurgents Switching Channels. Will it Work?

MSNBC.COM/Sunni fighters find benefits in alliance with U.S.

President Bush will, no doubt, cite this as a victory in 'the war on terror'. Thousands of Sunni insurgents resolve to work with American forces in Iraq to help police and contain some of the socially and environmentally dilapidated areas in Iraq. In fact, it almost sounds like some kind of plan the President set in motion is working.

Scores of analysts from all sides of the spectrum have called for the Iraqi people to take up the policing effort so that our troops can focus on rebuilding necessary structures and helping the misplaced find safety; food, water, shelter and emergency medical care. Now, they have the tentative support and manpower of rogue insurgents who deliver the promise to do what needs to be done to let the American's go home.

"We have no people in government now, so we are trying to do as much as we can to tell people to join the army and police," Abu Lwat said. "That way, they can control the area and government, and American forces can go back to their country."

So what happens over time when American's still aren't leaving and they've grown weary of putting up with us? They're willing to work with ground troops in Iraq to end the involvement of US military forces in their homes but patience is a virtue that all too often runs short too soon to see the fruits of labor. Col. Steve Townsend, commander of a military base in Baqubah, met with armed Sunni insurgents and had this to say regarding his message; "The whole purpose of the meeting was, if you follow these rules, we won't kill you".

We've been hearing for months that U.S. officials have made "Iraqi people taking responsibility for policing themselves" a high priority. Several people, most of them sitting on Capital Hill, have cited this as one of the major factors in bringing about a successful end to U.S. occupation. Still, it's not difficult to understand why American troops would be apprehensive of accepting help from residents whom have been on the wrong side of their weapons for a few years now.

"I assume they . . . have killed some of us," Townsend said. "We have killed a lot of them. If they are willing to move forward with us, I'm willing to keep an open mind."

Something else to be kept in mind, which hasn't escaped the attention of the men and women serving in Iraq, is the ulterior motives of the defected insurgents involved.

"I think they want control of the area," said Beck, of San Bernardino, Calif., whose platoon has spent the past year combating insurgents and Shiite militias in and around Baghdad. "How will the Iraqi army deal with them once we leave? Will they be able to control them like we are?" he asked. "They are good for a quick fix, but in the end, it could backfire."

Which raises the prominent question at hand; can a country with multiple religious affiliations that provide the social and political structures of the country, find peace as long as the government is staunch in only one religious association? After all, the Sunni insurgents that have defected to aiding the occupation they once fought are hoping to gain political influence through service. With a prominently Shiite government, the Sunni allegiances fear being left out or erased by its current political leaders.

It is important to note that the elected administration does not condone the use of insurgent forces to police and control. 'The Shiite-led government of Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki is "worried that the Sunni tribes may be using mechanisms to build their strength and power eventually to challenge this government. This is a risk for all of us," Welch said.'

This offers up an interesting perception of the situation. It seems as though the differing factions may be coming together with the allied forces present in Iraq with one motive in mind; they want foreigners to go home and get out of their back yards. But, will the spark of unity last until the foreign militaries can take leave and if it can last that long, will the unification last once the Iraqi people are left to their own devices or will the Civil War immediately pick up where it left off; pitting religious and political organizations against one another?

(All print featured in bold/italic comes from the article written by Ann Scott Tyson /Washington Post; posted on the MSNBC website available at the link featured at the beginning of this writing. The rights to these citings belong to MSNBC/Washington Post, the Author and their affiliates.)