Iraqi Streets شوارع عراقية

By Ahmad Jumaa

Azzaman, June 22, 2009

Iraqis view the U.S. army pullout from city centers with mixed feelings. Some see it as a good move others as a harbinger of the worst to come.

Generally, Iraqis are unhappy with U.S. occupation troops and had it not been for the blunders of anti-U.S. rebels, particularly al-Qaeda group, Washington would have had very few friends in Iraq.

The Sunnis turned against al-Qaeda which they initially supported when it became evident its terrorizing techniques brought them more harm than benefit.

Powerful Sunni tribes enlisted their men in militia groups armed and supported by the U.S.

The tribal militias became a force to reckon with and in almost one year they managed to flush al-Qaeda from their areas and substantially curtail its terror attacks.

But would this marriage of convenience continue with the U.S. pulling out its troops from major cities?

Iraqi analysts say the lull in al-Qaeda attacks (it mounted a massive car bombing last week killing more than 70 Iraqis and wounding hundreds) could be a breather and the group would spring to action in the absence of U.S. fire power.

Still lightly armed and equipped, Iraqi security forces may not be well prepared to counter the highly organized al-Qaeda which analysts say it still musters large grassroots support among the Sunnis.

In central Iraq and in areas euphemistically called the “death triangle”, analysts say there has been a revival of attacks and reorganization by the group.

In Baghdad, for instance, the rebels now use highly advanced gun-silencers which in one day last week claimed the lives of at least six police officers.

The group has also made a comeback, albeit on a small scale, in the once restive cities of Falluja and Anbar.

The group’s presence and activities have gone on unabated in the Provinces of Diyala, of which Baaquba is the capital and Nineveh, of which Mosul is the capital.

The analysts say large swathes of both provinces still are in rebel hands.