It doesn’t appear that the Iraqi Sunni’s are taking OBL’s latest tirade seriously: (h/t Weasel Zippers)
IRAQI Sunni tribal and political leaders singled out as “traitors” by Osama bin Laden have hit back, accusing the Al-Qaeda chief of being un-Islamic and mocking him as being weak.“Bin Laden’s statement doesn’t affect us – he is making these threats from a position of weakness,” said Sheikh Khalid Shahudh, a senior member of the Awakening Council in western Anbar province which came in for particular censure from the Western world’s most wanted man.
~~~Sheikh Shahudh said bin Laden’s threats carried no weight.
“Al-Qaeda has no more power in Anbar province,” he said.
“The Awakening is now operating all across Iraq and involving all sects. We will continue chasing Al-Qaeda. We have no enemies except Al-Qaeda. The Americans are not our enemy anymore. Our forces will deal exclusively with Al-Qaeda. We will hunt them until we get rid of the last element.”
The Awakening Council in central Salaheddin province, in a statement, accused bin Laden and his followers of being un-Islamic.
“What the loyalists of bin Laden do contradicts Islamic principles and its moral standards,” the council said.
Who would of thought on December 31st, 2006 that we would have seen this turnaround a year later? All due to our fighting men and women and the real Person of the Year, General David Petraeus.
In the Arab world, leaders lead literally as in out in front. A guy hiding in a bunker/safe house thousands of miles away from the action is not going to hold much sway with anybody, especially in an Arab country.
I believe that Sheik Abdul Sattar Buzaigh al-Rishawi, founder of the Anbar Salvation Council, was the Person of the Year. General Petraeus was brilliant, but Sheik Sattar gave his life. General Petraeus could not have accomplished so much if Sheik Sattar had led the people in standing up to Al-Qaeda.
The reason Iraqi Sunni leaders are no longer enmeshed with al Qaeda in Iraq is fairly apparent: Now that the United States military is equipping, training and paying the Sunni Militias, along with the Kurdish and Shia militias, the Sunnis do not have to turn to al Qaeda in Iraq for their funds and weapons.
Now the Sunni militias will be able to pursue their portion of the three-way Iraqi civil war with American-provided armament, training and money.
America has succeeded in being behind all three sides of this civil war, a truly unique position. In return for which Americans will have the privledge of being shot at by all three sides when they intervene in the civil war battles.