Insurgents increasingly split over killing Iraqis

More nationalist-minded insurgents increasingly joining tribal leaders in opposing Al-Qaeda’s more aggressive tactics.

Paul Schemm at Middle East Online reports that Iraqi insurgents are increasingly at odds with Al Qaeda insurgents. He notes,

"The legitimacy of targeting locally recruited police and other civilians has deeply divided Iraq's insurgent groups with more nationalist-minded insurgents increasingly joining tribal leaders in opposing the more aggressive tactics of the foreign-led Islamic militants of Al-Qaeda."

Insurgents in Iraq need, at least, passive support of the populace in order to continue their terror. Over the course of the last three years, ordinary Iraqis are seeing what freedoms democracy brings them and likewise the lack of freedom Al Qaeda with it Salafis tendencies has in store for them. Al Qaeda insurgents attacking "home grown Iraqis" are having a tough time selling their strategy when they target Iraqis attempting to secure their own country.

As noted earlier, the Iraqi Army is now executing security missions on par with US-led Coalition forces in an attempt to secure their country for democracy's freedoms. US-led Coalition forces are becoming less and less visible, the Iraqi Government is becoming more and more in control of its own destiny and using the Iraqi Army to provide security.

It is a hard sell for Al Qaeda in Iraq to preach they are only in Iraq to fight and expel the "Evil Occupier" when they are now the "Evil Occupier" killing ordinary Iraqis trying to secure their country for a brighter future.

I have often talked about Iraq being a beacon of light in the Middle East. I firmly believe most Muslims, like most Americans, just want the freedom to have a job, earn a decent living, raise a family in a secure environment, and occassionaly have some extra money to enjoy life's freedoms. Democracy in Iraq is offering exactly this to ordinary Iraqis. Al Qaeda in Iraq is offering a Taliban-like government where most freedoms are oppressed. Iraqis have been under similar oppressive rule for the last 30 years under Saddam.

While they may have momentarily been misguided by Al Qaeda in Iraq regarding who is the "Evil Occupier", they are seeing ground truth for themselves. In three short years, Iraqis, who have been oppressed and lied to for 30 odd years, are now understanding the benefits of democracy. They are also understanding that Al Qaeda in Iraq is only Saddam in different clothes.

As the Iraqi democracy strengthens and begin to export its freedoms, all of the Middle East will see the beacon of light coming from Iraq and will know what a freedoms a democracy can give vice the oppression that Al Qaeda offers.

Not only is Al Qaeda not close to accomplishing it first stated objective, namely ridding the Middle East of Western influence, it is the fundamental western principle of democracy being born in Iraq, that will be Al Qaeda in Iraq's downfall. Additionally, Iraqis do not want to replace the 30 years of political oppression with the religious oppression that the global Al Qaeda network offers.

Iraq, the beacon of light in the Middle East, is starting Al Qaeda's downfall now in Iraq and shortly over the rest of the Middle East. That is why Al Qaeda in Iraq cannot stop killing ordinary Iraqis. It is ordinary Iraqis, who see democracy's freedoms firsthand, they are at war with. The US-led Coalition is just providing the conditions, the freedoms, for all people to see.