From the NY Times:
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In an About-Face, Sunnis Want U.S. to Remain in Iraq
BAGHDAD, Iraq, July 16 — As sectarian violence soars, many Sunni Arab political and religious leaders once staunchly opposed to the American presence here are now saying they need American troops to protect them from the rampages of Shiite militias and Shiite-run government forces.
The pleas from the Sunni Arab leaders have been growing in intensity since an eruption of sectarian bloodletting in February, but they have reached a new pitch in recent days as Shiite militiamen have brazenly shot dead groups of Sunni civilians in broad daylight in Baghdad and other mixed areas of central Iraq. more
While its a little surprising it does make a certain amount of sense. Shiite death squads aside, if America were to withdraw today Iraq would quickly turn into an extension of Iran. Additionally the Sunnis oppressed the Shiites for years and in a region where no slight goes unanswered the Sunnis have finally realized that if America leaves the retribution will make Saddam's massacre of the Kurds look tame.
I'm curious as to whether or not this will slow the withdrawal of U.S. troops in the short term. Why? Because its an election year. And I'm just cynical enough to imagine troops being withdrawn until the end of November only to be replaced in December.
All cynicism aside the recent flare up of hostilities between Hezbollah and Israel backs up an argument I've made before, that we cannot withdraw until Iraq has a stable government and a strong enough military to defend itself from Iran. Iran cannot under any circumstances be allowed to have any definitive sway over the Iraqi government. If the Sunni's have come to realize that and maybe, just maybe, America's left can too.
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