Former enemies risk their lives to help us against al Qaeda

AP/Houston Chronicle:

Wearing a bandanna that hides his face, Omam Abed leads U.S. soldiers on raids in the west Baghdad streets where he grew up — kicking down doors and interrogating neighbors in search of fighters for al-Qaida in Iraq.

The 20-year-old is part of a ragtag collection of former Sunni insurgents — some even from the al-Qaida ranks — who have thrown their support behind U.S.-led security forces under pacts of mutual convenience.

The Sunni militiamen have grown leery of al-Qaida in Iraq and its ambitions, including self-proclaimed aims of establishing an Islamic state. The Pentagon, in turn, has latched onto its most successful strategy in months: partnering with former extremists who have the local know-how to help root out al-Qaida in Iraq.

But for Abed and others, this new war also brings grave dangers.

In Abed's Amariyah neighborhood — an affluent district that was home to privileged insiders under Saddam Hussein — the U.S.-allied band of about 150 former Sunni militants is now the No. 1 target for al-Qaida hit men.

Last month, two of Abed's best friends, both 18-year-old members who also decided to aid U.S. forces, were dragged out of their high school during final exams and beheaded. Their bodies were flung up into a tree with the severed heads displayed on the sidewalk below, according to Abed and U.S. military officers stationed in the area.

There was no claim of responsibility, but the scene didn't need one. All knew it was a ghastly warning to residents who choose to challenge al-Qaida in Iraq, which takes inspiration from Osama bin Laden but whose direct links to his terror network is unclear.

"They weren't wearing masks on missions, so al-Qaida recognized who they were. They were my friends — we were always the three of us, like brothers," Abed said in an interview this week, choking back tears.

He would not give his real name out of fear for his safety, and would not comment on his past insurgent activity. His codename — Omam Abed — means "courageous slave" in Arabic.

Since the beheadings, Abed wears a mask or scarf to conceal his identity when he accompanies U.S. and Iraqi soldiers on raids. These are the same palm-shaded streets with wide green lawns where he played as a boy. His father was a prominent businessman who owned a textile factory here before fleeing to Syria in 2003. Almost everyone knows Abed and his family.

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There is much more. This is the new face of battle in Iraq and it is why we are having so much success against al Qaeda and it is why al Qaeda is being so brutal against its former allies. It has found itself in a desperate fight for survival which it is losing. Right now its best hope for that survival lies with the Democrats in Congress. They probably think that is an unfair statement, but it is just brutally honest. It is a reality that voters should remember in 2008. The Democrats' Spring Retreat offensive is blowing up in their faces and we should make sure the voters remember.