Recent reports indicate that militants associated with al-Qaeda -affiliated terrorist mastermind in Iraq Abu Musab al Zarqawi (Group Profile and see photo) have re-asserted control over the city of Qaim. The clashes between Zarqawi?s militants and local Sunnis there who are bristling against the imposition of austere Islamist law by Zarqawi?s followers seemingly indicate heartening dynamics by some Sunni communities to reject forcibly the foreign jihadist elements of the insurgency. These dynamics would seem to represent early, localized indicators of a Sunni rejection and possible abandonment of the agenda of the foreign jihadist fighters and a possible greater inclination of the Sunnis to collaborate with the Iraqi government and US forces. Further, accounts of some of the clashes may also demonstrate a greater Sunni-Shia solidarity in that region than conventionally thought.

The apparent Sunni-foreign jihadist animosity presents advantageous opportunities that counter -terrorism and -insurgency forces in Iraq may seek to exploit. Forces may cleave Sunni support from the insurgency by emphasizing both the oppressive jihadist agenda evidenced in Qaim and the prospects of prosperity and security via Sunni participation in Iraq?s political process.