Sunni group attacks al-Qaeda base

I know, I say I'm blogging about Iran, and then the next thing I post is about Iraq. But the fact is, the future of Iraq is critical to the future of Iran. That's true from a political standpoint (Iran needs a stable neighbor in Kurdish Iraq if nowhere else) and an economic one. A successful and growing Iraq would be a great trading partner for Iran, which is one of the largest producer of consumer goods in the Middle East. A wealthy middle class in both countries would do a lot for the stability of the region. Nothing limits extremism as much as people who have something to lose. Unfortunately, we've pretty much ensured that that won't happen.

BBC NEWS | Middle East | Sunni group attacks al-Qaeda base

A Sunni faction has killed 18 al-Qaeda militants in an attack on a compound near the Iraqi city of Samarra, police have said.

Another 16 al-Qaeda members were said to have been captured in the attack.

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The faction is one of several Sunni former insurgent groups that have now turned against al-Qaeda.

On Friday, five Sunni Arab tribal leaders had been killed in a suicide attack in Diyala province, north-east of Baghdad.

Safe havens

The BBC's Jim Muir in Baghdad says the Islamic Army of Iraq is apparently planning to use those captured in an exchange of prisoners.

Samarra has been the scene of factional violence

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Analysts say that while the Islamic Army shares with the US military a common enemy in al-Qaeda, it does not support the coalition forces or their continued presence in Iraq.

No US or Iraqi security forces are thought to have been involved in the fighting.

Our correspondent says many of the Sunni tribes that used to provide safe havens for the militants are actively combating al-Qaeda.

The enemy of our enemy is not necessarily our friend. That's true of the Iraqi Sunni's and al-Qaeda, but also of course of the Iraqi Sunni's and ourselves. Now if we could just wrap our head around that concept in a more global context.