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Iraq and U.S. Find Some Potential Sunni Allies Have Already Been Lost

(New York Times) Ben Hubbard - In the Islamic State's rapid consolidation of the Sunni parts of Iraq and Syria, the jihadists have used their abundant cash and arms to entice tribal leaders to join their caliphate. The jihadists have also eliminated potential foes, hunting down soldiers, police officers, and anyone who once cooperated with the U.S. as it battled al-Qaeda in Iraq. Now, as the U.S. and the Iraqi government urgently seek to enlist the Sunni tribes to fight the Islamic State, distrust of the Baghdad government's intentions and its ability to protect the tribes has won out. "ISIS has infiltrated these communities and depleted their ability to go against it," said Ahmed Ali, an Iraq analyst at the Institute for the Study of War.
2014-11-17 00:00:00
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