Al Qaeda in Iraq Changes Approach, Wants Group To Soften Treatment of Sunnis

I think you are about one year too late on this change in strategy, al Qaeda in Iraq! These buffoons, al Qaeda in Iraq, are now telling their "troops" to stop indiscriminate killing of Sunni civilians in Iraq and to lighten up on such things as beating women to death that don't cover themselves. Here's a quote from a communique that was posted in mosques in Anbar province from al Qaeda in Iraq leadership:

"Dedicate yourself to fighting the true enemy only, in order to avoid opening up new fronts against the Sunni Arabs," said the Jan. 13 communique, signed by the leader of al-Qaeda in Iraq, Abu Hamza al-Muhajer. "Do not close the door of repentance in the face of those Sunnis who turned against us," said the message, posted in Anbar mosques frequented by the group's followers.

A couple of things to notice here: first, there is NO mention of a lighter, softer approach to Shiites in Iraq and second, this communication has only been posted in Anbar. Hell, al Qaeda was driven out of Anbar six months ago and quite frankly, I'm surprised there was anyone left in Anbar to even put up the damn poster! Typical lies from al Qaeda - promise a leniency in an area they need back, no leniency in Diyala where they continue to have strength. I do believe the Iraqi tribes and populace knows too well what al Qaeda in Iraq is all about and it is too late for any patching of things up. Far too late.

Here's the full story.

Shift in Tactics Aims to Revive Struggling Insurgency
Al-Qaeda in Iraq Hopes A Softer Approach Will Win Back Anbar Sunnis

BAGHDAD -- The Sunni insurgent group al-Qaeda in Iraq is telling its followers to soften their tactics in order to regain popular support in the western province of Anbar, where Sunni tribes have turned against the organization and begun working with U.S. forces, according to group leaders and American intelligence officials.

The new approach was outlined last month in an internal communique that orders members to avoid killing Sunni civilians who have not sympathized with the U.S.-backed tribesmen or the government.
From internal documents and interviews with members of al-Qaeda in Iraq, a picture emerges of an organization in disarray but increasingly aware that its harsh policies -- such as punishing women who don't cover their heads -- have eroded its popular support. Over the past year, the group has been driven out of many of its strongholds. The group's leadership is now jettisoning some of its past tactics to refocus attacks on American troops, Sunnis cooperating closely with U.S. forces, and Iraq's infrastructure.

The communique does not order an end to attacks against Shiite Muslims, whom al-Qaeda in Iraq has long seen as heretics, and it was unclear whether the views of group members in Anbar would apply in parts of the country where al-Qaeda in Iraq fighters are more active. Iraqi officials have blamed the group for two bombings Feb. 1 in predominantly Shiite areas of Baghdad that officials said killed as many as 100 people.
American intelligence officials said the communique is consistent with the past leadership style of Muhajer, an Egyptian also known as Abu Ayyub al-Masri, who took command of the group after his predecessor, Abu Musab al-Zarqawi, was killed in a U.S. airstrike in June 2006.
"Zarqawi did a lot of just indiscriminate killing -- it didn't matter when, where, why or how," said one senior intelligence analyst who, like others interviewed for this article, spoke on condition of anonymity under military ground rules. "Masri is more picking his targets and trying to get away from the massive indiscriminate killings, because it created a big black eye for al-Qaeda in Iraq."