Iraq: Locals Turn In Az-Zarqawi Fighters

Finally, some positive news from the trouble Al-Anbar province in Iraq. American warplanes struck a facility believed to be occupied by as many as 50 members of Abu Mus'ib Az-Zarqawi's Al-Qa'idah in Iraq organization.

The good news, in addition to killing up to 50 of Az-Zarqawi's thugs, is how the information was derived. Local residents alerted American forces to the presence of the mostly foreign fighters in the building in Husaybah. Husaybah is a dusty smuggling town directly on the Syrian border, and as such is a favorite infiltration route for weapons and fighters into Iraq from Syria.

This is the only way the insurgency can be defeated - with the support of the local population in the Sunni-dominated area, often called the "Sunni triangle." Thus far, most of the Sunni population has chosen to remain silent, not providing needed information to the American and/or Iraqi forces. Once the Sunnis decide to support the new government and provide information on the insurgents in their midst, the insurgency will be defeated.