Michael Ware

Journalist

LDT: The tribal treaty to fight al Qaeda


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Length: 1:58


LOU DOBBS: The Iraqi prime minister today met with tribal leaders from Al Anbar Province, trying to win their support in the war against Al Qaeda. The meeting reflects rising concern about the direction of the military campaign in Al Anbar Province. A recent Marine Corps intelligence report saying the United States has already lost the political battle to defeat the enemy there. Michael Ware, who has been recently with the U.S. Marines in Al Anbar now reports from Baghdad -- Michael.

MICHAEL WARE, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Lou, Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri Al Maliki has met with the leaders of 16 tribes vowing to fight against Al Qaeda domination of their western province. Whilst this is being hailed as a step forward, this has been seen before. And these 16 tribal figures only represent relatively powerless sub-tribes, which are already the subject of an intense assassination and car bomb campaign by Al Qaeda.

However, this is the model that the U.S. military is hoping will work to drive a wedge between Sunni insurgents and communities in this province and Al Qaeda. A senior coalition military intelligence official today said that this template has worked in other western towns. By empowering the local tribes, this official says, the U.S. has seen the towns reclaimed by the Iraqis and retaken from Al Qaeda.

And there has since been a campaign launched by these tribes of targeted assassinations against Al Qaeda leaders in their area. Nonetheless, with 30,000 troops in this province, the Marine general in command says he does not have enough men at his disposal to win against this Al Qaeda-lead insurgency at this point -- Lou.

DOBBS: Michael Ware reporting from Baghdad.