Turning the tide in Iraq...

A great profile of some of Al Qaeda's latest enemies, Sheikh Abu Risha and the Anbar Salvation Council. From the AsiaTimes: The man who might save Iraq.

Abu Risha set up the council after his father and two brothers were killed by al-Qaeda's extreme methods last autumn.

In an exclusive telephone interview with Asia Times Online, he stated, unambiguously, that al-Qaeda "has abused our traditions and generosity" and, he alleged, they even "take drugs" - a mortal sin in conservative Islam.

Sheikh Ali Hattan al-Suleiman, also from the council, was even more direct: "I'd like to see an al-Qaeda bomber e-mail me or telephone me and talk about his education. They just came here with money. They gave money to the unemployed. They are not Iraqis - only Arabs. They are bastards. And the people who follow them are also bastards."

Abu Risha totally dismissed rumors that the Anbar council is forcing families in the region to give their sons to the cause, or is engaged in summary execution of captured jihadis. "We only accept volunteers. And we work by ourselves, like a team, by shifts. When we arrest people from al-Qaeda or Iraqis working for al-Qaeda, we take them to the Iraqi Army or the Ministry of Interior."

It's fair to assume, though, that once these jihadis end up in the hands of the ministry's death squads, torture and death are inevitable. Resistance to capture also means jihadis are killed on the spot. (That's why they call it war, Pepe.)

And when the going gets really rough, "sometimes we call for American air strikes".

And we are more than happy to oblige. Read more about Abu Risha and his Anbar Salvation Council here. His home has been the target of two homicide bombers and mortar fire. He was also thought to be the man involved in the reported actions against two AQI biggies, al Masri and al Baghdadi. (their deaths remain unconfirmed.)