Surge allies killed in Baghdad

This is again in Baghdad, where the surge is strongest and al-Qaeda is supposed to be "on the run". You won't see this news story on right-wing blogs.

Minivan bomber kills Sunni tribal leaders

BAGHDAD Five Sunni tribal leaders opposed to al-Qaeda were killed when a suicide bomber drove a minivan packed with about half a tonne of explosives into a house outside Baghdad yesterday. Another 12 people were wounded, and police said the death toll could rise.

The men were meeting near Taji, about 20 kilometres (12miles) north of the Iraqi capital, to discuss joining US and Iraqi forces in fighting al-Qaeda in their mainly Sunni Arab area. The US military wants to recruit Sunnis tired of indiscriminate al-Qaeda violence into provincial police units. (Reuters)