Iraqi Sunnis Have a Critical Choice to Make

Exactly what do the forces led by Al Qaeda leader Abu Musab al-Zarqawi want? The answer to that question became clearer today with the release of a statement demanding Sunnis refuse to participate in the creation of an Iraqi constitution. Responding to Secretary of State Condoleeza Rice’s calls for Sunni participation, the statement said:

”The crusaders' hag (Rice) came to sully the land of the caliphate...and wants the participation of apostates and secularists claiming to be Sunnis.

Would anyone draft the constitution other than those who do not believe in God's book...

Our Sunni faith stipulates that the sword and bullets be the only dialogue between us and worshippers of the cross."

So, ostensibly, Zarqawi wants to reinstate Sunni dominance, except this time as a rigid, certain-to-be-bloody theocracy. Any Sunni who opposes this aim will be punished.

Iraqi Sunnis have a very critical choice before them. Certainly, most Sunnis, even the Baathists (who were secular, not religious tyrants) do not share Zarqawi’s blood-soaked fundamentalist vision. But many Sunnis are also very suspicious of the new government where Shiites and Kurds far outnumber them. That’s why the current Iraqi government must do everything in their power to convince Sunnis to participate in the creation of a constitution. And the U.S. and Iraqi militaries must continue to eliminate the terrorists so that democratic minded Sunnis feel more free to ignore Zarqawi.

Hopefully Sunni leaders will step up and embrace the new government. Because the alternative would just empower the terrorists even more.