Good news, sort of, from Iraq

Clerics Urge Iraqis to Join Security Force :
"BAGHDAD, Iraq -- Influential Sunni Muslim clerics who once condemned Iraqi security force members as traitors made a surprise turnaround Friday and encouraged citizens to join the nascent police and army."

Like all good news from Iraq, this announcement is tempered with a less than welcome caveat. In this case, that these same Sunni religious leaders urged their followers who join the police and army not to join with foreigners in attacks on their own people.

Still, as the article states, it seems the Sunnis are afraid the train is about to leave the station and they need to get on board. In fact, as reported elsewhere, how to accommodate the Sunnis appropriately, despite their far below average participation in the recent elections due to boycotts and terrorist intimidation, has been one of the sticking points in negotiating the formation of the new Iraqi administration.