Unfinished Business: The Sons of Iraq and Political Reconciliation

In late 2006, Sunni tribes in Anbar Province began openly working with Coalition Forces CF. This battlefield alliance resulted in a dramatic drop in violence turning Anbar from one of the most violent areas in Iraq to one of the most secure. This movement, known as the Sahwa or Awakening, soon spread throughout the country. In May 2007 Baghdad residents, inspired by the Sahwa movement rose up against Al-Qaeda in Iraq AQI working with both US forces and the Iraq Security Forces ISF. This movement spread to other areas and became known as the Sons of Iraq SoI These movements coincided with a change in strategy in Iraq to focus on protecting the populace and included the deployment of 30,000 additional Soldiers to Iraq. The SoI was an essential factor in a significant drop in violence in 2007. However, the relative stability gained with the support of the SoI has not resulted in significant political reconciliation at the national level.