U.S. arming newly loyal Sunnis in Iraq

BAGHDAD, Jan. 8 (UPI) -- Sunni Muslims in Iraq who once supported Saddam Hussein and later al-Qaida are becoming loyal to U.S. forces and getting arms in return, a report said Tuesday.

U.S. strategists welcome the turnaround and are proposing further assistance for the Sunnis, a minority to Shiites in the country, Washington Post correspondents reported from Baghdad.

At a town south of Baghdad, Saad Mahami leads a band of 71 militants now battling al-Qaida instead of U.S. forces. U.S. Army Capt. David Underwood told the newspaper Mahami approached him recently asking for more weapons, and they were provided.

"As we confiscate weapons, we hand them to Saad Mahami," Underwood said.

Safah Hassan, one of Mahami's fighters, said there was a growing sense of empowerment based on the cooperation.

"We feel we are more in control," Hassan said. "The Americans have encouraged us to stand up for our society. We never thought this would happen."