Renewed Sunni insurgency feared in Iraq

BAGHDAD, May 25 (UPI) -- It appears inevitable that dormant Sunni Arab insurgents will rekindle their armed resistance to Iraq's Shiite-led government, sources in Iraq say.

An unnamed U.S. military official in Baghdad says American diplomats and military personnel have been unable to reconcile armed former Sunni insurgents with the government and are worried a large-scale uprising is only a matter of time as U.S forces leave Iraqi cities, the Los Angeles Times reported Monday.

"When they finally realize America is an impotent force, or acting like one, are they going to give up and say it's useless and return to armed conflict to topple the government?" the official asked. "Are they going to take up arms against the coalition as well?"

The newspaper said many former insurgents never gave up their desire to fight a government dominated by Shiite religious parties, but were persuaded by U.S. guarantees they would be accepted into mainstream of the Iraqi establishment. But sources told the Times they have become frustrated with the process, pointing to a crackdown on their leaders by Baghdad that the Americans were unwilling or unable to stop.

"There will be a war in Baghdad," an unnamed Sunni insurgent commander predicted.