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Armed men who form the Awakening Councils patrol the streets in Baquba, Iraq [AFP]
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The Sahwa movement or Awakening Councils comprising Sunni tribesmen funded by the US military have been widely acknowledged as one of the lynchpins to the US surge strategy in Iraq.
Although they have been praised for their offensive against Al-Qaeda, which led to a reduction of violence in Iraq, major political factions - Shias, Sunnis and Kurds - are wary of their political agenda.
The Kurds say Sunni tribesmen from the Sahwa are in conflict with Kurdish interests by challenging the present Sunni bloc for a share in political power in Kurdistan.
Shia leaders are uneasy with what they perceive as US control over the Sunni-dominated militia who are not accountable to the Iraqi government. They claim Sahwa forces are infiltrated by former insurgents, Baathists and Al-Qaeda terrorists.
The US is alarmed that Nuri al-Maliki, the Iraqi prime minister, has refused to integrate Sahwa tribesmen into Iraqi security forces as this could lead to these fighters rejoining Al-Qaeda.
Sahwa leaders have reciprocal mistrust of the Shia-dominated Iraqi government. They are eager to translate their influence and organisation on the ground into political power.
The Iraqi government's recent response in hunting down and arresting hundreds of Sahwa leaders in security major operations has raised new tensions.
Inside Iraq this week looks at the political impact of the crackdown on the Awakening Councils and asks if Iraq could once again be thrown back to sectarian war and violence.
Our guests this week are author and journalist, Nir Rosen and Mithal Al-Alusi, the leader of Iraq's Nation Party.
Watch part one of this episode.
Watch part two of this episode.
This episode of Inside Iraq airs from Friday, August 29, 2008
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