The Islamic State Risks Alienating Iraq's Sunnis

The Islamic State's radical policies are gradually undermining the group's control over northern Iraq's Sunni Arab population. At this point, rising anti-jihadist sentiment has yet to produce serious infighting within the broader resistance, but recent developments are signaling a potential shift in this direction. As the rift between transnational jihadists and Iraq's Sunni Arab nationalists widens, Baghdad will exploit these divisions to weaken the insurgency. This could result in more clashes and infighting between the two camps, but Baghdad is unlikely to make serious progress on the security front until it addresses the political demands of Iraq's Sunni community.