This is truly becoming a daily headline now that tips are flowing fast and furious on where the al-Qaeda cells are operating in Iraq:

Coalition Forces detained 18 suspected terrorists in raids targeting the al-Qaeda in Iraq network Tuesday morning based on information gained from previous successful operations.

North of Taji, Coalition Forces captured an alleged key leader in the Rusafa vehicle-borne improvised explosive device network. Coalition Forces also detained another suspected al-Qaeda in Iraq terrorist on the scene.

Based on information from a suspected terrorist detained May 29, Coalition Forces captured an alleged al-Qaeda facility manager who operates a safe house southwest of Tarmiyah.

The ‘snowball’ effect make come into play here. And no organization can withstand culling of their leadership and being turned in en mass by the locals. al-Qaeda is taking much more of beating in this Surge than we are – at the moment.

Update: Again we need to note that the battles now raging in Iraq include Iraqis against al Qaeda. We have the Iraq government on our side, the Kurds on our side and many of the Shiia (except the Mahdi militias). As I posted yesterday, al-Qaeda is pretending to hold a ceasefire in the muslim war against the extremism embodied in al-Qaeda. al-Qaeda’s killing of fellow Muslims has not apparently not ended yet:

Three tribal leaders in the northern city of Mosul have been gunned down by unidentified assailants.

Attacks on tribal chiefs in Iraq, particularly in the Sunni-dominated areas of central and northern Iraq have increased recently.

The attacks come following reports that certain tribes were no longer willing to provide refuge for al-Qaeda-linked insurgents and some had mobilized their armed men to have them flushed from their areas.

But it seems the group is too strong to be beaten by Iraqi tribes and its members are reported to be murdering the chiefs of any tribe standing against them.

In the northern city of Mosul, three leaders of major tribes have been killed. The first, Shaikh Khanim Ibrahim al-Sabaawi, was leader of the powerful al-Sabaawi tribe.

I personally do not think al-Qaeda can alienate and make enemies of 25 million Iraqis. They do not have that strong a following and bring nothing but death and destruction with them – many times by their own hand. I hate to see these brave people killed like this, but those defending home and family tend to be the most tenacious and deadly of fighters. al-Qaeda’s moves here are pure desperation. They are a last ditch effort to control a population turning on them. I seriously doubt they will succeed in brow-beating Iraq. Saddam could barely do it with a massive army and total control of every aspect of life. al-Qaeda doesn’t have these tools at their disposal. Brutality alone will only create a backlash.