“AQ did not create extreme Islam, extreme Islam created AQ.”
These strawmen don’t mean anything to me. You failed to answer my question regarding your statement. You claimed that the Iraqi Sunnis that have allied with the U.S. and turned on al Qaeda haven’t rejected extreme Islam. How are they supporting extreme Islam? How can they support extreme Islam while simultaneously capturing and killing Al Qaeda and denouncing extremism?
You are absolutely right.
The prime motivation for the Sunni insurgents (mostly former Saddam loyalists) turning on al Qaeda and helping the coalition was the fact that al Qaeda was ramming extremist Islam down their throats. Iraqis, who have a secular majority, rejected this and it dawned on them which side was causing trouble and which side was genuinely there to help them.
Some of the former insurgents have openly said that they don't love Americans, but feel that the Americans have the right objectives and therefore, they joined the good guys.
The contrast in Fallujah, Ramadi, Habbaniyah, etc. today vs. just a year ago says it all.