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DEBORAH AMOS, Host:
A few years back, Anbar Province in western Iraq was dominated by insurgents. Then things turned around with the help of a major push by the Americans, and the province was called a model for how to defeat the insurgents. But that assessment may have been premature. A slow drumbeat of assassinations and bombings is raising questions about Anbar's stability. As NPR's Quil Lawrence reports, the Americans are no longer playing a major role in what's happening there.
QUIL LAWRENCE: Unidentified Crowd: (Chanting in foreign language)
LAWRENCE: The daring attack hit on December 30 killing 24 people. A car bomb ripped through the parking lot outside the provincial governor's office. When rescue workers rushed to the scene, a suicide bomber dressed as a policeman entered the crowd. The second blast killed a member of the provincial council and maimed the governor, who had come to look around.
TARIQ AL: (Foreign language spoken)
LAWRENCE: I warned the governor not to go out, but he wanted to be Sherlock Holmes, says Brigadier Tariq al-Assal. Assal was police chief in Anbar, but got sacked after the bombing. He claims it was impossible to keep the government building secure because the members of the provincial council refused to let their men or cars be searched when entering the compound.
AL: The provincial council, all them have bodyguards. The governor and his deputy have convoy, all them have bodyguards, without any search. No, no, no, no search. No.
LAWRENCE: Unidentified Man: (Foreign language spoken)
LAWRENCE: A subordinate said the new chief had been yanked into a meeting with Sheik Abu Risha and given an earful. It appears Baghdad failed to consult the sheik beforehand. Abu Risha has no official position in the government, but his alliance with the Americans has made him the kingmaker in Anbar.
AMOS: A three-way dispute between Baghdad, Abu Risha and the other tribal leaders is hurting security in the province, according to Adnan Jamil Muhanna, one of the few sheiks in Anbar who is considered neutral.
ADNAN JAMIL MUHANNA: (Foreign language spoken)
LAWRENCE: Only one player seems unconcerned about the recent violence in Anbar - the U.S. military.
RAY ODIERNO: In terms of the overall security in Iraq, it doesn't concern me. But it does concern whenever there's violence.
LAWRENCE: General Ray Odierno, commander of U.S. forces in Iraq, said recently that such attacks are to be expected before the coming Iraqi election in March.
ODIERNO: It's not a sign of crumbling security in Anbar. These are attacks that we think people will continue to try to attempt, between now and the elections, because they want to delegitimize the government. They do not want these elections to go forward. They do not want them to be successful.
LAWRENCE: Quil Lawrence, NPR News, Baghdad.