The golden mosque of Sammara’s two minarets dissolved in an explosion today, according to Associated Press reports.

Of course, al Qaeda is behind it. Just as the terror network was behind the February 2006 bombings that destroyed the mosque famous gold-gilt dome. This is straight from Abu Musab al-Zarqawi’s playbook, as Austin bay notes.

Al Qaeda’s no. 1 goal in Iraq is to foment and fight a civil war–which is why the MSM’s constant refrain that Iraq is in a civil war hands them a propaganda victory and advances their goals. Things become what they are called, all too often.

In its desperation, al Qaeda is repeating itself.

But this time it won’t work. A lot has happened since February 2006. American and allied forces, led by Gen. Petraeus, have a new strategy that fights terrorism like Guiliani fought crime–by increasing police presence in dangerous neighborhoods, clearing away the regulatory cobwebs that impede local initiative, by tracking attacks by computer and holding commanders responsible and, most importantly, treating minor offenses as real offenses, but nuisances to be forgiven or forgotten.

This time, the sunnis are against al Qaeda. For years, most sunni tribes have either sat on their hands or cheered on the insurgents. Some even joined with al Qaeda.

But a string of al Qaeda moves have driven the sunnis to switch:

The sunnis have noticed that civilians are main targets of al Qaeda’s attacks and that women and children are disproportionately among the dead. Every time al Qaeda hits an open-air market (or the checkpoints outside the new walled-in markets), it is the women doing the daily shopping who die. How would you feel about terrorists who killed your wife, mother, sister, daughter, son, neice, or nephew? Right. That’s how they feel too.

Al Qaeda’s so-called Just Punishment Brigades, which kill or maim women who refuse to cover their faces or men caught looking at Internet porn or any one of hundreds of other perceived violations of sharia law, are now hated as much as Saddam’s goons were. Too many sunnis have been beaten or shot for microscopic infractions. Al Qaeda’s cruel nature is now on full display. Another factor: the tribal leaders say that al Qaeda has bypassed their traditional role of punishing violations of sharia, a move the chieftains see as “unlawful.” Since al Qaeda is now viewed as a threat to authority (they really didn’t like al Qaeda’s complaint that the chiefs were too lenient) as well as their hold on power, the tribal leaders are leading their people away.

Add to all this, al Qaeda is not Iraqi. It is run by foreigners hiding in Afghanistan or Pakistan, funded by Saudi and Gulf Arabs, aided by Iran, and guided by a ideology–which Iraqis invariably call Wahabi and western scholars more precisely call salafi–that is not of Iraqi origin. Iraqis are among the most nationalistic peoples in the Arab world. They hate their neighbors who they say are trying to destroy them. You would be surprised how often this point comes up in casual conversations with them. They see al Qaeda as a foreign entity that has violated its obligations as a guest and has turned on their hosts.

Finally, al Qaeda has made serious political mistakes in Iraq. It has appointed a caliph without consulting Iraqi tribal or religious leaders. (A caliph is the supreme leader of the Muslim world who, like Mohammed, is a military, political and religious leader. The president, supreme court, congress and chairman of joint chiefs all in one.) The terror group compounded the mistake by appointing a cabinet leaders in a shadow government of Iraq, again without consulting tribal leaders. Even Saddam did not do that.

What can America do in the wake of mosque blast? Announce a multi-million fund to restore the mosque to its former glory. Declare that all Iraqis can bid on the contracts, sunni and shia. Do it in the Rose Garden tomorrow.