In over a dozen interviews conducted by The Washington Post, military officials complained that the government of Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki has refused to take advantage of the improved security afforded by this year’s US troop surge.

Army Lt. Gen. Raymond Odierno said that “it’s unclear how long that window is going to be open”.

He believes the Shiite-led government should now be forging alliances with the Sunni Arab minority – next summer at the latest. “If that doesn’t happen,” he said, “we’re going to have to review our strategy”.

“The Sunnis have shown great patience,” said Brig. Gen. John Campbell. “You don't want the Sunnis that are working with you to go back to the dark side.”

The US military’s opinion of Sunni insurgents has come a long way since they were all labeled ‘terrorists’, whether or not they had joined forces with al Qaeda militants.

Army Lt. Col. Mark Fetter said poverty and unemployment had played primary roles in fuelling the insurgency. “They have got to eat,” he said. “There are so many we’ve detained and interrogated, they did what they did for money.”

The enlistment of approximately 70,000 Sunni Arabs in the local police ranks has been viewed with more concern than welcome by the Shiite-led government.

Campbell says he is furious that the Iraqi government has shown no clear interest in bringing about political reconciliation, or even getting out to view the living conditions of Iraqis.

“They don’t know what the hell is going on on the ground,” he said. “The ministers, they don’t get out.”

However, he did praise the top Iraqi commander in Baghdad, Lt. Gen. Aboud Qanbar, for taking some Iraqi cabinet officials out of the Green Zone to look at areas that need health and housing improvements.

According to Campbell, Qanbar appears to be telling the ministers, “Hey, I got the security. Bring in the [expletive] essential services.”