One U.S. servicemember was killed today when an Afghan National policeman attacked a dismounted patrol in Bermel District, Paktika province.

The ANP member opened fire from a tower and threw a hand grenade toward the troops who were returning to a forward operating base.

The remaining servicemembers returned fire on the tower, killing the ANP member.
The name of the U.S. servicemember is being withheld until next of kin is notified.

Remember what I wrote earlier about corruption in the Afghan police? Something that nearly everyone told me in Afghanistan was that the insurgency wasn’t really infiltrating the security services. I wonder if that still largely holds true and this guy had his own “reasons” for murdering one of our troops — or whether the insurgents really are changing their strategy.

The Los Angeles Times reports:

Aboul Gheit’s visit followed those by leaders of Jordan and Lebanon and was an indication that leading Sunni Muslim countries may begin restoring relations with Iraq’s Shiite Muslim-led government. Egypt, Saudi Arabia and other nations have been concerned about Iraq’s ties with the Shiite-run government in Iran, which Sunni nations blame for attempting to unsettle the region through its nuclear program and support to militant groups such as Hezbollah in Lebanon.

“Iraq has passed through a difficult period, and today we hope that we see Iraq outside this situation,” Aboul Gheit said. “Egypt has a confirmed desire to build a strong and active Iraqi-Egyptian relationship.”

Why’s this a big deal?

Because any extrication strategy for the United States will need a robust diplomatic component. Right now, the political compact in Iraq between Sunnis, Shiites and Kurds is anything but stable or settled, and it shows all signs of remaining that way for the foreseeable future.

Getting the U.S. out will require the region’s heavy hitters — in other words, the Sunni powerbrokers and Iran — to act as guarantors of political stability in the wake of a U.S. withdrawal, to cash the checks that the sectarian interests write at the bargaining table. Having the Egyptians already in Baghdad will help lay the groundwork.

Getting out just got slightly easier.