By Andrew L. Jaffee

After suffering through endless reports of bad news from Iraq, it has been gratifying to hear some good news over the last few months. Civilian deaths are down, U.S. troop casualties are down, Sunnis are turning away from al-Qaeda, Iraqi refugees are coming home, the Iraqi government is starting to reign in Shiite militias, and this weekend, a Sunni group won a battle against al-Qaeda:

A Sunni faction has killed 18 al-Qaeda militants in an attack on a compound near the Iraqi city of Samarra, police have said.

Another 16 al-Qaeda members were said to have been captured in the attack.

The Sunni Islamic Army of Iraq - once part of the insurgency against US-led forces - said its fighters attacked the compound east of the city.

The faction is one of several Sunni former insurgent groups that have now turned against al-Qaeda. …