▁The ▁A Q I , ▁realized ▁it ▁was ▁losing ▁its ▁influence ▁over ▁the ▁citizens ▁and ▁launched ▁a ▁counter att ack ▁on ▁the ▁S uf ia ▁trib al ▁area ▁on ▁ 2 5 ▁November . ▁ ▁The ▁attack ▁was ▁intended ▁to ▁terror ize ▁and ▁ins ult ▁the ▁S uf ia ▁tribe , ▁though ▁with ▁the ▁ 1 st ▁B CT ' s ▁M 1 A 1 ▁t anks ▁rein for cing ▁trib al ▁def enders , ▁the ▁A Q I ▁was ▁rep elled ▁and ▁the ▁relationship ▁between ▁the ▁S uf ia ▁tribe ▁and ▁the ▁ 1 st ▁Arm ored ▁Division ▁improved . ▁ ▁By ▁early ▁ 2 0 0 7 , ▁the ▁combination ▁of ▁trib al ▁eng agement ▁and ▁combat ▁out posts ▁was ▁defe ating ▁A Q I ' s ▁in ▁Ram adi ▁and ▁throughout ▁the ▁province . ▁President ▁George ▁W . ▁Bush , ▁in ▁his ▁ 2 3 ▁January ▁ 2 0 0 7 ▁State ▁of ▁the ▁Union ▁speech ▁referred ▁to ▁Al ▁An bar ▁as ▁a ▁place ▁" where ▁al ▁Q a eda ▁terror ists ▁have ▁gathered ▁and ▁local ▁forces ▁have ▁begun ▁showing ▁a ▁willing ness ▁to ▁fight ▁them ." ▁ ▁" The ▁G ett ys burg ▁of ▁this ▁war " ▁ ▁By ▁February ▁ 2 0 0 7 , ▁contact ▁with ▁ins urg ents ▁dropped ▁almost ▁ 7 0 ▁percent ▁in ▁number ▁since ▁June ▁ 2 0 0 6 ▁as ▁well ▁as ▁decre asing ▁in ▁complexity ▁and ▁effect . ▁ ▁By ▁the ▁summer ▁of ▁ 2 0 0 7 , ▁fighting ▁in