The Sunnis may be trying to buy time with the U.S. but it is with the Iraqi government that they really need to be making overtures to. Soon, the Sunni problem with be solely Iraq's problem to deal with and the Iraqi military (as well as the Iraqi democratic government) gets stronger every day.
I read that quote in #5 as asking for protection from the Iraqis they've harmed over the last two years (not from the Syrians).
Payback is a bitch.
And you can bet your bottom dollar they won't have McPain's bill of terrorist rights to protect them.