Thursday, February 10, 2005

Post-election Iraq is not encouraging

Guerrillas attacked the head of the Nation Party, and a candidate in the recent elections, Mithal Alusi and his family. They sprayed their car with machine gun fire, killing Alusi's two sons. He escaped physical harm. This incident is important because, among other things, it points to a looming danger for elected parliamentarians. They can't remain anonymous while serving in parliament, and the guerrillas will target all 275 for assassination.
  Juan Cole post
A man walked into a crowd of Iraqi army recruits in central Baghdad on Tuesday and blew himself up, killing at least 21 people and wounding at least 27.

[...]

Of 153 Iraqis reported killed in the past nine days, 106 were soldiers, police officers or army and police recruits, according to figures released by the U.S. military and Iraqi authorities. Fifteen U.S. soldiers have been killed in that period.

[...]

Attacks appear to have surged in such cities as Baghdad and Mosul, where security was increased significantly for the elections.

[...]

Tuesday's bombing occurred about 10:30 a.m. at an army recruiting center at the old al-Muthana airfield in the heart of the capital. According to witnesses, a man walked into a crowd of approximately 100 recruits gathered in front of the front gates and detonated a bomb.

Iraqi soldiers were shooting indiscriminately at the site for hours after the bombing. The area where the bombing occurred was littered with shell casings and debris.

Haider Ahmed, a 58-year-old retiree who said he was passing by when the bombing occurred, said it was the fifth time insurgents had struck the recruiting center.
  WaPo article

Five times. The same recruiting place. Perhaps they need to beef up security or move the recruiting office. You think?

Shooting indiscriminately for hours after. Sounds like the Iraqi soldiers are being well trained.

Attacks have surged where security was stepped up.

And we are pulling out 15,000 troops now that the elections were such a success.

....but hey, do what you want....you will anyway.

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