Fear keeps Iraqi army in the shadows

[NNN0LHI]

http://www.khaleejtimes.com/displayArticle.asp?col=§ion=focusoniraq&xfile=data/focusoniraq/2005/May/focusoniraq_May115.xml

BAGHDAD - One year after it was formed, the Iraqi army’s ranks are swelling but despite some successes against the brutal insurgency, fear has not yet changed sides.

The Iraqi ground forces inaugurated their first independent command center Sunday, an historic event attended by top US and Iraqi brass and meant to inspire new pride in the national army.

Yet following a string of executions, assassinations of high-ranking officials and devastating suicide attacks against Iraqi security forces, the army decided to do without the publicity.

The flag-raising and ribbon-cutting ceremony took place in Baghdad but the press was under strict instructions not to disclose the headquarters location, name or photograph the senior Iraqi officers who attended.

[DoYouEverWonder]

1. If they spent some of those billions

hiring Iraqis to rebuild their country instead of building new command centers and military bases, maybe Iraq wouldn't be devolving into civil war?

[unhappycamper]

2. We would spend them, but we

can't

find

them. Somebody hide them somewhere.

[DoYouEverWonder]

3. Look in Dick Cheney's

sock draw.

[ugarte]

6. Collect a paycheck and stay home

Sounds like a good army to me.

[Dhalgren]

4. I love it! Let's have an army, but keep it secret.

We can't have people knowing where the army is; why, they would attack it and kill the soldiers. The soldiers are there to protect the Iraqi people, so they have to remain hidden or the Iraqi people would kill them. Makes perfect BEFEE sense. Next! :silly:

[grytpype]

5. Sounds like victory to me!

They go through the motions, in secrecy. This is just like the "handover" of "sovereignty" from the Jerry Bremer (remember him?) to Allawi, done in a basement bunker.