Police Targets in Violence Across Iraq

[alp227]

Source: The New York Times

BAGHDAD — A spate of assassinations, gun battles and bombings rattled Baghdad and still-turbulent regions to the north and west on Saturday, a day that marked the fifth month since Iraqis voted for a new government that has yet to be created.

For weeks, American and Iraqi officials have said they expect violence to grow as the American military reduces the number of its troops to 50,000 from about 64,000 by month’s end. The withdrawal comes amid anxiety in the streets over the political paralysis, which could last months more, and growing fears that insurgents are trying to reorganize in regions like Baghdad and Falluja, where they long had a presence.

American officials have echoed those worries. “We have seen Al Qaeda attempt to reassert itself,” said the United States military spokesman, Maj. Gen. Stephen Lanza. He said insurgents appeared to be making a concerted attempt to attack and intimidate the police.

In all, 13 people were killed in attacks on Saturday. The worst fighting erupted in the Baghdad neighborhood of Saidiya, where the police and insurgents fought from midnight until the early morning hours. Four policemen and an insurgent were killed.

Read more: http://www.nytimes.com/2010/08/08/world/middleeast/08iraq.html

[daleo]

1. Bush and Cheney.

Their war, their fault.

[USArmyParatrooper]

2. Which makes two points

1: It's important we leave responsibly.

2: Disbanding the Iraqi military will go down as the single dumbest strategic decision of any war ever throughout history.

On point number one I'm not even sure it's possible to leave without Iraqi forces getting seriously fucked up. Even when we had a very large presence there, Iraqi forces routinely took heavy casualties. The fact that it's worsening as we leave isn't a surprise at all. But I'm not sure what the answer is because we can't stay indefinitely.

[ThomThom]

3. all the knowledgeable people said this would happen and no one listened

Bush was going to war, he was the decider.