US soldiers arrest Iraqi policemen after bomb attack

**Tumbleweed** · Admin Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts votes: 4

It's getting hard to tell who the real enemies are in Iraq.

Quote:

BAGHDAD, Aug 23 (Reuters) - Nine Iraqi policemen in Baghdad have been detained by U.S. forces on suspicion of involvement in a roadside bomb attack near a police checkpoint, the U.S. military said on Thursday.

The policemen were detained during a security sweep in Baghdad's notoriously dangerous southern Rashid district on Tuesday and were being held for questioning, the military said.

The Iraqi police are widely viewed as deeply infiltrated by Shi'ite militias, which are blamed for attacks on U.S. troops and members of Iraq's minority Sunni Arab community.

U.S. soldiers have voiced suspicions in the past that Iraqi police are involved in some of the roadside bomb attacks because they occur so close to police checkpoints.

Military commanders are also concerned about the performance of the police, who are seen as poorly trained and led and riven with sectarianism.

Source

**CHUQ** · Agitator Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts votes: 3

This seems to be an ever recurring prob, the police is not on the same page as the Iraqi military. May I suggest that they disband the PDs and let the military handle stuff. I think this would help in the control of the violence, at least in some small way.

**Rupchuk** · Moderator Thanks: 0 Thanked 3 Times in 3 Posts votes: 4

I saw this as a problem back when they first started recruiting Iraqi police. There was basically no screening at all. Any man who showed up was given a gun and a badge without checking into his loyalties. I saw a report by the BBC on how the police are using their authority to carry out sectarian-motivated ends. They went to a local jail in Baghdad and found that a majority of the people in the jail were Sunnis whereas the police in the area were Shiite. It's ridiculous. We went in knowing nothing about Arab culture and mindset, destroyed their stabilizing force, gave them guns, and now we're wondering why they not only hate us but also themselves. Granted some of this was stirred up by the terrorist organizations but it already existed prior to this, they just made it in an issue.

**CHUQ** · Agitator Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts votes: 3

Sounds about normal. I love the term SNAFU--it describes alot that the government does. But Iraq has moved byond SNAFU and turned into FUBAR!

**Rupchuk** · Moderator Thanks: 0 Thanked 3 Times in 3 Posts votes: 4

And to describe our leadership HUA, more affectionately said Hooah. And the Iraqis themselves, S-O-L.