"Things going VERY WELL in Iraq": Death squads, ethnic cleansing

[Bluebear]

http://www.spiegel.de/img/0,1020,595324,00.jpg

Shiite death squads are spreading fear in Baghdad's Sunni neighborhoods. Meanwhile, politicians and police are growing powerless as the outbreak of a civil war becomes ever more likely in Iraq.

When the men in black drive down his street, Ali Hasan al-Mahawish calls out to his playing children to come into the house immediately. He bolts the door, scared. This time it might be his family's turn. The men drive past at walking speed, clutching their guns. It's obvious they know exactly which houses the Sunnis live in. Mahawish is an engineer and a Sunni -- a potential victim of the death squads.

Death squads are becoming part of everyday life in Baghdad's Sunni neighborhoods. Sunnis living in the Khadamiya neighborhood are terrorized daily. Sometimes the men in black shoot randomly into their houses and backyards. Sometimes they give the residents five minutes to leave, then set fire to the house. Those Sunni's who aren't simply executed by their neighbors are being systematically driven out of the city's Shiite neighborhoods.

According to a recent United Nations report, this type of "ethnic cleansing" has spread dramatically in Baghdad, a city of 6 million. And no one can stop the death squads, least of all the police. Six neighborhoods have already fallen prey to organized terror. Weeks have passed since the police was last seen in these neighborhoods, and Sunnis are now more afraid of the men in black than of the daily air raids.

http://service.spiegel.de/cache/international/spiegel/0,1518,406342,00.html

[gratuitous]

1. There is great chaos under Heaven, and the situation is excellent

George W. Bush, meet Mao Zedong.

[BuyingThyme]

2. Genocide is on the march. It's the Bush way.

[tatertop]

3. Mohammed brokered peace among the tribes, can al Sadr do the same?

[bigtree]

4. They're standing up, at least, like Bush said he wanted them to

so I guess we can stand down now?

[Justice Is Comin]

5. Maybe he should have them

fill out applications for his Secret Service security detail. They're his boys.

[donco6]

6. Sounds like Hotel Rwanda.

Just before "the trees" message goes out on the radio.

[Bluebear]

7. Indeed. nt

[Odin2005]

8. Iraq is going to end up the next Yugoslavia.

only 10 times worse.

[radwriter0555]

9. gosh, isn't it GREAT that bush installed a shi'ite run government in iraq?

whatta guy, whatta MAN!

[Neil Lisst]

10. Sadr militia running entire areas, Death Squads - it's going well!

NOT!!

[upi402]

11. BushKinder should enlist.

That would end this little flare up!
:sarcasm:

[MrSlayer]

12. After 500 years of Sunni rule the Shiites feel they are getting payback.

Iraq was a relatively bad place before with a few bright spots, it's a nightmare of carnage now.