WP: Iraqi Police Chief Shot Dead

[kskiska]

Tuesday, September 16, 2003; Page A01

FALLUJAH, Iraq, Sept. 15 -- Masked assailants ambushed a pickup truck carrying the chief of the embattled police force in the nearby city of Khaldiya today, killing him and wounding two others in a brazen daylight attack, hospital officials and police said.

The death of Col. Khudheir Mikhlif Ali, 48, was a severe setback to the police force in Khaldiya, 45 miles west of Baghdad, which has become a flash point of opposition to the U.S.-led occupation.

The killing underscored yet again the challenges facing the United States as it attempts to build up the Iraqi security forces in an effort to bring order to the country. Last week, demoralized police officers in Khaldiya complained in interviews with The Washington Post that they had grown isolated and faced mounting accusations from townspeople of working as collaborators with the U.S. military. In August, the mayor's office was ransacked by an angry mob, which threw rocks and then burned the truck of Ali's predecessor.

Survivors of today's assault said the police chief may have been killed by criminals, not guerrillas.

(snip)

"There's no security," Eissa said from his bed. "As long as the Americans are here, there's no stability."

more…
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A12937-2003Sep15.html

[PartyPooper]

1. This is a real crowd pleaser.

Can you imagine what this does to the morale of the police officers (and their families) serving under the 'U.S. occupation'?

:-(

[Name removed]

2. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[opihimoimoi]

3. Our Photo Op Prez should attend his services to assure the residents

we are sincere about our peace making efforts.

[DannyRed]

4. Based on recent interviews

with both guerrillas AND with the police themselves in this same town (See Shadid's article in WaPo this week)....

It may have even been an inside job carried out by or with the assistance of police officers in Khaldiya.

This is a total mess.