<$BlogRSDURL$>
Monday, March 29, 2004

Conditions on the ground in Iraq 

It's hard to know what things are really like in Iraq. Ambidextrous has a very different description from what you'll find at most of the major news outlets:
The violence is relentless. Explosions from bombs, rocket propelled grenades and artillery as well as guns firing can be heard all day and night.... There are systematic assassinations of policemen, translators, local officials, and anybody associated with the occupiers....

Mosques are attacked every night and clerics killed, leading to retaliations against the opposite sect. Mosques now have armies of young volunteers wielding Kalashnikovs guarding them....

Meanwhile over ten thousand Iraqi men are being held prisoner, and most of them are innocent.... Unlike the murderous accuracy of the Israeli security forces, who at least speak Arabic, the American security forces are a blunt instrument. They arrest hundreds at once, hoping somebody will know something.
The part about conflicts between mosques of different sects is especially frightening. It almost sounds like the start of a civil war.
Back to the Odd Hours main page
© 2004 Odd Hours
Reproduction permitted provided Odd Hours or the author of the quoted post is credited.