Assassinations Tear Into Iraq's Educated Class

[kskiska]

BAGHDAD, Iraq, Feb. 6 — Abdul al-Latif al-Mayah was never safe. Not before the war started, and not after.

A couple of weeks ago, Dr. Mayah, a 53-year-old political scientist and human rights advocate known in his neighborhood here as "the professor," was driving to work when eight masked gunman jumped in front of his car. They yanked him into the street, the police said, and shot him nine times in front of his bodyguard and another university lecturer.

In an instant, he became one of hundreds of intellectuals and midlevel administrators who Iraqi officials say have been assassinated since May in a widening campaign against Iraq's professional class.

"They are going after our brains," said Lt. Col. Jabbar Abu Natiha, head of the organized crime unit of the Baghdad police. "It is a big operation. Maybe even a movement."

(snip)

But by silencing urban professionals, said Brig. Gen. Mark Kimmitt, a spokesman for the occupation forces, the guerrillas are waging war on Iraq's fledgling institutions and progress itself. The dead include doctors, lawyers and judges.

"This works against everything we're trying to do here," the general said.

more…
http://nytimes.com/2004/02/07/international/middleeast/07ASSA.html?hp

[Alopenia]

1. Who's doing that?

It ain't us.

[aquart]

2. Picking off the intelligentsia is standard.

Anyone with charisma, heart, or brains is a target.

[UpInArms]

3. this might give you a clue

http://www.iran-bulletin.org/intellectuals_in_iran-part%201.htm

excerpt:

Turning to the 13 centuries since the Islamic conquest of Iran the number of intellectual thinkers and reformers who died at the hands of autocratic kings and religious reaction are truly uncountable.

[lostnfound]

4. I'm genuinely curious: why you are so sure? nt

[teryang]

5. Who killed him?

<That last night, Dr. Mayah went into town for an interview with Al Jazeera, the Arab television network, in which he criticized the occupation and called for prompt elections.>

We all know the official American policy concerning Al Jazeera.