By Dick Kazan (posted with permission)
Off duty Shiite police, irate over the bombings yesterday in Tal Afar that killed 63 people and wounded more than 150 others, went on a murderous rampage. The police roamed the streets of Sunni neighborhoods in Tal Afar, killing Sunnis. "Between 50 and 55 people were killed. I've never seen such a thing in my life," said a doctor, who wouldn't give his name afraid it would cost him his life.
A large number of Sunnis in Tal Afar were wounded and others were kidnapped. This report comes from MSNBC.com,
http://www.msnbc.com/id/17826030/, "Iraqi, U.S. forces attacked with chlorine bombs," 3/28/07.
Aside from the death and destruction, the kidnappings and the severe injuries, three things make this story important:
1) Last year President Bush spoke of Tal Afar as an excellent example of the progress being made in Iraq by the U.S. and allied soldiers after they liberated it from al-Qaeda in 2005. And in 2007, its progress speaks unfortunately for itself.
2) The crimes were perpetrated by the Iraqi police, the very people a society depends on to maintain peace and respect for law and order. Instead, the residents of Tal Afar can't feel safe in their homes or any place else.
3) It is so dangerous to live in Tal Afar, that even the doctor trying to save the lives of those rushed to the hospital was afraid to give his name.
Sadly, Tal Afar is not the exception. Aside from Kurdish northern Iraq what happened there this week is common place throughout Iraq and it is what we have to show for 4-years of U.S. military occupation there. Four-years of death and destruction and a country now engulfed in civil war.
Updates to this story, Here:
http://saneramblings.com/phpBB/viewtopic.php?t=141&sid=f247deb5215a3aeced70241314aac8bb
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