Iraq forces on alert as killings mount

[leftchick]

http://today.reuters.com/news/newsArticle.aspx?type=topNews&storyID=2006-02-23T123710Z_01_MAC231520_RTRUKOC_0_US-IRAQ.xml&archived=False

Iraq forces on alert as killings mount
Thu Feb 23, 2006 7:37 AM ET

BAGHDAD (Reuters) - Iraq canceled all leave for the police and army and placed them on the highest alert as the death toll mounted on Thursday in sectarian violence that has swept the country after bombs wrecked a major Shi'ite shrine.

The main Sunni political group pulled out of U.S.-sponsored talks on joining a national unity government, blaming the ruling Shi'ite Islamists for attacks on Sunni mosques and dozens of killings since Wednesday's suspected al Qaeda bomb attack that destroyed the Shi'ites' Golden Mosque in Samarra.

The main Sunni religious authority made an extraordinary public criticism of the Shi'ites' most revered clerical leader, accusing him of fuelling the violence by calling for protests.

President Jalal Talabani, a Kurd, pressed ahead despite the Sunni boycott with a meeting of political leaders that he had called to avert a descent toward a "devastating civil war". His office could not say who was present at the talks.

Police and military sources tallied at least 78 deaths, mostly of Sunnis, in the two biggest cities Baghdad and Basra in the 24 hours since the Samarra attack. Dozens of Sunni mosques have been attacked and several burned to the ground.

[Jersey Ginny]

1. We've trained thousands of their forces. Everything will be great!

What a f'ing disaster. Trajedy for all involved (except war profiteers).

[wtmusic]

2. The civil war most of us predicted in 2003

has arrived. I thought it would be sooner.

All because of Junior and his God telling him what to do. He has the blood of every dead Iraqi on his hands, and the US will one day pay the price for this fiasco.

[bemildred]

3. Seems like a good time to be alert eh?

The question is what are the "iraqi forces" going to do to restore order?
The answer is not much.

[grytpype]

4. So now we get to see if the Iraqi forces are worth a shit.

My guess is they're not, and they're the ones doing all the sectarian violence.

[skip fox]

5. If the situation doesn't change by the end of next week, it's over.

A sad end to a terrible situation. Our leadership should stand to account. Hell, they won't even accept responsibility.