Ramadi defended by insurgents turned police

[Barrett808]

Ramadi defended by insurgents turned police
by Thibauld Malterre

RAMADI, Iraq (AFP) - With their heads wrapped in checkered Arab scarves and warm jackets pulled tight over their blue shirts -- their sole vestige of an official uniform -- Ramadi's police look very much like the insurgents they are fighting.

In fact, many of them used to be insurgents.

"Some of my guys were bad people, but they've now chosen our side," said Major Rafaa, the deputy police chief at a newly established station in the restive western Iraqi city.

"They sure know a lot about the insurgents, though."

(more)

http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20061202/wl_mideast_afp/iraqusunrestpolice

[BlueStateModerate]

1. That's actually really cool

If we can somehow get more insurgents to realize they're not helping anyone, Iraq may be salvageable.

[Kagemusha]

3. You're assuming they really stopped being insurgents.

I wonder.

[Warren Stupidity]

4. I think you are not thinking this through.

The insurgents and the police are the same. Hmmmm... either suddenly the sunni regions decided to stop fighting and accept the authority of the heathen occupying army and their shiite allies, or the nominal authority in ramadi is in fact the insurgency. I'll go for 'the nominal authority in ramadi is the insurgency'. Now if we can somehow get our occupying army to realize they're not helping anyone by continuing to occupy Iraq and kill Iraqis, the Iraqi people may be able to sort out their own affairs and get on with their lives.

[Teaser]

5. There is no discussion. Iraq is not salvageable

nt

[alfredo]

6. Let's hope the violence stops. Those police may have to fight

the insurgents for control of the rest of the city.

[uppityperson]

2. I found this line

"In a bizarre reversal of roles, the trainees, some of whom were once insurgents, were able to "arrest" the US soldiers, make them kneel on the ground and search them -- a task they performed with relish."