Iraqi Police Abandon Posts During Uprising

[Barrett808]

Iraqi Police Abandon Posts During Uprising
By HAMZA HENDAWI, Associated Press Writer

BAGHDAD, Iraq - During this week's uprising, Iraqi police have abandoned stations or stood by while gunmen roamed the streets, raising concerns about their role in a future Iraq.

In the southern city of Najaf, a policeman watched helplessly on Thursday as a pickup truck carrying a dozen heavily armed Shiite militiamen went past his police station — already in the militia's hands.

"Look, how can we control such a situation?" he told an Associated Press reporter.

The policeman, who refused to give his name, said that if a cleric issues a religious ruling calling for it, "I will immediately leave the police service. ... We came to serve this city, but now we have become targets."

In many cities, the unexpected strength of a Shiite Muslim militia known as the al-Mahdi Army — now in full or partial control of at least three cities in the south — has cowed the police force that U.S. administrators are counting on to maintain security in the future Iraq.

(more)

http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/ap/20040408/ap_on_re_mi_ea/iraq_police&cid=540&ncid=1480

[NNN0LHI]

1. No worries

The British are sending over some fresh troops to train and arm some more police.

Don

[MSgt213]

5. Can they set up an assembly line please

[arcane1]

2. if I lived in Iraq...

I'd be doing the same damned thing

[Cocoa]

3. it's NOT an uprising

so says Richard Myers.

[spinbaby]

4. Official explanation

"They just don't love democracy and freedom enough."

[Qanisqineq]

6. this is what pissed off my husband and his fellow soldiers

so much. The Iraqi police and the new Iraqi army won't do anything, they sit back and wait for our troops to do it for them.

[daleo]

9. Sounds like passive aggressive behavior

It is not a surprising response from the Iraqis, given the situation. It is one of the few weapons that the weak have against the strong. I am glad your husband made it back.

[saigon68]

10. Sounds like Viet-Nam

The White Mice, QC and the ever agressive ARVN Army.

[KansDem]

7. OK...well...so much for the "Iraqization" of the Iraq War....

Didn't work in Vietnam, either...:shrug:

Vietnamization

[BrotherBuzz]

8. ARVN bugged out a few times, too.

I suspect these 'policemen' are doing a little soul searching. I assume this to become a trend.

[NMDemDist2]

11. do the "police" have equipment?

I'd take off too if facing a RPG with a billy club

[sendero]

12. and looking at the prospect...

... of having to answer charges of collaborating with the enemy at some future time.

Basically, IMHO, these people are largely voting for the US to lose.