Attacks kill 22 policemen in Iraq

[cal04]

At least 22 officers have been killed in attacks on police targets in the western Iraqi province of al-Anbar. Several dozen attackers stormed the police station in Haditha, 200km (120 miles) west of Baghdad, according to sources quoted by the AFP news agency.

There was also an attack on a police station in the neighbouring town of Haqlaniyah, the AP news agency said. Two weeks ago, 50 Iraqi army recruits were shot dead by rebels as they completed their basic training.

The gunmen fled, taking with them vehicles and weapons looted from the police station in Haditha. Al-Anbar province has seen repeated attacks on the US-led forces in Iraq. It also contains the rebel-held cities of Falluja and Ramadi.

Thousands of American-led troops in Iraq are continuing their build-up for a long-expected assault on Falluja. There has been artillery fire on positions inside the city, with American aircraft heard almost continuously overhead. US commanders said they expected resistance to an offensive to include car and suicide bombs and even crude chemical weapons. Correspondents say there has speculation that a co-ordinated wave of attacks that left at least 33 people dead in Samarra on Saturday was an attempt by insurgents to relieve the pressure on Falluja.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/3989671.stm

[henslee]

1. Remain Calm. Everything is under control.

[The_Casual_Observer]

2. "Several dozen attackers stormed the police station"

The estimates of the total number of "insurgents" would appear to be conservative, if they can muster this many to snuff out some policemen.

[pinniped]

3. So uhhhhhhhhhhhh, where is all the good news in Iraq that never gets...

reported?

I guess one can consider this semi-good news since only 22 died. It could've been worse.

[countmyvote4real]

4. I wonder if our democracy/liberation will be exported back to us?

We have a similar situation here as far as legitimate claims and a splintered populace. No bombs (yet), but plenty of thugs and vote thievery.

[American Renaissance]

5. their traitors

That doesn’t sound too bad when you consider what has been done to collaborators over history.

During the American occupation of the Philippians, collaborators who worked with the Spanish and later the Americans were often slowly drowned by shoving a bamboo chute down their through and pouring sea water or urine into them until their stomach was completely bloated and as they vomited it would go into their lungs, eventually killing them. It could take 12 hours or more.