“Iraq’s Tal Afar: Symbol of US Failure”
James Hider, The Times correspondent in Baghdad, says “Tal Afar is quickly becoming a symbol of the failure of US policy in Iraq.”
(To read my earlier story on the horrific revenge killings in Iraq please click here…)
“The Americans have been in there twice before as part of two huge operations. They pacified the situation, but each time they handed it over to the Iraqi security forces the problems started again.
“There are a number of reasons for this.
“Tal Afar is a very sensitive place. It is ethnically very mixed and it is also a big smuggling route from Syria towards Mosul. In Mosul there is a very large Sunni population with links to Saddam Hussein. He did much of his recruiting there, and many of the current Sunni residents of the area were his officers until the Americans sacked them. This has created a pool of resentment and an excellent recruiting ground of Sunni anger in the area.
“In addition, the fact that off-duty police officers were involved in today’s shooting implies that the Shia militias, in particular the Mahdi Army, are having no difficulty in recruiting members of the local police to their cause.
“These are the very police that the Americans were counting on to ensure calm and order to the town when US troops left…
6 Responses to ““Iraq’s Tal Afar: Symbol of US Failure””
I have been stationed in Tal’Afar for about 6 months now and generally it is very very quiet. The events that unfolded from the last few days were caused by one man driving a dump truck filled with explosives. The second dump truck was destroyed by Iraq Security Forces well outside of the city causing no injuries (except for the AIF driving). Please do not let this one man’s actions undermine the efforts of the outstanding Iraqi Security Forces in Tal’Afar and the stability they have created. The revenge killings were unfortunate and the situation was dealt with immediately. I would also like to add that not even one Coalition Forces personnel was even injured in these last three days and that the people of Tal’Afar have great trust in US forces here. I would have to agree with President Bush when he said that this is a model city for Iraq.
I thank the soldier above for setting the story straight, Too much liberal Media B.S., When they don’t have anything bad to report they fabricate lie’s .
Tired deflection tactics and tthe flogging of the dead “liberal media lying” horse.
“outstanding Iraqi Security Forces in Tal’Afar and the stability they have created.” You have got to be kidding.
Real American- Uh, I think most of us are real Americans -And I gotta agree with Pyst. The media is like the rest of us- some of it is moderate, some liberal and some conservative. Any journalist who is out there risking their life to bring news of the war to me, and is trying to be reasonably fair, has my respect. Many, like Bob Woodruff, have been killed or seriously wounded in doing a job they love- so why bust their chops? They are real Americans as much as you are.
I wonder what unit “soldier” is with? Or is the Lincoln Group spoofing TMV.
The “outstanding Iraqi Security Forces” remark really caught my attention as well Rudi. I smell bullhockey, and I’m nowhere near a barnyard.