Eric Umansky picks out a New York Times story concerning the performance or otherwise of the New Iraqi security forces. The key para:
“Colonel Gubler said things had gotten so bad that when the Americans attacked Falluja, the Ramadi police were told not to come to work “just so we could differentiate them” from revenge-minded insurgents posing as police officers, he said. A sure way to know a car is packed with a suicide bomb, he added, is when the Iraqi police refuse to inspect the vehicle. “Somehow, they know.””
That’s right – they told the real policemen to keep off the streets so the only people in police uniforms would be the fake policemen. Colonel Gubler goes on to mention the one really good Iraqi National Guard officer he knew – until they found him, missing his head. Meanwhile, the “Coalition of nervously looking at your watch and edging towards the door” gained another member, after Hungary’s parliament voted against extending their 300 troops’ tour in Iraq. They will now leave by the end of the year.
In other news, the British battle group at Dogwood have evolved a new anti-car bomb tactic. According to this BBC report, a female dog handler (with dog, obviously) checks out the vehicle whilst everyone else waits for the bang inside their Warriors. Whatever she’s being paid, it’s not enough.
“L/Cpl Chester and Bonnie go forward alone to check cars for devices at vehicle checkpoints in Falluja while soldiers wait in armoured Warrior fighting vehicles.
They were rushed up to the 850-strong battle group’s base at Camp Dogwood, 25 miles south of Baghdad, five days ago after receiving an urgent call for their services. They were previously deployed on a four-month tour in Basra and had been due to fly home to Britain this Wednesday.”