Governor of Baghdad assassinated

[<bleeding_heart>]

Baghdad governor Ali al-Haidri has been shot dead in a roadside ambush in the Iraqi capital, the highest-profile assassination there since May.

Attackers shot at his armoured-plated car from different directions as his convoy drove through northern Baghdad.

Violence has been escalating ahead of elections planned for 30 January.

In a separate incident, at least 10 people have been killed and more than 50 others injured in a bomb blast at a police post in Baghdad, officials say.

Reports say a truck caused the blast near the Green Zone, the heavily fortified government and diplomatic compound.

The morning explosion shook the city and plunged the immediate area into an inferno, says BBC correspondent Jim Muir in Baghdad.

Officials said most of the victims were from a recently formed elite Iraqi commando unit, made up of experienced military men.

Violence

Mr Haidri is the most senior Iraqi official to be assassinated in Baghdad since the head of the Governing Council was killed by a suicide bomb in May last year.

At least one of his bodyguards was also killed in the attack, in the Hurriyah district on the west bank of the Tigris river.

Iraqi insurgents have repeatedly targeted government officials around the country.

Mr Haidri escaped assassination in a roadside bomb attack in September.

Tuesday's attacks come a day after at least 20 people were killed across the country.

There were at least two suicide car bomb attacks on Baghdad on Monday.

Three Britons and an American were among those killed.

Another suicide car bomb targeted the offices of interim Prime Minister Iyad Allawi, killing another four people.

Source

[Fluffybunny]

I don't know what is more sad; the fact that it happened, or the fact that I wasn't surprised in the slightest when I read the report...

Running for new office in Iraq is pretty much a death wish. I think it is great and honorable that people are still trying to run for office but in all seriousness these guys know that they are signing up for a who lotta trouble.

We will have to see if the election actually happens at the end of the month...

[Mad Manfred]

Whats the point of electing a President? He's just gonna get assassinated...

[bathory]

fighting the good fight aye Manfred?

[<bleeding_heart>]

Whats the point of electing a President? He's just gonna get assassinated...

435801[/snapback]

I would imagine Ghandi considered it a real risk (rightly), Colin Powell decided against running for President incase he was. The US didnt stop having elections after JFK. The Iraqis need to be able to govern themselves as long as the will is there there will be those running for political office.

[Mad Manfred]

I would imagine Ghandi considered it a real risk (rightly), Colin Powell decided against running for President incase he was. The US didnt stop having elections after JFK. The Iraqis need to be able to govern themselves as long as the will is there there will be those running for political office.

True, though I think the only real way to stop the insurgents is to reason with them. Most of them are not Saddam supporters, just everyday folk who want foreingers off their land.

So, sit down, and have a talk...don't tell me it's impossible, country's in Africa have to resort to this aswell.

[bathory]

True, though I think the only real way to stop the insurgents is to reason with them.

bwahaha, reason with them? a man who fills his car with explosives and then detonates it at a crowded checkpoint full of his countryman i very much doubt can be reasoned with

[Mad Manfred]

They're not idiots. Don't underestimate them. They want something, see what it is, and try to negotiate. Skirmishes and attacks like this can carry on for decades.

[bathory]

they want something that isn't feasable, thats a big problem, and even then, it validates terrorist tactics (which is also a big problem), how do you reason with someone who isn't simply defending his homeland, but adhering to a fascist ideology, willing to commit matyrdom for his cause? there is NO way you can reason with him, there is NO way you can compromise, and to do so would at the very least be morally corrupt.

"Hey guys, yes ok if you leave us alone, we'll let you set up little afghanistan, no questions asked"

[zephyr]

There is a union between ex-Baathists living in Jordan ( most of Saddam's relatives are there), and Al-qaeda terrorists coming from other countries ( Saudi Arabia, Yemen, Jordan, etc...) into Iraq. The money is also coming from outside Iraq. Keep the foreign terrorists and their money out of Iraq, and you have no more insurgency.

These terrorists don't care one bit about Iraq and its people, otherwise they wouldn't be destroying Iraq's institutions and murdering its officials. What they really want is to keep America in Iraq for as long as possible and use the occupation as an excuse for their terror actions; their only reason for being. If they really wanted America out, they wouldn't be threatening people at gun point to prevent them from voting and creating their own popular government. If allowed they would also like to set up the most backward regime possible in Iraq, with the Jordanian terrorist Zarghavi as its Emir( appointed by Osama himself). This of course would imply the end of civilization in general and Iraq in particular as we know them. Besides their bombs, creating an atmosphere of mistrust and hatred between Muslim brothers (Shia and Sunnis) in Iraq is one way they are trying to take that country back to the middle ages and exploiting the possibilities which arise from such hatred. Recent assassinations and plots for future assassinations of Shia clerics, blowing up innocent people in a busy market place in a mainly Shia town and hoping for reprisals from the shias, are only a few examples of such somber plans.

However, I have much faith in the wisdom of the Iraqis and am sure these old cheap tricks will only make the faces of the enemies of Iraq more known to its people.