My intention was to write this post yesterday but I was dragged out to see Sucker Punch so I didn't get around to it, and I've been in Casualty Assitance/Casualty Notification training the past couple of days so I am not sitting in an office bored out of my mind and able to blog at work.
Anyway, on Tuesday in Iraq there was an attack against the Salah al Din provincial council meeting which left at least 53 dead. The attack started with a grenade attack against a checkpoint outside the government building and the proceeded with gunmen charging into the building. Suicide bombers detonated inside and the gunmen then killed as many people as they could. Most people appear to be blaming Al Qaida in Iraq for the attack although the group has yet to take responsibility...and this attack seems to be extremely coordinated for that organization.
I have very little knowledge of the tribal, political, or insurgent dynamics of Salah al Din province having been only in that area to go to LSA Anaconda outside of Balad in 2004 and again in 2010 so I'm not exactly the best person to comment on this attack, but hell, like I've said before, it's my blog and that's what I'm here for. If I had to guess, I would say that AQI is most likely responsible for this attack, but they had to have had help. Planning would have taken weeks if not months and somebody would likely have passed off information to either US forces (who are stretched very thin these days) or to Iraqi security forces. My thoughts are that either the individuals who pulled this off had help from a local tribe or government/security forces protecting Tikrit. I wouldn't even rule out JRTN in this attack although they do not usually use suicide bombers (and by "do not usually" I mean "never") and I would expect this attack from then more closer to when US forces are leaving.
Attacks of this nature are going to occur again in Iraq. This article in Foreign Affairs discusses the issue. Unfortunately the link is too a premium article meaning you have to be a subscriber to read the entire thing (boo). It is essentially about how the US needs to be very careful of not pulling out of Iraq too quickly because Iraq is a very new democracy and violence is very likely to occur from those groups and individuals who perceive that they are disenfranchised or that the government is ignoring them. AQI will get the blame, but there are other factors that need to be considered. Emma Sky, a civilian aide/advisor for both generals Petraeus and Odierno, wrote the article so she knows what she is talking about.
I had the honor of actually meeting and briefing Ms. Sky twice in Iraq. Actually I was briefing General Odierno but that's hardly the point. My respect for Ms. Sky is enormous and I was giddy as a little school girl when I met her.
Anyway, on Tuesday in Iraq there was an attack against the Salah al Din provincial council meeting which left at least 53 dead. The attack started with a grenade attack against a checkpoint outside the government building and the proceeded with gunmen charging into the building. Suicide bombers detonated inside and the gunmen then killed as many people as they could. Most people appear to be blaming Al Qaida in Iraq for the attack although the group has yet to take responsibility...and this attack seems to be extremely coordinated for that organization.
I have very little knowledge of the tribal, political, or insurgent dynamics of Salah al Din province having been only in that area to go to LSA Anaconda outside of Balad in 2004 and again in 2010 so I'm not exactly the best person to comment on this attack, but hell, like I've said before, it's my blog and that's what I'm here for. If I had to guess, I would say that AQI is most likely responsible for this attack, but they had to have had help. Planning would have taken weeks if not months and somebody would likely have passed off information to either US forces (who are stretched very thin these days) or to Iraqi security forces. My thoughts are that either the individuals who pulled this off had help from a local tribe or government/security forces protecting Tikrit. I wouldn't even rule out JRTN in this attack although they do not usually use suicide bombers (and by "do not usually" I mean "never") and I would expect this attack from then more closer to when US forces are leaving.
Attacks of this nature are going to occur again in Iraq. This article in Foreign Affairs discusses the issue. Unfortunately the link is too a premium article meaning you have to be a subscriber to read the entire thing (boo). It is essentially about how the US needs to be very careful of not pulling out of Iraq too quickly because Iraq is a very new democracy and violence is very likely to occur from those groups and individuals who perceive that they are disenfranchised or that the government is ignoring them. AQI will get the blame, but there are other factors that need to be considered. Emma Sky, a civilian aide/advisor for both generals Petraeus and Odierno, wrote the article so she knows what she is talking about.
I had the honor of actually meeting and briefing Ms. Sky twice in Iraq. Actually I was briefing General Odierno but that's hardly the point. My respect for Ms. Sky is enormous and I was giddy as a little school girl when I met her.
I heart you...
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