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| Iraq |
| Iraqis Take Over Policing in Fallujah |
| 2003-07-12 |
| FALLUJAH, Iraq (AP) - U.S troops are handing Iraqi police responsibility for patrolling and keeping order in the restive city of Fallujah, where American forces have come under increasing attack from Saddam Hussein loyalists, the military announced Saturday. Graduated some police cadets, did we? The transfer of power came as the U.S.-led coalition was in the ``final stages’’ of setting up a governing council, which would be the first national Iraqi political body since Saddam’s fall, a senior Western diplomat told The Associated Press. The council planned to hold a final organizational meeting Sunday and could be announced then if there are no last minute snags, the diplomat said. Also Saturday, former New York police commissioner Bernard Kerik, now overseeing Iraq’s Interior Ministry, issued an appeal to former Iraqi police officers dismissed on political grounds in the last 10 years, to apply for reinstatement. He said those under 45 years of age should apply at police stations from Aug. 15 to Nov. 1. U.S. forces have been training Iraqi police in towns and cities across the country, with an eye to eventually giving them responsibility for security. Fallujah is becoming one of the first postwar cities to see the handover - apparently in the belief that a reduced American presence will mean less anti-American sentiment. Just as long as everyone knows that we can always come back. Fallujah, where U.S. soldiers killed 20 protesters in late April, has been a center of resistance to the occupation. The U.S.-appointed mayor and Iraqi police requested the handover, saying it would help reduce ambushes and shootings against Americans and prevent police from getting caught in the crossfire. The U.S.-led coalition said in a statement that the transfer began Friday. Iraqi police will ``patrol the streets themselves instead of jointly with military police,’’ though the military would keep a rapid reaction team on call to help if needed, the statement said. The 3rd Infantry Division will remain in the city, it said. Soldiers on Friday left the mayor’s office and the main police station, where they had been posted since seizing the city in April, mayor Taha Bedewi said. The U.S. statement said American military police will keep ``liaison offices’’ at the two locations. American troops have been attacked daily in shootings and bombings across central Iraq, a region known as the Let the Iraqi police handle the day to day crime, and let our boys work on taking out the truculant Ba’athists. |
| Posted by:Steve White |
| #2 Fallujah is becoming one of the first postwar cities to see the handover - apparently in the belief that a reduced American presence will mean less anti-American sentiment. It would be wise to stick to a reasonable timetable, and not try to speed things up in an effort to reduce anti-American sentiment, which would likely be perceived as weakness. Whatever time it takes to get them on the right road should be taken fully, and not trimmed down in some dubious attempt to appease some of the population. |
| Posted by: Bomb-a-rama 2003-7-12 5:51:45 PM |
| #1 Great - ITs about time the Iraqis took charge of their own problems. I agree we should be on the perimeter in cabe the Baathists try something - but day to day police work should be the Iraqis. |
| Posted by: Fiddler 2003-7-12 2:45:44 PM |