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Iraq-Jordan
Cars to be restricted for Iraqi elections
2005-01-16
In an apparent bid to head off car bombings on election day, Iraqi authorities will restrict the use of automobiles throughout the country and will place security cordons around polling stations, a Cabinet minister said Saturday.
Good idea. They do have a tendency to explode...
Provincial Affairs minister Waeil Abdel-Latif also pledged that the government of Prime Minister Ayad Allawi would provide adequate security for voters on Jan. 30, but he acknowledged that the security situation in four of the country's 18 provinces was unstable. Iraqi security forces, he said, will shoulder the prime responsibility for security on election day. But the U.S.-led multinational force will provide support if asked, Abdel-Latif said. "The government is determined to make available facilities and security guarantees to ensure the success of the election," he said at a joint news conference with the head of Iraq's electoral commission, Abdul-Hussein Hendawi. Abdel-Latif gave no details on how cars would be restricted, but security sources have said authorities are considering banning the use of private vehicles Jan. 29-31. Vehicles used by security forces would carry special identity markings.
Posted by:Dan Darling

#3  No more drive-ins.
Posted by: Captain America   2005-01-16 5:23:54 PM  

#2  This war has made it pretty clear that one of the first tasks after invasion needs to be the controlling of vehicles. Essentially we should bring the DMV with us and eliminate all vehicle traffic until all vehicles are re-registered. The enemy has used vehicles as mines (roadside bombs), smart bombs (suicide car attacks), transport (attacking from falluja into Baghdad), and recon. The wide availability of automobiles appears to me to be the new element compared to past wars and controlling this element I believe is key (does anybody believe that saddam allowed all these unregistered vehicles??)

I would essentially #1: Eliminate all vehicle traffic up front. #2: Capture and/or bring in civilian buses and setup public transport were needed. #3: establish DMV style org, Impound lot, and recovery companies. Use Iraq's and put them back to work doing this. #4: Start re-registering vehicles, allowing only registered vehicles back on the road. #5: impound all un-registered vehicles found on the road, including destroying vehicles if need be to make a point. #6: No vehicles to be left on the side of Military Routes unattended. If they are they will be destroyed. If you must leave the vehicle you had better move it way off the road. #7: if costs allow perhaps add low-jack to all vehicles as they are re-registered. This could be done in the beginning and would assist in tracking of vehicles at checkpoints. #8: All auto-theft needs to be immediatly reported in light of #9: Very heavy punishment if your vehicle is used in attack.

Just a few ideas
Posted by: Patrick   2005-01-16 11:51:16 AM  

#1  Good idea. "They do have a tendency to explode..."

It's a Muslim Motors problem. Since there is no Consumer Protection Agency in Islam and Shari'a "Law" seems ambivalent on the issue, the recall effort has been voluntary - and most would agree - a failure. Is it due to Fuel leaks? The Electrical system? Or these in combination with Extremely Unsafe Cargo? One can only guess. CSI Islam has yet to be created, as well.
Posted by: .com   2005-01-16 2:53:30 AM  

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