Militants Kill One, Injure 3 in Baghdad

[plasticsundance]

Militants ambushed a convoy carrying Iraq's deputy interior minister Tuesday, killing a bodyguard and wounding the deputy's son and two other people, an official in the ministry said.

Deputy Interior Minister Gen. Tariq al-Baldawi escaped unhurt after gunmen in two cars opened fire on his convoy in Baghdad's western Adel neighborhood, said the official, who declined to be identified for fear of reprisals.

In the northeastern city of Kirkuk, gunmen wounded two members of a police patrol late Monday, police Brig. Sarhad Qader said. On its Web site, the militant group Ansar al-Sunnah Army claimed responsibility for machine-gun fire attacks on three Iraqi police cars in Kirkuk Monday evening.

Militants Kill One, Injure 3 in Baghdad

I am noticing that the Iraqi resistance is spending more effort on targeting those associated with the new Iraqi government. We're already well aware of the attacks on the Iraqi police, but an uptick in attacks on Iraqi soldiers increased as witnessed by the two major bombings last week.

I believe the Iraqi resistance have been embolden by the Iraqi people already feeling disenfranchised by the new Iraqi government and the hundreds of thousands of Iraqis that came out into the street to protest the US occupation. This looming problem is evidenced in Rumsfeld is now warning the newly elected Iraqi government about becoming entangled in corruption and disputes.

At risk of stating the obvious, something appears out of control, and another problem simmering.

[bemildred]

1. It's Spring.

Early Spring.

[saigon68]

2. 'BRING EM ON" shouted the AWOL CHIMPANZEE

"All your BASE, are belong to US", he continued.


"We will kill all non loyal Islamics", he further stated.

[bemildred]

6. Indeed, "IT'S WORTH IT!".

:puke:

[Teaser]

4. Has weather been a factor

for the insurgency, you think?

[bemildred]

5. Yes, from the beginning, and for the US forces too.

And sand and sandstorms and the like.

All guerillas should be expected to use their knowledge
of local conditions to their advantage.

I've said elsewhere I expect a Spring offensive, maybe going
into early Summer. We'll see what materializes. It's all
speculation of course.

[Teaser]

3. Yes, Iraqi security forces are increasingly targeted.

Primarily because US forces are staying holed up in their bases. We've abandoned almost the entirety of Western Iraq to the insurgents, for example:

link

If we take the claims in the story at face value (not a given with the British press, particularly The Independent) then we gave up on Iraq months ago and are just looking to "declare victory and go home."

ON EDIT: How many times am I going to screw up a link because DU uses the stupid "Square bracket" convention for html?