"What did we do to deserve this?" (Cooperative Iraqis become targets)

[kskiska]

(snip)

To those fighting the U.S. presence in Iraq -- loyalists of former president Saddam Hussein, religious extremists, foreign terrorists -- Iraqis cooperating with the U.S.-led occupation have become the new target of choice. From police officers to Governing Council members, they are regarded by opponents of the occupation as collaborators -- and as much easier prey than U.S. soldiers and civilian reconstruction workers, whose compounds are now encircled with tall concrete barricades, dirt-filled barriers and miles of razor wire.

"They are targeting the new leadership of Iraq because they can't get to the Americans, because the Americans are very well protected," Rubaie said an hour after the explosion, as he sat in a windowless room, his arm in a sling.

(snip)

Sunday's car bombing of the Baghdad Hotel -- home to five Governing Council members and several cabinet ministers -- was the latest in a series of attacks on Iraqis who are working with the occupation authority. Vehicles packed with explosives have been detonated outside two Baghdad police stations, including an attack on Thursday that killed eight people. The leader of Iraq's largest Shiite Muslim political party was assassinated in August outside the country's holiest Shiite shrine by a massive car bomb that killed more than 80 other people. And last month, one of Rubaie's colleagues on the Governing Council, Akila Hashimi, was gunned down as she drove to work.

For Rubaie and other Iraqis who want to build a democratic nation with American assistance, the challenge they face is not only one of new constitutions and elections, but also protecting themselves without isolating themselves from the rest of the country.

more…
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A17508-2003Oct12.html

[Dan]

1. In the old days,

they used to call it collaboration with the enemy. What did they expect, their country is occupied by a foreign power.

[TolstoyAndy]

2. Sad but true, Vichy scum deserve it

It's one thing (quite logical and commendable) to hate Saddam,
but it's quite another to support the incompetent evil invader, who will do much more harm in less time than Saddam ever did.

When someone invades your country, especially on a basis of lies, that country's people are entitled to fight until they can't fight no more. Wouldn't we do the same?

Bring them home today.