In the wake of last week’s deadly truck-bomb blasts outside Baghdad’s finance and foreign ministry buildings, Iraq’s government is publicizing what it says is the confession of a planner of one of those attacks.
Iraqi television carried the confession of Wisam Ali Khazim Ibrahim, 57, a Sunni who says he’s a former Baath Party member and police officer.
What’s striking about Ibrahim’s confession is that he said the bomb-carrying trucks got past checkpoints in place to protect the government buildings by paying $10,000 in bribes.
Having killed 101 or more people, injuring hundreds more, the attacks are a major embarrassment to Iraq’s government, which is now responsible for most of the country’s security.
If Ibrahim’s confession is true, it’s clear that Iraqi security personnel can’t be trusted. The loyalty of some or all of them to their country and countrymen is for sale to those who want to kill and maim innocent people, and bring down the government.
That brings into question whether the government is anywhere near capable of uniting the country, ensuring security and rebuilding the economy.
But is the confession legitimate? Was it obtained through torture? Does the government of Nouri al-Maliki believe that by quickly delivering a televised confession that it’s demonstrating competence?
If the government does believe that, it’s overlooking the impression left with people looking to it for order and protection. For if Iraq can’t recruit, train and deploy loyal, honest security guards near its key buildings, why should people trust it to provide security for their streets, schools, homes, mosques and businesses?
Whether or not the confession is true, regardless of whether it was obtained through torture, this incident speaks badly of the Maliki government’s ability to handle the nuts-and-bolts job of governing and providing basic security.
Bribery and corruption? Press conferences dishing out blame? Maybe we have imported more of our democratic goings on than we realize.
I don’t the sectarian violence coming to an end, when two peoples hate each other that much, it becomes very personal.
I have no solutions to the Iraqi mess. Incidents like this just confirm that we shouldn’t have invaded Iraq. As bad as Saddam Hussein was, I don’t see any improvement since we “liberated” Iraq.
Holte, yes, and the sectarian violence feeds on itself, becomes ingrained and carries on for generations. Which brings me to . . .
Tom, as evil as Saddam was, he was smart and sensible enough to keep his regime and Iraq’s public affairs largely secular. That helped keep the lid on long held Sunni-Shiite enmity. Ignorant of all that, Bush and his merry band of crackpot crusaders opened the floodgates of pent up anger, grudges and mistrust. Hence, the ongoing bloodbath. Wherever he is, I’m sure Saddam is having the last laugh.
I dunno. I really don’t. I fully expect this country to fall under another dictator soon. Saddam was no angel, but he wasn’t quite as dangerous as some. I know that’s not saying much, but at least with him, you knew what you had.
The old Yugoslavia is a good example, Tito keep all the Serbs, Croats, Bosnians etc.,, in check, when he died and Yugoslavia split into separate states. Trouble, all the ancient hatreds between Muslims, Catholics and Orthodox Christians burst into flames.
In other words, they’re more like America than they were yesterday.
Am I alone in thinking that $10,000 doesn’t seem like a lot for an opportunity to cause that much carnage? Somebody must really hate the government or…must really, Really, REALLY need the hard currency.
Bee, at least with Saddam, we had the Iraq problem boxed in and under close surveillance. Bush put the slats to that, literally kicking a beehive; the worst thing he could’ve done.
Holte, Tito is an excellent parallel for Saddam. Except no one was stupid enough to depose Tito.
Come on, Randal. We Americans have got our differences, but they’re not that bad.
Kvatch, I think if you’re an Iraqi private or corporal, or police officer, a few thousand in fast cash is a lot of money. As for somebody really hating the government, I’m sure it’s a lot of somebodies. Al qaeda in Iraq, the Sunnis/Baathists and foreign jihadists lead the list.
Considering the unemployment rate is 18% and the average salary is $4000 per year. $10,000 would be a lot of money.
Demeur, thanks for adding stats. Even considering those things, it’s disgusting that some Iraqis were so willing to take money for what they had to know would mean death for their countrymen — people they were supposed to protect. I don’t see how Iraq has a future as a nation when it can’t depend on its soldiers and police for loyalty and basic human decency.