Hi,

I am glad Ziad ( Healing Iraq) is back. I was getting worried about him. The incident of the murder of the lady pharmacist and the doctor is well known and has shocked people around here. These killers come from the murderous Latifiya, Yusifiya, Mahmoudiya triangle - very well known haven of criminals and thugs of the Baathist regime and various assortments of their fellow travelers, and the center from which much of the kidnapping, murders and beheadings are launched, and precisely where the American and British victims were kept and murdered lately; a security force which is really in control would not have much difficulty in finding the perpetrators in this location, which is not particularly heavily populated. The government is trying to tackle this area. Unfortunately, the defenseless people are still very vulnerable and the murderers are more or less free to terrorize at their will. As I have said before, repeatedly, there is still not the kind of security grip which could tip the balance of intimidation the other way round. Somehow I feel that massive military action is not sufficient alone to tackle the situation, although admittedly, it may be unavoidable at times. I am sure the government is trying its best, though, and is struggling in very difficult circumstances. What is needed is not just simple police but a kind of rapid intervention groups able to deal with kidnappers and terrorists on the spot; also permanent security presence and grip in residential areas both in urban as well as provincial regions; easier said than done, admittedly though. And so in the final analysis, it is clear that the growth and strengthening of Iraqi security forces will be the key to a real change in the situation eventually, and until that happens the support of the MNF is essential to avert real disaster.