Docotrs on strike in Baghdad.
Topic: Iraq

In a further sign of progress in Iraq the AP reported yesterday that “Iraqis have begun barricading themselves in their homes and forming neighborhood militias in an effort to fend off relentless suicide attacks.” The plans of the interior and defense ministries to impose security in Iraq have failed, " Khudair al-Khuzai told his colleagues in the Iraqi parliament yesterday. "We need to bring back popular militias." A member of the main Shiite bloc, Sheikh Jalal-el-din al-Sagheer, was quoted in the story by Luke Baker as saying, "The multinational forces have to take responsibility for the bloodshed.” What planet is this guy living on?

In another sign that things are going in the right direction Reuters reports "More than two dozen doctors walked out of one of Baghdad's busiest hospitals on Tuesday to protest what they said was abuse by Iraqi soldiers, leaving about 100 patients to fend for themselves in chaotic wards." The trouble apparently started when Iraqi security forces barged into Yarmouk hospital's woman's wing and started looking around. The news piece says that, "some say the country's new security forces are too aggressive, randomly rounding up suspects and abusing them during detentions." Imagine that! However, "the government says security forces are under strict orders to respect human rights." Whew! For a minute there I thought we might have a problem.