Yep, we're making progress all right. Iraq is on the road to becoming a peaceful liberal neo-conservative democracy oligarchy. Of course, they'll be a few bumps in the road like the most recent incident, but it's really nothing to worry about and it isn't a sign that Iraq is spiraling into chaos or that the Iraqi Army is compromised or anything like that. CNN reports that a top Iraqi general was killed in a ambush outside of Baghdad.

Maj. Gen. Mubdar Hatim was the commander of the Iraqi army's 6th Division, which had taken over responsibility for security in portions of Baghdad over the past several months.

But don't worry, the security situation in Baghdad won't change all that much. I mean there might be a few extra car bombs, a few more attacks on mosques, a few more kidnappings, etc. but nothing the average person would notice in all the chaos that is Iraq. Anyway, I'm sure the 6th Division's morale is sky high and they're just itching to stand up to the terrorists.

UpdateVia Needlenose comes this Reuters report. It's troubling.

The general was wearing body armour, the ministry official said. He opened the door of his four-wheel drive vehicle and a single bullet struck his head as he was putting on his helmet.

It appears that this was an inside job targeting the general, who just happens to be a Sunni. The Reuters report notes that the general was in the area "to investigate a gun battle." Sounds like someone set him up. If this is right, then the situation in Iraq is going from bad to worse, but don't worry there isn't a civil war in Iraq nor does it mean that the "dead-enders" are getting stronger.
posted by Idle Crank at 3/06/2006 11:05:00 PM