Iraqi Soldier Kills Two American Soldiers
An Iraqi soldier, with ties to militant groups, killed two American soldiers on December 26. Three other American soldiers and an interpreter were wounded.
The Iraqi soldier-terrorist struck when “American and Iraqi soldiers were trying to establish a combat outpost in Ninevah province in northern Iraq.” Or, more specifically, in Mosul, when “American and Iraqi troops were in a firefight with gunmen.”
The soldier-terrorist fled the scene but was caught by Iraqi troops.
The victims are Capt. Rowdy Inman and Sgt. Benjamin Portell, both assigned to the 3rd Squadron, 3rd Armored Cavalry Regiment. Both of them were stationed at Fort Hood in Texas.
In good news, Iraqi Prime-Minister Nouri al-Maliki “offered his strongest public support to date for U.S.-backed Sunni Arab groups that have joined the fight against al-Qaida, promising to integrate a ‘large number’ of them in the security forces.”
This is an important step towards national reconciliation, we can only hope that he’ll go ahead and do it and that it’ll work out fine.
He said that “‘[t]hey contributed to security and we will continue to support them in this respect.”
The reconciliation and stabilizing is currently taking place on the local level, but sooner or late it also has to take place on a national level. Incorporating these Sunni militia groups in the security forces is certainly a step in the right direction.
Bush can buy bodies for the supposed Iraqi army among the millions in Iraq who are severely unemployed, but he cannot buy loyalty which this incident proves.