UK Troops Detain Basra Policemen

British troops, in an apparent attempt to quash corruption and police collaboration with terrorists, have arrested 12 people in Basra, including 3 police officers. The others in the group of detained persons are said to members of Moqtada Sadr's militia. This comes only a couple of weeks after the incident in which 2 UK Special Forces soldiers were detained by local police and handed over to local militia before being freed in a dramatic rescue by the British Army.



Interesting developement this. Whilst elements of Iraqs police and Army have been known for a long time to be working with the insurgents and at other times refusing to engage them in combat, this is the first time that a significant effort has been made to try and root out those responsible.

I believe, regardless of whatever feelings I have about the war in the first place, that we now have a resonsibility to ensure that Iraq is a stable place. Part of that responsibility is ensuring the rule of law and that members of forces that are supposed to working for the security of the people are not in cahoots with those that are killing them at the same time.

Wether this will be the start of a reforming of the IPS and Iraqi Army or wether elements will start to be more open in their support of the insurgency, only time will tell, but it is most certainly a testing time for all and will be watched with anticipation, especially the reaction from the Iraqi public and the Mahdi Army in response to these arrests.



[edit on 7/10/05 by stumason]

[edit on 10/12/05 by FredT]

Considering how many people commented on the detainment of the British Troops and some even went as far as claiming that the whole "IPS/Militia" collaboration was a cover for UK troops to plant bombs, this thread is pretty quiet.....

This is disturbing. I thought the British Troops being busted out of jail after the allegations lodged against them by Iraqi police officers was bad...this is worse.