Thread: Kirkuk

I use to move up the MSR and ASR through Kirkuk to Hawijah and this place was usually considered safe.

Article posted

Iraq hit with wave of deadly attacks as insurgents target government, police in wake of US drawdown

A wave of deadly attacks across Iraq left more than 30 dead and dozens wounded on Wednesday, less than a week after U.S. troops reduced its presence in the war-torn nation.
Local government buildings and police were the main targets of the attacks.
A police station in northern Baghdad was the site of the deadliest attack — a suicide bomber exploded his car in the parking lot, killing 15 people, including six cops, officials said. Nearly 60 people were reported wounded.
Eight more police officers died in a suicide bombing in Kut, southeast of Baghdad, when a car bomb blew up next to the local council building.
Officials said two Iraqi soldiers were also killed — one in Baghdad, the other in Fallujah — in smaller attacks.
Bombings also occurred in Kirkuk, Basra, Ramadi and Karbala.
No group has claimed responsibility for the violence, but with American forces now below 50,000 in Iraq, insurgents are eager to test the country's own security forces.
Earlier this month, Iraq's army chief of staff said Iraq's forces won't be able to defend the country by itself until 2020. The U.S. plans to remove all military personnel by the end of 2011.
However, Gen. Ray Odierno said the U.S. could stay longer if Iraq asked for "technical assistance" in protecting the country.
Odierno, the top American commander in Iraq, also said it would take a "complete failure" on the part of Iraqi forces for the U.S. military to return to combat operations.
Since the U.S. invasion of Iraq in 2003 and the overthrow of Saddam Hussein, sectarian fighting between Sunnis and Shiites and political gridlock has plagued the country.
salfano@nydailynews.com

Read more: Iraq hit with wave of deadly attacks as insurgents target government, police in wake of US drawdown

Downside to telling your enemies, ya plan to leave especially when your local guys are not fully secure... anyhoo, Im sure there will be initiatives to sort it out... there always is...