Psyche, Science, and Society

Abduction and release in Iraq

November 16th, 2006

The San Francisco Chronicle has a very interesting article on the attack on and abductions from the Education Ministry on Tuesday. They attribute the attack to the Mehdi Army, but also see them as part of a larger proxy war between the U.S. and Iran:

But on another level, Bokhari said, Tuesday’s attack can be seen as part of what Stratfor has argued is a kind of proxy battle between the United States and Iran, waged in Iraq, in which Iran uses its influence to increase or decrease violence in an effort to force America to come to terms with Iran.

“The Iranians need to let the United States know … if you don’t cut a deal with us in Iraq, this place is going down the tubes, and you’re in the middle of it,” he said.

They report that most of those abducted have been release by police raids. Interesting how there is no mention of perpetrators being arrested. Seems strange. If one raids a number of different locations and frees many hostages, one must know who did it. How else would the police know where to raid, especially when it apparently involved multiple locations?

Could this be because the “police raids” actually consisted of orders to the troops to let the hostages go?

In any case, as a result of this episode, more Iraqi academics and other professionals will join the thousands into exile. The country will have less ability to recover and rebuild as so much precious expertise flees. The long-term fate of Iraq will be that much worse.

UPDATE:

Reuters provides an update on the hostage situation. The Minister of Higher Education, a Sunni, says that about half of 150 hostages have been released, many after being tortured. He also stated that a number of the hostages were killed.

The Prime Minister, in contrast, stated that the vast majority of about 40 hostages have been freed. Even basic facts, such as the number of hostages freed, are in dispute in this “coalition” Iraqi “government.”

The Higher Ed Minister is boycotting the government in protest of its inaction.

Entry Filed under: Iraq, Middle East, War and Peace