News Analysis Exemplar
Article Title: “Al Qaeda in Iraq calls for help to attack US bases”
Newspaper Name: Jordan Times
Link: http://www.jordantimes.com/fri/news/news1.htm
Summary:
US forces killed the head of Al Qaeda in Iraq, Abu Mussab Zarqawi, in June (2006). Al Qaeda’s new leader in Iraq, Abu Ayyub Masri, called Thursday for explosives experts and nuclear scientists from around the world to join their efforts to attack US bases. He urged them to test biological weapons on enemy forces. Masri claimed that more than 4,000 foreign insurgents have been killed in Iraq since the US-led invasion in 2003, suggesting these individuals had made important sacrifices for their cause.
Masri’s call came amidst increasing violence in Iraq, where more than 60 people were killed in the last few days. The government of Iraq has announced that in an attempt to curb suicide car bombings, it will control traffic access to Baghdad through 28 checkpoints around the city. In addition, US and Iraqi troops are joining forces in going through neighborhoods to look for insurgents.
Analysis:
Despite US efforts to train Iraqi troops and slow the violence in Iraq, reports of suicide bombings and civilian casualties continue to climb. Iraq seems to be moving closer and closer to a civil war. It must be difficult for the Iraqi people to feel safe as they travel around their communities, worrying about bombings and sectarian violence. Perhaps they do not even feel safe in their homes, since this article mentions that troops will be searching neighborhoods for insurgents. Since insurgents and militia groups blend in with the civilian population, I imagine that no one feels safe. This situation is challenging for US and Iraqi troops, too, since they are charged with ending violence but do not always have a clear idea of who their enemy is.
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I feel that more responsibility should be given to the Iraqi people and police forces to bring safety because more foreign influence is the last thing a country on the brink of civil war needs. As for searching of Iraqis homes, I feel it should be done with as much courtesy and to cause as little damage as possible when searching homes ’cause not all the Iraqi citizens are involved in insurgency.