Insecurity in rebel bastion of Ramadi threatens elections

[maddezmom]

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"Right now there is no police force," said Lieutenant Colonel Justin Gubler, who commands the US battalion in charge of security in half of the city.


As for the national guard, stationed a few hundred metres (yards) away, "they don't venture much outside. Actually they only secure the perimeter around their compound," Gubler said.


The mere presence of US soldiers, who are not supposed to surpervise the elections in any way, also attracts rebels from far and wide.


Rather than be accused of collaborating and become rebel targets, Ramadi's police threw in the towel when interim Prime Minister Iyad Allawi in early November declared a state of emergency in Al-Anbar province, of which the city is the capital, ahead of a US-led assault on the nearby rebel bastion of Fallujah.


The national guards stay off the the streets for the same reason.


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more: http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&cid=1515&ncid=1515&e=10&u=/afp/20041209/wl_mideast_afp/iraqvoteramadi_041209185906