year of the police?

Senior US officials have said 2006 in Iraq is supposed to be the "year of the police," when our guys will help Iraqi cops become professional and all that. Too bad so many Iraqi cops are being blown up, this time by two guys who got into the Interior Ministry headquarters, a secure area rendered extra secure because of the presence of many VIPs, including the American ambassador. They had badges and some sort of permission to enter, but fortunately for the VIPs were stopped well short. Not so fortunate for the 29 Iraqis who died.

It struck me how in this article various Iraqi police who were present and survived the bombing asked not to be identified -- they don't want to be targetted by the insurgents. Anonymity -- yet another reason if you're an Iraqi cop to remember the old Timbuk3, "the future's so bright, I gotta wear shades." Keep those shades on, your hat pulled low, and tell the wife you're delivering pizza or something, but don't let anybody know you're a cop, or you're future will be bright -- briefly, in the flash of an explosion or gunshot.

Can't wait for the final victory in Iraq, sure it'll be here reeeeeallll sooooon. The future is so, so very bright.