In a truly depressing way, the violence that has engulfed Iraq since the liberation has not relented in any way with a new government and the Zarqawi capture. Few predicted it would, but the fact that it is now at near-record levels is not encouraging. In Basra, the trained police force has divided into rival tribal camps and are busy murdering each other. The prison system is completely infiltrated by Shiite death squads. And the trademark Jihadist suicide bombings of mosques – yes, mosques – continued yesterday with an event we have become used to but nevertheless bears restatement in an excellent report by Sabrina Tavernese:
By the guards’ account, the bomber brought the explosives into the mosque in his shoes. Guards became suspicious when one of them noticed a pair of thick-soled sandals in an odd place, felt that they were heavy, and found explosives inside when he tore them apart. A search of the mosque ensued, and another pair was found in a bathroom. They had been torn open.
The guards began moving through the crowd, frisking worshipers, looking for at least two bombers, said Ali Muhammad, 29, who also works as a bodyguard for Sheik Sagheer. They did not dare to make an announcement for fear of forcing the hand of the bombers…
As they searched, a man who was kneeling in the center of the room blew himself up, spewing shrapnel into the crowd, according to the guards’ account… By late afternoon, workers in rubber boots had begun cleaning the floor with squeegees. The red rugs that had absorbed the blood had been taken away. The room smelled like a butcher shop. Some workers wore masks.
Mr. Muhammad said he was bracing himself for more killing, despite Mr. Zarqawi’s death. "There are still some people, I feel sorry to say this, Iraqis, who cooperate," he said. "Iraqis who enjoyed their lives under Saddam Hussein and treated others like servants."
A mosque turned into a butcher shop. And we are the infidels?
The Dish 