Attack On Iraqs Central Bank Kills 26

Attack on iraqs central bank kills 26

www.sfgate.com

Insurgents wearing military uniforms stormed Iraq's Central Bank on Sunday in an apparent robbery attempt, battling security forces after bombs exploded nearby in a coordinated attack that killed as many as 26 people.

(visit the link for the full news article)



[edit on 14-6-2010 by HunkaHunka]

This is nuts.... An attack on the central bank of Iraq by armed attackers dressed in military gear...

So is this just a bank robbery? A terrorist attack? Or a targeted attempt to drain the central Bank of Iraq for whatever reason?


I don't have a good idea on this one...

What are your thoughts about this?

www.sfgate.com
(visit the link for the full news article)

reply to post by HunkaHunka


Who claims responsibility?

Second line.

It seems these days no one takes responsibility for the attacks in Iraq.

At least I haven't heard any Al-Qaeda lately.

Maybe because 2 British special forces were caught trying to put a booby car at the market.

I would say it is a combination of all scenarios, give or take a little bit.

It is a bank robbery, but a very high profile one.

It is a terrorist attack, because they used nearby explosions as a diversion. (And tons of people died).

It is an insurgency, because attacking the Central Bank is an attack on the Governmental Authority (It's funding).

The main reason for draining the bank is
#1) To get a lot of easy quick cash.

and

#2) To hurt the "enemy" by depleting their resources, slowly but surely.


The mere fact that this operation was so bloody and sloppy, and that it utilized group tactics and strategy, causes me to place this incident into the "Iraq War" category.

This is essentially a war time tactic of the insurgency.

Who is behind it? I won't worry about that. It could be anyone.

it would appear that the insurgency
in Iraq is wising up.

They're attacking the money chain.

hmmmm

Have they been reading our threads ????

Maybe C(aught) I(n the) A(ct) or Mossad were bit slow paying their local assets so they turned to bank robbing to feed their families after all its hard work to destabilise a government.. Just sad 26 lives lost due to some idiots greed..

reply to post by Expat888


Well there ya go... that's another idea as well...

Now... is this a fluke, or will it become a theme?

This has got to be one of the boldest attacks I have heard about in a long time. It is up there with the attack on the UN Headquarters
Canal Hotel bombing at the start of the insurgency in 2003. The UN eventually pulled out their mission from the country in its entirety.

Another bold attack would have been one I dug into from 2007, and it was a raid by men in military style uniforms on a joint US/Iraqi compound in Karbala. The attackers used US style weapons, ballistic helmets, and even US SUV's used by government officials and contractors. One of the assailants even spoke perfect English to throw off guards and get the group inside the wire. US soldiers were taken out to the middle of nowhere on the outskirts of the city of Karbala and killed execution style.

A murder mystery with the Iraq War as the backdrop

The second attack was not in the media much, but I thought it was one of the most brazen attacks I have seen in the Iraq War. The coordination and planning involved was akin to that of the Special Forces. It is speculated that the Quds Force participated in the attack, and it was response to Coalition Forces detaining Iranian officials in Northern Iraq on suspicions of aiding and abetting the insurgency and being part of the Quds Force.

Perhaps, this attack can be attributed to Iran as well, considering the shaky political environment, Iranian supported Prime Minister Nouri Al Maliki and his party finds itself in with Ayad Allawi's secular Iraqiya Party gaining a majority after the March 2010 Parliamentary elections. Make the attack look like it was organized and carried out by members of the Iraqiya Party? As it stands now, a coalition government has yet to reach fruition between the two sides. Politically motivated killings have ensued since the Parliamentary Elections.

Gunmen in Iraq Kill Politician Aligned With Allawi Coalition

Attackers dressed in military uniforms on Saturday gunned down a politician aligned with the secular coalition that won the most seats in Iraq’s elections in March, the police and relatives said. He was the second candidate from the bloc to be killed in northern Iraq since the vote.

The government is essentially a lame duck as it stands now. In the disruption and disagreements between the two predominant political parties, security is only going to get worse. Criminal and terrorists thrive on periods of crisis and confusion. Moreover, the US has remained largely silent on the escalation in violence amid their departure in 2011. Chances are mischief is being planned behind the highly fortified walls of the Green Zone and in the cozy confines of the United State's "Taj Mahal," the massive US Embassy complex.

This murderous heist can be attributed to anyone? Is the attack politically motivated from within Iraq, a destabilizing tactic by a foreign power, or distaste among elements of the Iraqi military? We will have to wait and see, but this attack was against the largest financial institutions in Iraq is and definitely bold and brazen. Someone was trying to send a message with this one.




[edit on 14-6-2010 by Jakes51]

I was just about to submit this when I found your thread, looks like all the 'Western' sources are pinning this on Al Qaeda while others are claiming it was Sunni militants. Oddly enough, out of 20 assailants, only 7 bodies were recovered, the other 13 assumably vanished into thin air and nothing was stolen.
It is my understanding that the concept of finance is forbidden in traditional islamic beliefs, and I noticed that the news is calling this the latest in a "string of heists targeting banks and jewelers in Iraq" which is pretty interesting when you consider that the 'Axis of Evil'that the Bush Administration was always on about just happens to be the last countries in the world who aren't signatories to the World Bank or the IMF.
The attackers were armed with automatic weapons and dressed in police uniforms which to me suggests a level of expertise on par with intelligence operatives or military training. 13 of these guys vanished into the crowd despite the Bank being surrounded, that sounds pretty hokey to me.

reply to post by twitchy


Thank you for putting that in religious perspective!

I suspect there will be more incidents of this nature along with others aimed at destabilising the infrastructure there. Its got the hallmarks of an organised group with an agenda all over it..

UPDATE!!!!!

As an attack on a central bank can be construed as an attack on the democracy of that country, what does this mean within the context of the recent warning about the potential for dictators to take over Greece and Spain ?

Could a potential movement use this as a tactic in those countries as well???


Is this attack itself indicative of the risk posed to newly founded democracies?

Is it possible that Islamic factions could rise to power in any of these situations?

Of course Islamic Fanaticism could rise to power in the situation listed above. Anytime there is economical turmoil, radicals have used it to their advantage to gather sway with the people. Under optimal circumstances when an economy is good and people are working, they are far less likely to appoint or elect a radical. As I said earlier, this attack was definitely a message from someone or some group. This bank is no doubt central to the recovery of Iraq and its progression into a stable and respected power in the region.

As with any country enduring tough economic times, the people will side with any who claims to right wrongs, put people to work, and put bread on the table. The environment is certainly ripe for a two-bit dictator or radical to assume power in Greece, Spain, or even Iraq. Anywhere there is economic chaos, paralysis of government, or undue influence of foreign powers, it is a perfect environment for tyranny or a dictatorship. We will just have to wait and see? Very good point!

[edit on 15-6-2010 by Jakes51]