Protecting Neither Facilities nor People

Dahr Jamail and Ali al-Fadhily, Inter Press Service

The Facilities Protection Service (FPS) created after the invasion of Iraq in 2003 has become the principal set of death squads in Iraq, senior leaders say. "The first accomplishment of Paul Bremer (former U.S. administrator in Iraq) in Iraq was dissolving the Iraqi army and all security establishments," a consultant with an Iraqi ministry told IPS on condition of anonymity. "The man was granted the highest decoration by his President for a job well done." The U.S. occupation authorities and the Iraqi leaders working with them set up new army and police forces under supervision of the Multi National Forces (MNF). It was decided that each ministry could establish its own protection force away from the control of the ministries of interior and defence...

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