Its All About Tribe Retaliation

This from sucessive links starting with BuzzFlash. The link is a courtesy. I pasted the whole story.

Gunmen abducted Iraq's deputy electricity minister and 19 bodyguards after ambushing their convoy in eastern Baghdad on Tuesday, police and Interior Ministry sources said.

Deputy Minister Raad al-Harith was traveling in a convoy near Baghdad's Shiite Sadr City district when gunmen in up to seven vehicles wearing military uniforms blocked their way and kidnapped them, police said.

The Electricity Ministry said it could not confirm the report, but an official said Harith had not arrived for work. Police said the abduction took place at 7.30 a.m. (0330 GMT).

It comes three days after gunmen kidnapped Sunni legislator Taiseer Najah al-Mashhadani and seven of her bodyguards in a northern district bordering Sadr City.

Sunni lawmakers have boycotted the last two sessions of parliament, refusing to return until she is released. Some Sunni leaders have blamed the kidnapping on Shi'ite militias.

Two things come to mind. Why is it usually two?

1. Things are really improving. Yeah, right Cheney.

2. This is what will happen if we remove our troops, but its happening with our troops there. Why are we staying? The Iraqis have to work this out for themselves. US presence isn't gonna change that.

Hah! Came up with a third thought.

3. Why bother with body guards? If 19 can't protect you there really seems no point in having any.