Here's what Iraqis in Babil Province think of their terrorist enemy:
Nearly 1,100 Iraqis converged on a police recruiting center south of Baghdad on Jan. 13 to compete for 100 jobs at police stations throughout northern Babil Province. The large turnout came as a pleasant surprise to the 24th Marine Expeditionary Unit, which teamed with local police chiefs to build the local police force. A recruiting call is conducted about once a month and the number of applicants is usually just enough to meet the need.Marines attribute the surge to increased interest of prominent area sheiks in assuming a greater security and stability role within the province. ...Insurgents have in recent months targeted the fledgling Iraqi Security Forces. In northern Babil, insurgents scored a string of successes last summer before the 24th MEU, which arrived in July, helped Iraqi forces turn things around.
As part of my monthly service as a civil service commissioner for my city I've overseen one police and one fire entry level exam, and for an infant democracy beset by murderous dead-enders and invaders, eleven-to-one is a fine proportion of applicants to positions.
In Baghdad, three hundred more from across the country lined up to keep their streets safe. Day after day, fear is failing.