Blogger and Reporter Steven Vincent Murdered in Iraq
The National Review reports that blogger and journalist Steven Vincent was murdered in Iraq when he and his Iraqi translator, Nour Weidi, were kidnapped. Vincent was later found dead from multiple gun shot wounds and Nour was found seriously injured. Vincent traveled Basra, in Southern Iraq, and as one can see from his blog, In the Red Zone, he gave a different and unique perspective on the war. In a recent New York Timesarticle Vincent explained how Basra is not becoming a place of "freedom" but instead is being controlled by Islamic religious extremists.
Meanwhile, the British stand above the growing turmoil, refusing to challenge the Islamists' claim on the hearts and minds of police officers. This detachment angers many Basrans. "The British know what's happening but they are asleep, pretending they can simply establish security and leave behind democracy," said the police lieutenant who had told me of the assassinations. "Before such a government takes root here, we must experience a transformation of our minds."
In other words, real security reform requires psychological as well as physical training. Unless the British include in their security sector reform strategy some basic lessons in democratic principles, Basra risks falling further under the sway of Islamic extremists and their Western-trained police enforcers.
More discussion about Steven Vincent can be found here on the Mudville Gazette and here on blog searches. In addition to his blog, Vincent also wrote a book called In the Red Zone
