美国撤出伊拉克 有人欢喜有人忧

Even to Iraqis, harden from seeing so much death and destruction in their country over the years. News of Wednesday's nationwide mayhem is deeply troubling. Over sixty people were killed and hundreds wounded in coordinated attacks on Iraqi security forces.

The attacks come at a sensitive time--less than a week before the U.S. formally ends its combat operations in Iraq and five months after an inconclusive election left the country in political uncertainty.Here in Baghdad where at least two bomb attacks took place, one resident said the political vacuum was more problematic than the withdrawl of U.S. troops.

"Despite the drawdown of U.S. troops, we have confidence in Iraqi security forces to ensure security. We call on the government to speed up the formation of government and we believe that the blast's aimed to hamper the formation of the government and abort the political process. "

Elsewhere in Falluja, home to some of the fiercest battles of the Iraq war, there was a mixed reaction to the impending U.S. withdrawl in light of the current security situation. Some fear that the void left by the U.S. forces will be filled by Iran.

Assistant professor of Islamic law in Falluja city Haradh Ahmad Salah:

" Iraqis are not ready now.The Iraqi police and military forces are not ready and can not defend themselves. They don't have the strength or the power. So when America withdraws now, most of the neighboring countries are ready to take a piece of this cake. Every country will take a piece!"Seven and a half years on from the beginning of the war, U.S. troop levels have been cut to under 50,000, down from a peak of around 170,000 three years ago. Whether or not they want U.S. forces to go, Iraqis everywhere will be hoping that the withdrawl does not spur more violence.

Simon Hanna, Reuters.