Iraq vice-president's sister killed

In a further indication that literally no-one is safe in Iraq these days, comes the news that the sister of the Vice President, Tariq al-Hashemi, has been killed in a drive by shooting.

This follows the killing of one of Mr Hashemi's brothers in April.

According to Iraqi police Ms Hashemi had just left her house in a southern suburb of the capital and was being driven to work when the attack occurred.

Gunmen in another car fired a hail of bullets at her car, killing both her and her bodyguard Saad Ali, then sped off, police say. Ms Hashemi was the head of the women's affairs department in the Iraqi Islamic Party, the biggest Sunni Muslim political faction, which is headed by her brother.

Another brother, Mahmoud, was also shot dead whilst driving in the city just two weeks ago. Two days after that, the brother of another top Sunni politician, Saleh al-Mutlak, was abducted and killed.

At a time when Bush is attempting to run the story that the press are only reporting the negative that comes out of Iraq, stories like this demonstrate that Iraq is hovering on the brink of civil war and Bush's attempts at spin are almost certain to fall on deaf ears; the reality on the ground is simply too horrendous to be ignored.

There is now a campaign targetting Sunni politicians. That's news, whether Bush agrees or not.

Click title for BBC report.

Tags: sister, Vice President, Tariq al-Hashemi, Iraq, drive, shooting, assasination,