Iraq Deputy Prime Minister Attack "Inside Job"

The initial suspicions seem to be correct. The suicide attack against Iraq's Sunni deputy prime minister is now seen as an inside job.

Get this. It appears to have been carried out by a member of Deputy Prime Minister Salam al-Zubaie's own security detail who was a distant relative who had been arrested as an insurgent, freed at the official's request, then hired as a bodyguard. Did you get that? Arrested as an insurgent and then hired as a bodyguard! There are reports that the attacker had recently been removed from the bodyguard detail, but remained on the payroll and was, therefore permitted to enter the officials home during a private prayer service.

The assassination attempt is at least the third major security breach involving a top politician in four months which has prompted Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki to order government-wide security changes which includes plans to hire a foreign company to guard the Green Zone building where parliament meets.

Zubaie was seriously hurt and nine people were killed.

A cook for Zubaie who has since disappeared is also under suspicion.

The deadly serious nature of close protection demands that security details be handled professionally, by professionals.