Reluctant Iraqi soldiers hinder US strategies

[NNN0LHI]

http://www.boston.com/news/world/middleeast/articles/2005/08/28/reluctant_iraqi_soldiers_hinder_us_strategies/

HIT, Iraq -- US Marine Sergeant LaDaunte Strickland, sweat pouring down his face, stared at the four Iraqi soldiers sitting in the shade of a truck.

They were supposed to be helping Strickland and his group of Marines stand guard at a vehicle-control point, a basic operation in which troops hope to catch insurgents at traffic stops they set up quickly on the roadsides.

''Come on! Get up," said Strickland, 30, of Cleveland, stabbing a cigar in the air to make his point.

The Iraqis didn't stir. Without an interpreter -- a common occurrence -- the Iraqis didn't understand Strickland, no matter how loud he got.

[leftchick]

1. this is beyond pathetic....

<snip>

But many of the Iraqi troops appear to be in poor condition, unable or unwilling to complete long foot patrols without frequent breaks. They often do not know what to do in complicated situations, standing back and letting Marines and soldiers take the lead.

Many of the Iraqi troops are Shi'ite Muslims -- the majority religious group in Iraq -- who were long oppressed by Sunni Muslims, Anbar's predominant ethnic group but a minority across Iraq. That history creates obstacles to establishing trust with the locals.

<snip> and can you say Keystone Cops?

Because the Iraqis and Americans sometimes can't communicate with one another, they frequently end up wandering in the middle of the street, yelling commands in English and Arabic and heading in opposite directions.


Hopeless, hopeless... Bring Our Troops Home!

[teryang]

2. Is there any surer signal of political failure?

Where have we all heard this before?

[saigon68]

3. They called it Vietnamization in my War

The locals were put in a nice uniform give a new M-16 and they promptly dropped the rifle and ran away.

[Lorenzo]

5. Iraqi recruits face a simple catch-22

I think the Iraqi recruits face an impossible dilemma:

-if they join the force and do their job, their chances of getting killed are very real (given the daily deadly attacks on Iraqi security forces and police)
-if they collectively refuse to do the job in a really good way, the insurgents remain in power

This is an impossible situation.

[soup]

6. Bailed when they found out they were going to Fallujah

Snip from an article posted earlier this week:

>>Probably half joined for the money, says Dr. Ali, who is translating their answers.

That became clear nine months ago when the battalion was taken out of its training base in Wasit province and given orders to Fallujah.

"You looked out the rear-view mirror and there were guys bailing out of moving cars when they found out where they were going," laughs one American sergeant, thinking back to December.<<
http://news.monstersandcritics.com/middleeast/article_1043382.php/Fallujah_Insurgents_return_to_face_Iraqis

Good read about a bad situation.

[VegasWolf]

13. So now we should call it IraqNamization! nt

[Roland99]

4. Our future tax dollars (not) at work

future because it's deficit spending.

[LibDemAlways]

7. We're training them to do what?

Fight their countrymen? Imagine if a foreign power invaded and occupied the US and then expected US citizens to take up arms against those who resisted. It's an impossible, unworkable situation.

[rodeodance]

8. this is exactly what Byron (Dem) was saying this morning. The Admin

keeps giving different answers to how many Iraqi are actually ready and fully able to 'stand up'. says we have had conflicting reports from Rummy for 2 years now.

He was getting at the snotty question from Chris Wallase--who said--What is the Dem plan to get out? Do they have a plan.

[maddezmom]

9. why is that the stock question?

at this point, the repubs have all the control?

[agincourt]

10. They don't want to help an invading army,

That's probably what we are to them. But Bush crows about "liberation".

[gizmo1979]

11. This is why you need

A withdrawal date.Then the Iraqi will know they have to get their shit together or die.No one had to beg our revolutionary soldiers to fight,if you want a democracy you'll fight for it.

[pfitz59]

12. Why was he smoking a cigar?

Violation of basic orders for a sentry.... "Only mad dogs and Englishmen go out in the mid-day sun!" Seems American Marines do too!