AP: Iraqi soldiers hinder U.S. efforts

[grytpype]

The new mission in Iraq for US troops is not to defeat the insurgency or the militias, it's to train an Iraqi army to do those things for us.

Well... mission failed. Again.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20060924/ap_on_re_mi_ea/iraq_divided_army

Iraqi soldiers hinder U.S. efforts

By ANTONIO CASTANEDA, Associated Press Writer 1 hour, 4 minutes ago

BAGHDAD, Iraq - The plan was simple: Iraqi troops would block escape routes while U.S. soldiers searched for weapons house-by-house. But the Iraqi troops didn't show up on time.

When they finally did appear, the Iraqis ignored U.S. orders and let dozens of cars pass through checkpoints in eastern Baghdad — including an ambulance full of armed militiamen, American soldiers said in recent interviews.

It wasn't an isolated incident, they added.

Senior U.S. commanders have hailed the performance of Iraqi troops in the crackdown on militias and insurgents in Baghdad. But some U.S. soldiers say the Iraqis serving alongside them are among the worst they've ever seen — seeming more loyal to militias than the government.

That raises doubts whether the Iraqis can maintain order once the security operation is over and the Americans have left. It also raises broader questions about the training, reliability and loyalty of Iraqi troops — who must be competent, U.S. officials say, before America can begin pulling out of
Iraq.

Last week, for example, Sgt. 1st Class Eric Sheehan could barely contain his frustration when he discovered that barriers and concertina wire that were supposed to bolster defensive positions had been dragged away — again — under the noses of nearby Iraqi soldiers.

"(I) suggest we fire these IAs and get them out of the way," Sheehan, of Jennerstown, Pa., reported to senior officers, referring to Iraqi army troops. "There's nothing we can do," came the reply.

...

That's right Sgt. Sheehan, you can't leave Iraq until those IAs are a totally functional self-sufficient Army ready to beat the insurgency.

It will take 20 years.

[alcibiades_mystery]

1. Everybody's fault but our own...from the Party of Personal Responsibility

If only these fucking Hajjis would learn to act like Real Americans!

The articles might as well be written by Carlos Castenada rather than Antonio Castenada...

[bluerum]

2. This bears no similarities to the behavior of the ARVN (Army

of the Republic of Viet Nam during the Viet Nam conflict.

Any resemblance or similarity, coincidental or otherwise, are the delusions of un-patriotic nazi appeasing commie pinko tree hugging minds.

Praise the Lord.

Amen.

[saigon68]

13. It does however QUACK like a duck

LOL

[leftchick]

3. Iraqi soldiers hinder U.S. efforts

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20060924/ap_on_re_mi_ea/iraq_divided_army

BAGHDAD, Iraq - The plan was simple: Iraqi troops would block escape routes while U.S. soldiers searched for weapons house-by-house. But the Iraqi troops didn't show up on time.

When they finally did appear, the Iraqis ignored U.S. orders and let dozens of cars pass through checkpoints in eastern Baghdad — including an ambulance full of armed militiamen, American soldiers said in recent interviews.

It wasn't an isolated incident, they added.

Senior U.S. commanders have hailed the performance of Iraqi troops in the crackdown on militias and insurgents in Baghdad. But some U.S. soldiers say the Iraqis serving alongside them are among the worst they've ever seen — seeming more loyal to militias than the government.

That raises doubts whether the Iraqis can maintain order once the security operation is over and the Americans have left. It also raises broader questions about the training, reliability and loyalty of Iraqi troops — who must be competent, U.S. officials say, before America can begin pulling out of Iraq.

[Gregorian]

4. That's gratitude for you!

We come all the way over there, bomb your families, waterboard your brothers, and this is how you thank us?

Gosh, they really don't understand human nature over there, do they?


I saw a documentary on LinkTV last night. It was about the poetry written by the poets who Laura invited to the White House, and then quickly uninvited when she realized that poetry is not limited to Roses are Red. There was an intelligent Iraqi writer who said that in Iraq, they had always heard that Americans had no society. Americans were just a bunch of cowboys with guns. Then the Americans came to Iraq, and ran rampant through their streets. And it was apparent that Americans really are a bunch of cowboys, from a disorganized society.

[bluerum]

7. And when we do leave, they will crumble. No amount of

preparation and military hardware can make up for the lack of political leadership, strategy, and morale.

[grytpype]

8. I agree, it's just a matter of time.

Bush is going to keep us in Iraq until his term ends or our Army collapses. Hard to tell which will happen first.

[Miss Chybil]

11. Yes. We really f'd up. I think it's time to cut our losses and get out.

We can probably do more to fix our mess from the outside - after Bush is out of office - than we can ever do from the inside.

[Warren Stupidity]

5. Nobody could have anticipated that Iraqi troops

would have more loyalty to Iraqis than to Americans! This is totally unexpectatable!

We will stand up while the Iraqi army stands around. What the heck are our kids dying for again?

[Solly Mack]

6. We'll stand down as they stand up? Yet Iraqis "hinder" that process?

lololololol...it's not funny haha...but it is funny sad

so many excuses...so many lies

and the dying and torture continues

[Viva_La_Revolution]

9. Step right up! Spin the Wheel!

Who will be the new Saddam? What party will take over where the Bathists left off?

Place your bets!

[Jackpine Radical]

10. Shades of ARVN.

[Rageneau]

12. Can we import a police force? Like from India or No Korea?

Looks like we'll never be able to turn Iraq over to Iraqis again. But rather than stay there ourselves, bleeding billions of dollars and barrels of blood, why don't we do what the GOP likes so much to do -- subcontract the job of maintaining stability to a "mercenary" police force that has no sectarian connection with either Sunnis or Shi'ites.

There are plenty of countries such a peace-keeping force could be recruited from, and they would arrive trained, disciplined, equipped, and free from tribal or familial influence.

This would in the end be much cheaper than what we're doing now, and the Iraqi people would probably prefer such an arrangement as well and would be likely to cooperate with it.

Maybe we can "outsource" our imperialism?