Danish Troops in Iraq Being Kept Safely from the Action: Danish Sergeant

[kskiska]

COPENHAGEN (AFP) Jan 06, 2004
A sergeant in Denmark's military force in Iraq issued a stinging criticism of his superiors Tuesday, accusing them of keeping the country's 500-strong contingent cooped up on their base instead of sending them out on potentially dangerous missions.

"We're using taxpayers' money to relax at Camp Eden," Caleb Noltensmejer, 52 said in the latest issue of CS Bladet, a internal newsletter for Denmark's largest Defense employee union CS.

Noltensmejer, who has spent 30 years in the army, is part of a scouting squadron stationed at Camp Eden near Qurnah, in the region of the southern city of Basra, which is under British command.

"We stand watch a bit in the watch towers, do the dishes after the meals, wash the floor of the Internet cafe and of the work-out tent, and we spend a lot of time housekeeping and on guard duty," he said.

Noltensmejer claimed that the Danish officers in Iraq, along with the top brass back in Denmark have realized that most of the Danish soldiers are not trained for the missions expected of them in the war-torn country.

more…
http://www.spacewar.com/2004/040106190906.4ko0oq2s.html

[legin]

1. It's amazing how keen some people are to get other people killed

Out in the open for 1 year I would make the guess that this unit of 500 not very well trained troops by the sound of it, would suffer 5 dead, 10 very seriously wounded, and another 40-50 wounded.

If he is so keen to get his rocks off, Caleb Noltensmejer could, i'm sure, arrange to be seconded to a u.s. unit in Tikrit or Bahgdad.

[demdave]

2. Your link doesn't work for me.

[kskiska]

3. Link fixed

Hope it works now. It does for me.

http://www.spacewar.com/2004/040106190906.4ko0oq2s.html

[demdave]

4. Thanks.

[revcarol]

5. Did you notice?

"Denmark's largest defense employee union"

Ashcroft: put all these soldiers in Guantanamo. Can't have unions in the army.

[daleo]

6. Perhaps Denmark should just withdraw

This seems like the worst of both worlds - providing political cover for the empire, but not being willing to take losses. If the Danish people don't believe in the cause (I suspect they don't, if the government is as leery of casualties as the article implies), then they should respond to the will of the people and withdraw.

Perhaps there are Danes out there who could give a local perspective.

[revcarol]

7. What's up with the not trained business?

OUR U. S. troops are not trained to fight guerilla warfare. The Bulgarian troops that suffered casualties last week weren't trained for guerilla warfare. The Brits are somewhat better trained, but still that doesn't apply to all of them.

Face it, Denmark. You were conned.We wanted bodies, we got bodies. Your officers are smart, and if they had any sense, they'd ask for you to go home. You've been our patsy, now time to wise up.

[BrotherBuzz]

8. And these guys came prepared!

I know it's not germane to this topic but nevertheless kinda fun, I guess...

WEIRD WAR NEWS... The near-400 strong contingent of Danish troops in Iraq - where the temperature can reach 120F - received their standard camp equipment this week, including snow shovels, brooms, road salt and a snowplough. Meanwhile they are missing such insignificant items as proper-fitting bullet-proof vests, tent pegs and medicines. Also this week, Saddam Hussein was arrested in the Golan Heights, an area contested by the Israelis and Palestinians after he threw rocks at a tour bus. No, not the Saddam the US can't find, this one is a 21-year-old Druze Arab. Dr Nawalaal Mutawalli, director of Iraq's national museum, now claims 10% of its items were looted.

www.gizmo1.demon.co.uk/li/archive/tfir0805.htm

[daleo]

9. A mere four days later they luck out and find mustard gas

Convenient timing.