Many Iraqis have been killed because of the U.S. use of checkpoints

[bigtree]

restricting the free movement of Iraqis around their own country . . .

Fri Jun 16, 2:10 PM ET

WASHINGTON (AFP) - US forces have stopped erecting sudden traffic control points around Baghdad and adjusted how they move about the city to avoid clashes with civilians, their commander said.

Iraqis have made many complaints since the US invasion over the unwarranted use of force against civilians at military checkpoints and in other US forces operations.

"I have stopped using the flash/snap traffic control points, where we throw up a traffic control point in a quick fashion," he said. "I didn't think that was giving us a lot of gain. And I thought it was being more of a hindrance to the people."

"And we have looked at our conditions in terms of how we travel, how we display certain markings on our vehicles, our speeds and that sort of business," he said.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20060616/pl_afp/usiraqmilitary

[genie_weenie]

1. Yes that is correct.

I've seen it and it's *collateral damage*. Of course, it is not viewed as restricting the free movement of the Iraqi people since they do not control the nation.

[tabasco]

4. I've seen it too and all it does is create a situation for disaster.

Search a vehicle for weapons and usually end up taking some old man's ancient rifle he needs to protect himself from bandits.

Always a machinegun in overwatch and if anything goes wrong it is rock and roll.

I hope the Iraqis can forgive us someday.

[NNN0LHI]

2. I wouldn't want some Chinese soldiers manning checkpoints here either

That feeling must be the same throughout the world.

Don

[Eric J in MN]

3. About time they stop the surprise checkpoints

in which they kill people who didn't know to stop because a soldier was waving at them.