Iraqi force refused to back Americans

[Robbien]

By Thomas Ricks
Baghdad
April 12, 2004

A battalion of the new Iraqi army refused to go to Fallujah last week to support US marines battling for control of the city, senior US Army officers said. The incident has cast new doubt on US plans to transfer security matters to Iraqi forces. It occurred the first time US commanders sought to involve the postwar Iraqi army in major combat operations, and came as large parts of Iraqi security forces stopped carrying out their duties.

The 620-man 2nd Battalion of the Iraqi Armed Forces refused to fight last Monday after members of the unit were shot at in a Shiite Muslim neighbourhood in Baghdad. The unit was on its way to Fallujah, a Sunni Muslim stronghold, said US Army Major-General Paul Eaton, the official overseeing the development of Iraqi security forces. The convoy turned around and returned to the battalion's home on a former Republican Guard base in Taji, a town north of the capital.

Major-General Eaton said members of the battalion insisted: "We did not sign up to fight Iraqis." He declined to characterise the incident as a mutiny, but rather called it "a command failure".

The battalion's failure to perform as US officials had hoped poses a significant problem for them. The cornerstone of the US strategy in Iraq is to draw down its military presence and turn over security functions to Iraqis.

http://www.theage.com.au/articles/2004/04/11/1081621835669.html

How could the military be so clueless as to send Iraqis to fight along side Americans against Iraqi people?

[0007]

1. What would had they been fighting for? Revenge?

Revenge for the mercenaries that were slithering like snakes to cause unrest and beat down anyone that had a thought of what they, the Iraqis wanted? Why must the United States Government be so sneaky and secretive?

We can't even call the "mercenaries" mercenaries, we call 'em contract workers.

...and they expected to turn brother against brother? What does the Iraqi want? It sure as hell isn't the all loving Americans!

[Jacobin]

2. No shit. Those are their own countrymen

How could anyone (other than delusional neo-cons) be surprised by this.

[alcuno]

3. The funny thing is, all the generals on TV were pushing for this.

Said that the iraqis should be the "tip of the spear" and the ones knocking in doors. These people are clueless. There is a reason why the US Armed Forces aren't to be used on US soil; a nation's military is not for making war on its own people.

[sspiderjohn]

4. Iraqi's refusing to kill other Iraqi's at our command? Ingrates.

nt

[number6]

5. one clueless administration and military...

"How could the military be so clueless as to send Iraqis to fight along side Americans against Iraqi people?"

[Barkley]

6. Wasn't that one of Saddam's sins: "killing his own people"?

Now we want Iraqis to do the same thing.

Don't the Iraqis have kinship lines all over the place.

[tedzbear]

7. Exzzzzzzzzzzellent post!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

The hypocrisy in America is really starting to stink.

Now if only our own troops would stand up to our kill happy generals and politicians and refuse to butcher innocent Iraqis. Then this hypocrisy might really start to see the light of day.