U.S. Forces, Hit by Raids, Fault Their Iraqi Allies

[louis c]

....The bomb, buried outside an Iraqi National Guard headquarters, marked the third time in ten days that U.S. troops.....had been attacked under the noses of Iraqi Security Forces.....

The Marines... stationed in Rimadi have borne the highest casualties.. since early April. The Second Battalion, Fourth Marine Regiment, has seen 31 Marines killed, and more than 200 wounded. That casualty rate amounts to more than twenty percent.

<snip>

"Our presence here my be insulting, it may cause violence"....said Major Dave Harril.

<snip>

...But nearly unanimously, they say they can neither interact with Iraqi's the way that they expected when they arrived with orders to win their hearts and minds....."Every guy you kill, there's always going to be someone else", says Corporal Glen Handy

<snip>

"We'd be doing more good if we weren't here. We can send soccer balls from America," said Corporal Nat Canaga, 18, from Colorado, who was wounded by a grenade...

<snip>



"They're (Iraqi Security Forces) cowards", said Paul Kennedy, the Marine battalion comander......when guerrillas ambushed Marines near Iraqi security buildings with a roadside bomb, gunfire, and two car bombs, (Kennedy said)...The bombs were placed literally under their nose...and they didn't do anything."

<snip>

The whole neighborhood knew of the impending attack......"Iraqi forces were either complicit, afraid to tip off Marines, or clueless", said first Lieutenant Robert Scott. "they should know....There's no excuse".....

<snip>

"they're(the Iraqi Forces) supposed to be observing an area, and they could be sleeping. Or they (the Iraqi Forces) could just be cowards" said Bronzi


http://www.boston.com/news/nation/articles/2004/08/01/us_forces_hit_by_raids_fault_their_iraqi_allies

[NMDemDist2]

1. "we can send soccer balls from America"

ain't it the truth!

[louis c]

9. kick up

[Racenut20]

2. This post hurts my heart. I was attached to 2/4 for a while in VN

[louis c]

5. kick

[leftchick]

3. Perhaps not cowards at all but....

collaborators....

[louis c]

4. kick

[The_Casual_Observer]

6. The whole neighborhood knew of the impending attack

The CIA isn't very smart are they? The Iraqi security force is part of the guerrilla movement. Time to go bye bye.

[Cocoa]

7. sounds like Vietnam

sorry Rummy, I know how much you hate that comparison.

[louis c]

8. I thought the same thing

when i read the story. "Viet Namization is working well". Ya, right.

[Jacobin]

10. Gee, maybe they want us to leave their country that we invaded

Imagine them fighting to kick out the invading army.......