General: Much of Iraq's Forces Have Quit

[Robbien]

By CONNIE CASS
Associated Press Writer

About one in every 10 members of Iraq's security forces "actually worked against" U.S. troops during the recent militia violence in Iraq, and an additional 40 percent walked off the job because of intimidation, the commander of the 1st Armored Division said Wednesday.

In an interview beamed by satellite from Baghdad to news executives attending The Associated Press annual meeting, Maj. Gen. Martin Dempsey said the campaign in Iraq was at a critical point. "We have to get this latest increase in violence under control," Dempsey said. "We have to take a look at the Iraqi security forces and learn why they walked."

The militia violence aggravated underlying troubles in Iraq's new military and police forces - the unfulfilled desire for "some Iraqi hierarchy in which to place their trust and confidence" and a reluctance by Iraqis to take up arms against their countrymen, Dempsey said.

"It's very difficult at times to convince them that Iraqis are killing fellow Iraqis and fellow Muslims, because it's something they shouldn't have to accept," he said. "Over time I think they will probably have to accept it."

http://www.timesdaily.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20040421/API/404211028

[KissMyAsscroft]

1. Wow...just wow...

These ungrateful Eye-Rakkis! They just need to accept killing Muslims!!!

[demdave]

14. Judging by the killing of school children today, they have.

accepted killing Muslims, that is.

[Robbien]

16. So you have inside information on who caused that?

You know that it was Iraqis? Wow, you are so very clever.

[demdave]

20. You are right, it was probably the Irish.

Get your head out of the sand. Is there anyone else on this thread that even questions who did this?

[Just Me]

2. Whoopsadaisy,...the honeymoon is over, eh?

The Iraqis are so grateful you neonazicons rid them of Saddam. Now, get the hell out of THEIR country. THEY WANT FREEDOM,...from the military corporatist regime.

[ewagner]

3. Overlooking the obvious?

Look at this quote:

"We have to get this latest increase in violence under control," Dempsey said. "We have to take a look at the Iraqi security forces and learn why they walked."

Could it be because they don't trust us? Could it be because they identify more with Sadr than the Coalition Provisional Authority?

Could it be because it their country and not ours?

[boobooday]

4. They dont' know yet that they are "liberated?"

Just because we keep killing them? They are being way oversensitive.

Deadly incompetence.

http://www.wgoeshome.com

[GainesT1958]

5. Like the memo said, in effect...

Iraq is "FUBAR"!:crazy:

(see www.dailykos.com for the gory details!)

B-)

[judge_smales]

6. Don't worry.

Rummy will have it all fixed up by June 30th.

[Jacobin]

7. No one, absolutely NO ONE could have seen that coming

Right?


um, well, um, maybe I guess, if anyone had been thinking. We all fricking predicted that on this board last spring.

Fucking dingbats

[MGKrebs]

8. Just for perspective:

Let's just say the USA was attacked and occupied. Then, since the occupiers could not handle security by themselves, they recruited us to assist with security. Some of get to have guns, and we get some training! Then the day comes when we are asked to go back into our own neighborhoods and shoot those neighbors who are resisting the foreign occupation.

WTF did they expect??

[phantom power]

12. no empathy or imagination

I posed a similar scenario to a friend of mine (what if China invaded the US, and was occupying us: how would we feel, and react, etc).

His response: "There's no way that could happen".

Which, of course, completely misses the point. But it gave me a lot of insight into how the other side is thinking. The golden rule is irrelevent to these people, because we're currently the 800lb gorilla.

[gratuitous]

9. Apparently, this surprises Dempsey

Iraqis won't take up arms and shoot their neighbors on the orders of an invading aliens. I'm not sure where Mr. Dempsey's train of thought derailed, but he really needs to check with someone who has a brain about his delusional fantasies. He could get someone killed.

[Leilani]

10. Why is it

that what is perfectly obvious to us, is so tough for the experts?

[pinto]

11. Busboy made an appearance there, wonder if he heard (doubt). Hope the AP

folks take note of the "real time" differences with the admin's statements.

[Disturbed]

13. They know why.

The Occupiers know why Iraqis are a bit hesitant in killing their neighbors but denying reality is their job. Look at who their bosses are.

[neverforget]

15. Operation Iraqi FUBAR continues....

[nagbacalan]

17. A Faux contract coming his way.

So we're down to a handful of Saddam dead-enders and foreign outside agitators who hate us for our freedom and seek to shoot their way to power? Forget the red and the blue America; it's all about IQ.

[SoCalDem]

18. They have a definition problem.. It's not "violence" ,

It's WAR.. Just because a chimp puts on a flight suit and crawls out of a plane onto an aircraft carrier, and then declares the war "over", does NOT make it so..

What we have here is a massive military failure.. They breezed up the Tigris and Euphrates valley, and overtook Baghdad, but all the "hot spots" that they passed on the way, were still HOT...and getting HOTTER by the minute..

These people read..they watch tv...they know what's going on here..

They do not want to be an American "colony"..

Saddam was a bad guy, but he was one of them.. Unless we are ready to adopt a "kill 'em all" philosophy, we will never "subdue" them..

Instead of giving the Iraqi people the money and arms necessary to overthrow Saddam themselves, we undertook the task, and in doing so have upset their whole society.. We broke it, but we don't know how to "fix" it..

[xchrom]

19. oh yeah

things are going just great -- just like bush said -- liberating those iraqis -- they are certainly acting liberated -- for real.
as in ''i'm outta here'' liberated.