Army Is Investigating Reports of Assaults/Thefts by G.I.'s Against Iraqis

[kskiska]

Army Is Investigating Reports of Assaults and Thefts by G.I.'s Against Iraqi Civilians

WASHINGTON, May 30 — The Army is investigating at least two dozen cases in which American soldiers are accused of assaulting civilian Iraqis or stealing their money, jewelry and other property during raids, patrols and house-to-house searches, senior Defense Department officials said Sunday.

In some instances, investigators say, soldiers were reported to have stolen cash from Iraqis they stopped at roadside checkpoints, apparently under the pretext of confiscating money from suspected insurgents or their financial backers.

The Army's Criminal Investigation Command is also examining at least six cases in which soldiers on missions reportedly kicked, punched or beat civilian Iraqis, or fired their weapons near the Iraqis to scare or intimidate them.

Those statistics and broad descriptions are included in an internal summary prepared earlier this month by the investigation command at the request of senior Army officials who are struggling to understand the scope of mistreatment and potential crimes committed by American soldiers in Iraq beyond the abuses at Abu Ghraib prison and other Army-run detention sites.

more…
http://www.nytimes.com/2004/05/31/international/middleeast/31ABUS.html

[Submariner]

1. I remember the "Drip...drip....drip".comments a few months ago

Comments like.."Maybe some Bushco insider might say something to help our cause, we can only wish."

Now it's one collosal disaster story after another EVERY DAY. I love it.

Goodbye George.

[Thor_MN]

2. Will they be investigating the receipt of stolen goods as well?

If so, check out the pistol at 1600 Pennsylvania in DC.....

[madrchsod]

3. much to do about nothing

it will be looked at- discussed- couple of guys will take the fall and the rest will sell the stuff on ebay. ebay-we let you sell looted objects from iraq-

[corriger]

4. burglar theft person

[tabasco]

5. Inexcusable and should be punished severely.

- When I was a commander, I found out one of my troops stole about $20 of currency from a local, when we were searching a village for weapons. I nailed his ass to the wall and the battalion commander did too. If you let stuff like this happen one time, discipline will be ten times harder to maintain.
- Another commander had the same thing happening in his unit and didn't report it. He got a reprimand from the bn cdr which undoubtedly ended his career.
- Bush and Rumsfeld have reaped what they have sown. A devastated Iraq in disarray, and a devastated military losing all discipline. Thanks Bush, you goddam traitor war criminal. I wish I believed in hell so you could burn in it!

[bobthedrummer]

15. Thank you for your service to our nation-you defended, preserved and

protected our US Constitution-which is US, always the rallying point for all Americans.

I agree with your opinions about the traitors in this administration, the neo-conservatives are FASCIST PIGS AND SLUTS which my USMC dad fought against in WWII and which we as a nation are now confronting.

:hi:

[enough]

6. One detailed report

http://www.counterpunch.org/

May 29 / 31, 2004

Collective Penalties in Iraq

On Their Way to Abu Ghraib

By MIKE FERNER

ABU SIFFA, IRAQ.

snip>

"On December 16, 2003, at 2:00 am, on a rainy night, all the houses in Abu Siffa, about two dozen, were surrounded by U.S. troops in tanks and humvees. They surrounded the fields of the farmers by tanks and they destroyed the fences of the fields," citrus farmer, Mohammed Al-Tai explained to a delegation from Christian Peacemaker Teams visiting the village to document detainees' stories.

Soldiers from the Army's 4th Infantry Division rounded up two attorneys, 15 schoolteachers, men in their 80's, a blind man, police officers, young teens, and an elderly man so frail he had to be carried by the soldiers, Al-Tai said. In all, 83 men disappeared that night, virtually every male in the village.

His description of that night continued. "They destroyed the doors of the houses and of the rooms. At night usually the doors of the bedrooms are locked, so they kicked the doors in and destroyed them by their weapons. After that they gathered the men, beating them severely. One was an old man and they smashed his glasses, and for that old man they had to guide him."

Before the soldiers finished the Abu Siffa raid, Al-Tai added that they also "stole from Imad, the attorney, about 14 million dinars ($10,370). >From his father, Kamel, they stole 4.5 million dinars ($3,300). They stole 4 million dinars ($3000) from Ziad, an Iraqi police officer, and from all the other houses together, about 100,000 to 150,000 dinars ($75 to $110). They also took five cars. Later they returned two of them that belonged to police officers who died in the line of duty."

more>

[corriger]

7. exact

and you american person have serious problem in the world

[Eloriel]

16. Ah, how well we know

SOME of us actually care.

Welcome to DU. Where are you located?

[maddezmom]

11. thanks for the link

:kick:

[Career Prole]

8. Oh...my...God...

My buddy was telling me just last week that a friend of his son got back not too long ago and came over for a barbecue and was telling them that he had taken part in stuff like this. My buddy said he figured it was the beer talking, but damn... :wtf:

The kid said they'd be on security patrols and the entire squad (or whatever strength they used for these patrols) would participate. He said they'd pick out nice houses because they were more likely to have nice stuff. They'd just bust in, shoot up the house, and take all their valuables. He said they did it routinely. Now what do I do?
Was it the beer talking? :shrug:

[vpigrad]

9. When guys are sworn to kill for Bush...

why are people surprised that they'll steal? This is almost a non-issue. Who cares if they're looting a few things here and there, when they're killing innocent people every single damn day?

[corriger]

10. look here man

no one is surprised these persons take and pillage. non issue right.

[Cooley Hurd]

12. Yesterday, on CNN's Late Edition, they had a poll...

QUESTION OF THE WEEK
Will U.S. forces now serving in Iraq be remembered as the next "Greatest Generation"?

Yes 7% 125 votes

No 93% 1583 votes

Total: 1708 votes

[0007]

13. The thief has been make a policeman?

For sure we'll get right to the bottom of this issue and find those 'bad apples' - junior and dickie cheney sez, Americans know how terrible a thing this is for the good American soldiers.

[keithyboy]

14. Fox investigating in the hen house?

What kind of result to we really expect? Most of the officers rake in the plunder.