'Fear took over' in Baghdad raid -- U.S. advisors lament Iraqi troops' conduct

[Barrett808]

'Fear took over' in Baghdad raid
U.S. advisors lament Iraqi troops' conduct. America's exit strategy hangs in the balance.
By Solomon Moore, Times Staff Writer
December 4, 2006

BURSTS of AK-47 fire hissed past them from several directions at once, showering the U.S. and Iraqi soldiers with pulverized cement and slapping spider-web fractures into their Humvees' bullet-resistant glass turret-guards.

The joint security forces, undertaking what officials described as a major counterinsurgency operation, were in pursuit of 70 "high-value targets" in Baghdad's crowded Fadhil quarter, a Sunni Arab neighborhood of multistory tenements along the east bank of the Tigris River.

Instead, the soldiers of the Iraqi army's 9th Mechanized Division and their American trainers had walked into a deadly ambush Friday. From upper-story apartments, insurgents stopped the soldiers' advance with grenades and shoulder-fired rockets. Others launched coordinated mortar strikes, hitting one of two nearby Iraqi field posts.

By the time the 11-hour battle was over, one Iraqi soldier had been killed and six others wounded, including one who shot himself in the foot. A U.S. soldier was also wounded and, according to American troops interviewed, additional casualties were averted only because U.S. Apache attack helicopters were called in and American trainers shot their way out of the ambush.

"Fear took over" among the Iraqis, Staff Sgt. Michael Baxter said. "They refused to move. We were yelling at them to move," he said. "I grabbed one guy and shoved him into a building. I was saying, 'God get me out of this, because these guys are going to get me killed.' "

(more)

http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/world/la-fg-fadhil4dec04,0,3097801,full.story?coll=la-home-headlines

[Tracer]

1. I'd like to know the recruitment criteria for the Iraqi soldiers.

Does the U.S. grab any warm body? Any guy that wants a paycheck? The most unsuitable -- just to fill the ranks?

I have a real fear that if the Iraq Army ever gets properly trained, the first targets will be our soldiers.

[Roland99]

2. If so, it's just about the same requirements we have for our own military.

[ChairmanAgnostic]

3. when ya fire all the trained and professional soldiers, stuff happens.

You fight with the army you have, not the army you want.
Stay the course.
You are either with us or against us.
The WMD, we know exactly where they are. They are a bit north and east, and west and south of Baghdad.

[Kagemusha]

4. You can get killed just for applying if the insurgents nab you.

So yeah, it's a problem, finding people YOU desire as opposed to the people who are desperate for pay in a country with 70%+ unemployment.

[ChairmanAgnostic]

10. don't forget. Shrub's radio speechatory oration saturday

said that we are making steady progress in Iraqnam.

[ClintonTyree]

7. It IS all about getting a paycheck for them....

there's no other way for most Iraqis to make a living so they have to join the Army. Their hearts clearly aren't into it, they don't believe in what they're doing so they're not going to put their lives on the line. All they want is a way to "put food on their families". Hell, I'd shoot myself in the foot too in order to get out of that hell-hole.

[ckramer]

5. Wonder if Iraqis are nostalgic about the safe days of Saddam?

Bush screwed up the whole country. Whew!

[Swede]

6. What a mess.

50-65% of the Iraqis equipment is missing.

[ClintonTyree]

8. Gee, I wonder who has them all?

:eyes: American supplied arms are being used to kill American soldiers via the Iraqi Army. They're probably selling the stuff to pay their bills or buy food and water.

[MrPrax]

9. Incredible...

Iraqis don't want to fire on fellow Iraqis when requested to do so by their hated foreign occupiers!!!

I am shocked...!! It makes no sense :eyes:

I guess we gotta keep killing them...

It must be confusing for some following the various national narratives in the States as, on the one hand, they believe they knocked down an entire superpower without a shot fired, but, on the other hand, seemingly at loss of words to explain how a isolated well-hated third rate ME dictatorship is a bit of a tough nut.

[Lone_Star_Dem]

11. Create an army consisting of desperate, starving men seeking shelter

Then tell them to go out and kill their kin. Then act surprised when things like this occur. Amazing.

The real problem here is that this puts our soldiers at great risk whey they're put in positions to rely on these men. All I keep thinking is FUBAR, so That's what I'm going to have to call the situation.