military now using "hooded men" at checkpoints in Baghdad

[donsu]

Insurgents or Protesters?

By Robert Fisk in Baghdad
17 December 2003

http://fairuse.1accesshost.com/news1/fisk3.html


-snip-

Occupation security documents - which were not publicly released - show there have been 30 attacks on US forces around Baghdad alone in the past 24 hours.

A disturbing new phenomenon in this environment of growing military violence has been the appearance of hooded and masked gunmen - working for the Americans - on road checkpoints north of Baghdad. Five of them now check cars on the Tigris river bridge outside Samarra, apparently fearing their identities will be discovered if their faces are not concealed. They wear militia uniforms and, although they say they are part of the new American-backed "Iraqi Civil Defence Corps", they have neither badges of rank nor unit markings. The same hooded men are now appearing on the streets of Baghdad.

[SlavesandBulldozers]

1. I'd wear a mask too

It's understandable, given the circumstances. They should have rank and unit markings though, so they are identifiable to their supervisors.

[smirkymonkey]

2. It wouldn't be the KKK, now

would it? They kind of dig that sort of thing. :)

[tom_paine]

3. While it's understandably for their protection

In that they may be targeted by the Iraqi Resistance in their homes, or their families targeted, there is still something disquieting about it, certainly given the potential for abuse on the part of the checkpoint gunmen.

The other issue, is, can we be sure these masked gunmen are in fact Iraqi police?

[TolstoyAndy]

4. Coming soon to a street near you n/t

[matt53]

5. Sounds like a great halloween costume

I'll have to mark that down for next year. Probably can just modify a mideaval executioners costume... Which begs the question, what message does that send to the Iraqis? Are these hooded dudes going to protect them or behead them?

[Jacobin]

6. The fact that everyone now acknowledges that an Iraqi

can't publicly support the U.S. and expect to live is another sign that the occupation is doomed to failure.

[markus]

7. Hoods, no insignia (unit, rank or anything else)

And they will be pulling people out of their cars when they feel like it.

So tell us, Mr. and Mrs. Average Iraqi, how *does* it feel to be free?

Saw a mention somewhere of thousands disappeared, and I believe it was 60 Minutes who visited the U.S./Iraqi prison and tried to find the former city councilman whom they wouldn't initially admit to have there and who was "off the books"?

This is the freedom and reform we're brining to the Middle East to set them all free from the tyranies of the past?

[jokerman93]

8. Spec Ops

In the '90s I was attached to a direct action counter-terrorism army special forces unit as part of a forward intel team.

At times for certain operations, we wore our "noncom" uniforms -- no insignia or rank.

Old black-ops stuff I guess. They don't call it that anymore though.

[SlavesandBulldozers]

9. we can all be upset about hooded men

but then again, Americans have tolerated Ninja-DEA raids for the better part of 20 years now.