UK Special Air Service trooper quits-disgusted at American tactics in Iraq

[Benbow]

http://tinyurl.com/qtssp

Ben Griffin told his commander that he was no longer prepared to fight alongside American forces.

He said he had witnessed "dozens of illegal acts" by US troops, claiming they viewed all Iraqis as "untermenschen" - the Nazi term for races regarded as sub-human.

<snip>

Mr Griffin, 28, who spent two years with the SAS, said the American military's "gung-ho and trigger happy mentality" and tactics had completely undermined any chance of winning the hearts and minds of the Iraqi population. He added that many innocent civilians were arrested in night-time raids and interrogated by American soldiers, imprisoned in the notorious Abu Ghraib prison, or handed over to the Iraqi authorities and "most probably" tortured.

"I didn't join the British Army to conduct American foreign policy"
http://tinyurl.com/p92zz

You could almost split the Americans into two groups: ones who were complete crusaders, intent on killing Iraqis, and the others who were in Iraq because the Army was going to pay their college fees. They had no understanding or interest in the Arab culture. The Americans would talk to the Iraqis as if they were stupid and these weren't isolated cases, this was from the top down. There might be one or two enlightened officers who understood the situation a bit better but on the whole that was their general attitude. Their attitude fuelled the insurgency. I think the Iraqis detested them."

<snip>

(Griffin) said: "I do believe passionately in democracy and I will speak out about things which I think are morally wrong. I think the war in Iraq is a war of aggression and is morally wrong and, more importantly, we are making the situation in the Middle East more unstable. It's not just wrong, it's a major military disaster. There was no plan for what was to happen after Saddam went, no end-game."

The fatal divide at the heart of the Coalition
http://tinyurl.com/mhbk2

"I've had conversations with many and regular US soldiers who are evangelical Christians," writes John Geddes, the ex-SAS soldier (author of Highway To Hell)quoted above, "who see themselves in a crusade against the Muslim hordes. In my view, they're not much different to the Iraqi militiamen and foreign fighters who see themselves at the heart of a jihad against the Christian crusaders."

<snip>

From the day the first American forces crossed the border into Iraq in 2003, neither they nor their government have resolved the issue of whether they are there to serve Iraqi interests, or those of the United States. Whatever Washington may say, most Americans think they are working for their own country.

From President Bush downwards, the doctrine has been propagated that every insurgent engaged and killed in Iraq is one less to assault the US homeland. "Force protection" - the welfare of those wearing US uniforms - is the governing factor in any tactical situation. Only a tiny handful of American servicemen have been disciplined, far less put on trial, for excesses in combat that have cost civilian lives.

The Sunday Telegraph, in the UK, is a right-wing newspaper. The Special Air Service is the best special forces unit in the world.

[MADem]

1. Well, the SAS SAYS they are the best special forces unit in the world

Delta Force and Navy Seals tend to disagree with their assessment!

But all that aside, it is looking more and more like DOD is not preparing these kids to do the "nation building" required of them. The cultural ignorance IS astounding, and it is even more horrific when you talk to kids who have been there for two or three tours, and they still don't have a clue about the culture. They know stupid things, like bomb site toilets and carpet designs (and those are the ones paying attention) but they know little or nothing, by and large, about the history and culture of the land or the peoples.

I guess old Porgie wasn't lying when he said he doesn't 'do' nation-building, eh?

[Greyhound]

2. ..."neither they nor their government have resolved the issue...

...of whether they are there to serve Iraqi interests, or those of the United States." That's because the answer is that they are there to serve the interest of the corporations that pushed for, and profit from, the looting and graft.

[peacetalksforall]

3. T. E. Lawrence - 27 articles - and Sen Jacob Javits

Here is a link to the 27 articles of T.E. Lawrence. These are his writings about how to get along with and honor Arabs.

http://www.d-n-i.net/fcs/lawrence_27_articles.htm

His writings apply mostly to Arabia and from a long time ago. Judge for yourself about whose leadership you could believe in. PNAC under Rumsfeld or Lawrence.

I happened on these yesterday and was thinking about how far the U.K. has strayed - to partner with us who are led by creatures and to say nothing about and possibly even participating in the torture and cultural onslought of the Iraqis by their partnership. (What happened to that report that British soldiers set off bombs leading to the theory that some of these bombings are being set off by us?)

Then, read this dust jacket blurb from a book written by Senator Jacob Javits (R) 1956 - ?) titled Who Makes War/ The President versus COngress.

The context of the book is the "development of presidential wars and warmaking powers."

From the jacket - "That process has resulted in our time in the Imperial Presidency and the undeclared wars in Vietnam and Cambodia.

In this provocative and insightful book, Senator Javits analyzes the erosion of congressional authority and examines one of the great issues now confronting the American people: whether the war-making powers, guaranteed by the Constitution, shall be restored to Congress.

As the chief sponsr of the War Powers Act, Senator Javits proposes practical measures that would protect Americans from future involvement in unconstitutional wars, while at the same time safeguarding them against foreign enemies."

Welcome to our NO VOICE, ALL MILITARY democracy.