Posted on 04/13/2004 1:14:45 PM PDT by Eurotwit
A disparate group of Iraqi soldiers are helping the US fight insurgents in Fallujah. Tony Perry reports.
As would-be peacemakers tried to avert a military showdown between US marines and insurgents cornered in Fallujah, one group of soldiers left no doubt that they were prepared for a fight.
"Fallujah, Fallujah, right now," chanted members of a battalion in the new Iraqi army.
The Iraqi troops, US marines and US Army Special Forces advisers live in a tumbledown house not far from where four Americans were killed and their bodies mutilated late last month. That event triggered the US offensive going on in Fallujah, which has a population of 300,000.
The performance of the Iraqi security forces during the offensive, for the most part, has been dismal. Some Iraqi army units deserted, police officers in Fallujah fled in their squad cars and the Iraqi Civil Defence Corps forces were largely a no-show.
But the performance by scores of soldiers from the Iraqi army's 36th Battalion has been a bright spot, suggesting to the Americans that, with time, training and better weaponry, Iraq's forces could help combat the insurgency.
Although many of its activities are considered classified, the battalion - the label is a bit overblown given that the 36th has only a few hundred soldiers - has been involved in gathering intelligence, apprehending suspected terrorists, setting up ambushes and helping US forces tighten the cordon around Fallujah to keep insurgents from escaping or gaining reinforcements.
"These guys are hard-core," said marine Lance Corporal Rob Noceda, 19, of Chicago.
The unit is made up of a cross-section of ethnic and religious groups, including both Shiite and Sunni Muslims. Some served in the Iraqi army under Saddam Hussein. Others were involved with dissident groups during his regime, including one soldier who was tortured and had part of an ear cut off.
Some are Kurds with a surpassing hatred of Saddam and anyone with his former ruling Baath Party.
Captain Saad Amar Auobai, a charismatic Iraqi officer, said his men would "fight those who would hurt our people. We want to capture them, not kill them; we are not killers."
Ahmad Temeny was a school principal before joining the new army as a sergeant. "We are fighting for Iraq," he said.
But the soldiers want Americans to be clear on one point: they expect the US Government to follow through on its commitment to return control of Iraq to its people in less than three months.
"If it does not happen by June 30, everyone will quit," Hussain Ali said. "We fight for Iraq, not the US."
- Los Angeles Times
The American commanders need to use them where they will do the most good while not putting our operations or long term goals at risk.
Considering that we still have troops in Germany and Japan from winning WW II, and South Korea from winning (in the sense that the North didn't take over) the Korean War, I expect that we will continue to have troops in Iraq for a long time. The only way we will remove the troops is if we lose and flee. I pray that doesn't happen for our sake and the sake of the people of Iraq.
George W. Bush has always understood this. The Iraqis have to feel totally responsible for their country, or it will be a failure.
Of course, we have to keep troops there, and the super-embassy they plan, but the gov't has to be led by Iraqis. And they can't be perceived to be puppets of the Americans - and that's the hardest part.
And who am I playing "HARDBALL" against, keyboard commando?
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