At Least One Iraqi Battalion Is Ready to Help U.S.

Los Angeles Times ^ | 4/13/04 | Tony Perry

[saquin]

FALLOUJA, Iraq — As would-be peacemakers tried Monday to avert a military showdown between U.S. Marines and insurgents cornered in this city, one group of soldiers left no doubt that it was prepared for a fight.

"Fallouja, Fallouja, right now," chanted members of a battalion in the new Iraqi army who, along with Marines and U.S. Army Special Forces advisors, are living in a tumbledown house not far from where four Americans were killed and their bodies mutilated late last month. That brutal event triggered the current U.S. offensive in this city 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 Fallouja fled in their squad cars and the Iraqi Civil Defense Corps was largely a no-show.

But the performance here 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, this nation's forces could help combat the insurgency.

[AmericanVictory]

Same was true in Nam. The trick was to get the good ones elevated into the right spots and deployed in the right places at the right times. This necessity and challenge will go several years beyond the turnover of civil government authority and will require Abazaid as an Abrams of our time.

[Captainpaintball]

At Least One Iraqi Battalion Is Ready to Help U.S.

At least, until the first shots are fired in their general direction.

[donozark]

South Vietnamese Marines were very good. Ditto the Airborne. 1st ARVN ID as well. Problem was, when commies hit (after US pullout in '71), Pres, Thieu withdrew them from MR! and used them essentially as a "palace guard." Stupid move...led to massive civilian panic and collapse of S. VN in '75...

I think if we have time to train these people we can build and effective force. Look at how ROK forces turned out.