Posted on 12/31/2004 10:26:32 AM PST by West Coast Conservative
They’re commandos, elite forces battling terrorists — and they’re Iraqi.
Shiites, Sunnis and Kurds are working together to protect their homeland. And they’re trained by American soldiers to do it.
FOX News spent a few days watching the unit train to become part of Iraq’s security force, which currently has 120,000 members and a small-but-growing number of skilled fighters from all parts of the country.
The school teaches the Iraqi soldiers to handle raids, ambushes and light infantry tactics.
“I feel good because we are fighting the terrorists,” said one Iraqi commando.
(Excerpt) Read more at foxnews.com ...
About Time!!
I go one step better. Everytime a terrorist bomb goes off and innocent Iraqi bystanders get kill, the US should offer the families of the victims a chance to revenge by joining the Iraqi Army. These recruits are most likely to be loyal, have a purpose and motivated to fight.
Building up an effective fighting force takes time, particularly from all three ethnic goups. Hope we support them with air cover, armor and artillary as hard as we protect our own.
I don't want to sound negative, but the big question is are they reliable? Things did not go well w/ our indigenous troops in Fallujah. I think the differences and conflicts between the various groups in Iraq(Kurd,shitte,sunni,etc)are going to be real hinderances to forming an effective army. Plus you have neighbors Syria and Iran.And of course the msm has a negative effect on moral here and in Iraq.
Things would go better if you didn't use indiginous troops. Send the sunni troops into the shite regions and vice versa.
Seems to me the Romans used to do this. Send the foriegn troops to a region not the native ones.
"I don't want to sound negative . . ."
You know its a federal crime to write negative posts on free republic :)
Federal crime?Thanx for the heads up. I think we can get Iraq to the the point where they can take care of themselves, but it's going to be a longterm project. And then there's Syria and Iran.
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