Bremer attacks 'idiotic' Spanish troops in Iraq

Expatica ^ | January 12 2006

[jmc1969]

The former US governor of Iraq has condemned Spanish troops for their 'idiotic' conduct in Iraq.

Paul Bremer claimed they "did nothing" as a battle between Shi'ite militia forces and coalition troops went on around them in the Iraqi city of Najaf in 2004.

In his memoirs, Bremer wrote: "They are sitting in tanks doing nothing", quoting from notes he made at the time.

"It is a perfect outrage – I call it the 'coalition of the not-at-all- willing'."

[ryan71]

Spain is too close to France.

[MARKUSPRIME]

Spain is a socialist anti-american craphole. No surprise there that they are clueless pussies.

[msnimje]

Wonder if they will sit in the tanks and do nothing when the Muslim War for the control of the World accelerates in Spain?

[Proud_USA_Republican]

bet me to it. I was about to say I predict the spanish army is as useful as the French army.

[Lexington Green]

Cowards... but then we know that.

[MCRD]

The brave in Spain stay mostly in the plane.

[hgro]

When you have a book to peddle ~~~~~~

[Red6]

Could it be that First Armored Division stayed longer (Extended 3 months), that they went South to "clean up" after they already should have left because of this? Could it be that Muqtar Al Sadr ran South for a reason in April of 2004? Is there a reason why Spain fell as a power years ago? Iraq is not a statement of Spains lack of support for the war (When they were there), it's a statement of their resolve, will-power and willingness to fight. Some of these militaries have "no heart". A military is often a mirror image of its society.

Red6

[robowombat]

Interesting. I would suspect there were firm directives from Zapazeros incoming regime to the Min of Defense that there better be no Spanish casualties. Unfortunately the general officer type who rises to the higher national defense staff positions almost universally are the kind of people who have shown themselves amenable to compromise and are chiefly devoted to their personal careers. This is, unhappily, frequently as true here as over the water. These GO's made it clear to the commanders of the Spanish contingent that dire consequences who befall any officer who put his unit in harm;s way before the hasty exit went down. In European militaries the Code of Military Justice can be used in a far more draconian way against officers who do not fully support commander's intent at all levels. A battalion commander who responded to the 'Hey Rube' summons from US and allied forces would quite reasonably expected an administrative procedure that could, at the least, earn him suspension of pay and some period of incarceration and at worst expulsion from the Army under dishonorable conditions with no pay or benefits AFTER serving a fair stretch of time in an 'officers jail'.
Knowing the kind of punitive actions they were facing it is not hard to understand why the Spanish contingent obeyed higher direction, like it or not.

Just in passing. The Spanish forces deployed to the Balkans displayed a high level of professionalism and soldierly conduct. It would be impossible to describe either the troops of the Spanish Foreign Legion or the parachute brigade as anything but excellent soldiers. Their government may be cr-p but there are many brave men and professional officers in the Spanish forces.

[TCats]

I don't have a lot of respect for Bremer but, on this score, he is right. Spain only went along for appearances sake and, when it got real, they adopted the French Model of warfare. Probably more trouble to babysit than they were worth anyway.

[Froufrou]

ROTFLMAO! Good one!

[Froufrou]

Hey, maybe they were taking a siesta for awhile. They don't eat dinner until midnight, ya know.

[MizSterious]

People who were over there said just the opposite about Spain. Bremer also said the Bush admin and the Pentagon were incompetent--he's got a book to sell, and he doesn't care who he stabs in the back if it makes him another buck or two.

[CondorFlight]

The Spanish also refused to go to the aid of a Salvadoran contingent which was deployed near them.

THAT kind of ally, we don't need. . .

[Don Carlos]

Great reply!

[Red6]

It was common knowledge that the Spanish troops allowed the "bad guys" to do what they want. That at night they would not patrol.......

In the Balkans it was not just the US that lead the Air campaign, even on the ground it was US troops that spearheaded the operations. We took over 30 dead doing so, not the Spaniards. Many of these European militaries are more like social clubs with fat obese troops, questionable loyalties, low pay, not very selective in who they take, and often even conscripted! Many of these countries have amateur militaries. Understand that the “prevailing” attitude in much of Europe is that the military is a place for you to go if you can’t get a “real” job. What kind of personnel can you attract with poor pay?

http://www.1id.army.mil/1ID/History/Bosnia.htm

As in Iraq where “WE” get the Sunni Triangle and Baghdad (All the fun places), in the Balkans we not only had the lead, took the causalities but also assumed what was considered the “worst” areas. Look at Lebanon where the French were as well. Guess who took the casualties and assumed control the worst places to be? Who was right downtown Beirut? They like to talk a big story, but believe it or not, our military is the one that typically is in the lead, takes the bad places, is the first one in and last one out.

Don’t believe it? Look at Afghanistan and who has the “nice” places and is doing all the blood letting even still today!

Still not convinced? Somalia it was the US that took the worst areas while some others got places up North that where more like a “camping trip”.

Need more examples? S. Korea in the 50’s……….

“WE” the US takes the lead on near ALL these operations. But they sure like to talk a big story!

Red6

[Spanishguy]

Our military recent history...
Last war in... 1936 and against... ourselves... and we lost...
Last war with another country in... 1898 against you and we lost
I don't think in the whole spanish army there's a guy that has ever been in war.
And you want US to manage a hot spot!!! are you crazy!!!!
because we want to win the war right?

let us arrests terrorist on this side and do this things we know how to do (better than you I'd dare to say).

Being there was the worthless spend of money that I can think about. The only think that this jerk that we have as a president forgot is that you cannot leave your allys stuck without saying goodbye... (by the way, in Spain we call that "french goodbye" isn't it ironic?)

[Joe 6-pack]

"Their government may be cr-p but there are many brave men and professional officers in the Spanish forces."

I think that statement has been generally true for centuries.

[Malesherbes]

It reminds me of who won the Spanish-American War.