Posted on 01/22/2006 4:08:31 AM PST by LibWhacker
BAGHDAD, Jan 22 (Reuters) - U.S. forces hunting kidnapped American journalist Jill Carroll are raiding Iraqi homes in a race against time but, as with much of their counter-insurgency war, face the dilemma that their tactics can foster resentment.
Operations designed to take her captors by surprise have angered those Iraqis who say troops have blasted their way into their homes, put sacks over their heads and detained their relatives in the search for Carroll, who was abducted on Jan 7.
One such raid, shortly after the reporter was seized, targeted one of Baghdad's biggest Sunni mosques; the sight of troops descending on ropes from helicopters and storming through the compound infuriated Sunni political leaders and drew condemnation from the United Nations envoy to Iraq.
Lieutenant Colonel Barry Johnson, chief spokesman for the U.S. military, said troops risk putting the lives of hostages and themselves in danger if they do not move quickly.
"Speed is essential in any raid. It may scare or inconvenience people but it is necessary in an environment where we are fighting insurgents and terrorists. If houses are damaged we have a comprehensive compensation programme," he said.
Carroll's high-profile case has focused on negotiating efforts to win her release, but what is happening on the ground in Baghdad illustrates the wider challenge facing U.S. troops to gather accurate intelligence and act against shadowy guerrilla groups and criminal gangs hidden among the general population.
Tracking rebels may require raids and overwhelming force but, if misdirected or mishandled, can undermine efforts to win Iraqi allies in the fight against the insurgency.
Aware that Carroll's militant captors threatened to kill her if the authorities did not release women prisoners by Friday, U.S. troops have stormed homes in several areas of Baghdad. How many homes they have raided in the hunt is not clear.
In a typical instance, the Nazih family heard movements in their garden just after midnight. But they had no time to check.
"My son was in the garden so I went around the back door to see what was happening and suddenly American soldiers pointed rifles at us," said Hamdiya Sabri, 55, of her son Jassim, 23.
"Then all of a sudden we heard an explosion. They blew open the front door and fired stun grenades into the living room. They rounded us up and threw me on the floor and a soldier put me on the floor and kept his boot on my back. Why?"
HUNT FOR HOSTAGE
Two of her other sons said U.S. troops asked if they knew anything about the neighbours and then they asked about Carroll, a 28-year-old reporter for the Christian Science Monitor.
"They told us that they had a tip that the American journalist was being held in this area and asked me what I thought of her," said Thamir Nazih, 40.
"I said I was sympathetic about Jill Carroll and that she is innocent. Then they asked me if I knew any terrorists -- this only after they stormed the house and humiliated my family."
After the search, a U.S. soldier promised $300 compensation and apologised, saying troops had acted on a faulty tip.
The soldiers took away Jassim, the youngest son of the family, saying he would be questioned and freed in a day or two.
The soldiers then descended on the Nazihs' neighbours in the Ghazaliya section of Baghdad, where insurgents are active.
"They barged into our home then they pulled me by the hair. I kept telling them we had a baby. Then a soldier went into the room where my brother was sleeping near the baby and they punched my brother in the face," said Hubaab Hamid.
After searching the house, the soldiers told her that two of her brothers would be detained for questioning.
"I asked how long they would be away. They said they would be freed if they are innocent. I asked where they would be held and the Iraqi translator just laughed at me," she said.
Some 14,000 people are currently held by U.S. forces on suspicion of guerrilla activity. Thousands more have been released without charge, often after many months in captivity.
Hamid said one soldier showed compassion.
"I looked up and he had tears in his eyes as he was watching them humiliate my sisters and me," she said.
"Then he gave us a blanket and he apologised."
Damned if you don't try to save her, damned if you do.
Yeah ... I think I got the message.
" ... targeted was one of Baghdad's biggest Sunni mosques; the sight of troops descending on ropes from helicopters and storming through the compound infuriated Sunni political leaders and drew condemnation from the United Nations envoy to Iraq.
That wouldn't have been the Umm al-Qura mosque, headquarters of the Association of Muslim Scholars, a major Sunni clerical group that is believed to have ties to some insurgent groups.
Nah ... I didn't think so.
How many times have our men been fired on from within a mosque? Has Kerry been counting? Hmmm
What are we supposed to do? Sit around and wait for 17 resolutions before we act on a tip and a hostage is long dead? sheesh... catch 22 with everything.
Bingo! Not only will Kerry jump all over this, he's babbling about going to Iraq to free Jill Carroll, himself. Uh, this may involve more US troops breaking into Iraqi homes, terrorizing women and children, but if Kerry orders it, it's okay.
"Tracking rebels may require raids and overwhelming force but, if misdirected or mishandled, can undermine efforts to win Iraqi allies in the fight against the insurgency."
Wishful thinking on the part of the writer.
When given a choice between raids on their homes and becoming victims of real terrorists acts such as marketplace, or mosque bombings, in the final analysis, the Iraqis will choose our side.
It's a shame Roto-Reuter is not as centralized as Al Jazeera- And an even bigger shame they do not share the same GPS coordinates.
Speaking of al Jazeera, was there audio with the Jill Carroll video? If so, anyone know why we haven't heard it?
OH for God's sake! These reuters "girly -men"!
They'll have us believe that the Iraqi citizens are going to give all American Servicemen big black marks on their report cards!
This is (albiet "limited") a war zone and has been forever. Those "little goodie two shoes" reporters from Reuters would have us traumatizing the entire population over a hostage situation.
The last thing we need is another ration of crap from the Euro-trash Reuters crowd.
Of course, if the soldiers weren't kicking doors in, she'd be writing a hit-piece about that.
You can't win with agenda reporters.
***Damned if you don't try to save her, damned if you do.***
Exactly! If one of these people had a loved one being held by AQ, they'd be screaming that we aren't doing enough to help. But, of course, Reuters only quotes the malcontents.
I wish i was there to see "the sight of troops descending on ropes from helicopters and storming through the compound". I'm sorry but its time to BRING THE HAMMER DOWN ON THIS CRAP!!
"I looked up and he had tears in his eyes as he was watching them humiliate my sisters and me," she said.
"Then he gave us a blanket and he apologised."
Oh cry me a river. What a crock of Reuters-BS. Not one word of condemnation for the kidnappers, not one. Not from this Reuters tool-fool, the so-called "infuriated Sunni's" (what, all 12 of them?) or the UN envoy.
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