Posted on 05/02/2006 8:29:20 PM PDT by aculeus
The Gangster Disciples, Latin Kings and Vice Lords were born decades ago in Chicago's most violent neighborhoods. Now, their gang graffiti is showing up 6,400 miles away in one of the world's most dangerous neighborhoods -- Iraq.
Armored vehicles, concrete barricades and bathroom walls all have served as canvasses for their spray-painted gang art. At Camp Cedar II, about 185 miles southeast of Baghdad, a guard shack was recently defaced with "GDN" for Gangster Disciple Nation, along with the gang's six-pointed star and the word "Chitown," a soldier who photographed it said.
The graffiti, captured on film by an Army Reservist and provided to the Chicago Sun-Times, highlights increasing gang activity in the Army in the United States and overseas, some experts say.
Jeffrey Stoleson, an Army Reserve sergeant in Iraq, is seen in front of a barricade tagged with gang graffiti in March in Iraq. Stoleson, who has been in Iraq for almost a year, says he has taken hundreds of photos of gang graffiti there.
Military and civilian police investigators familiar with three major Army bases in the United States -- Fort Lewis, Fort Hood and Fort Bragg -- said they have been focusing recently on soldiers with gang affiliations. These bases ship out many of the soldiers fighting in Iraq.
"I have identified 320 soldiers as gang members from April 2002 to present," said Scott Barfield, a Defense Department gang detective at Fort Lewis in Washington state. "I think that's the tip of the iceberg."
Of paramount concern is whether gang-affiliated soldiers' training will make them deadly urban warriors when they return to civilian life and if some are using their access to military equipment to supply gangs at home, said Barfield and other experts.
(Excerpt) Read more at suntimes.com ...
Wow. Scary!
Service is a noble path to citizenship. The traveller, however, is not necessarily so.
"A law enforcement source in Chicago said police see some evidence of soldiers working with gangs here. Police recently stopped a vehicle and found 10 military flak jackets inside. A gang member in the vehicle told investigators his brother was a Marine and sent the jackets home, the source said."
sionnsar......for Ft. Lewis mention
The U.S. military has had for some time a policy of inducting non-citizens in times of military need who were also looking for a fast-track to citizenship. Many Latinos no doubt have already availed themselves of the military's open-door policies. I'm sure there are many motivations for "upping", not the least of which would be weapons training not available elsewhere for an aspiring revolutionary member of la Raza on American soil.
anyone caught tagging on base should be given the honor
of walking point for the next week thereafter
I think summary execution in the field is perfectly acceptable for any soldier found to be operating as an agent of a gang. Note I said agent, having been a menber at the time you joined, or maintaining your membership and doing Uncle Sam's work exclusively, is not enough.is not enough.
Your right, except 99% of the military isnt foreign citizen and these gang members are more than likely born and raised Americans.
This is damn scary! And not only because of what they could do when they get back here.
If it turns out that there are soldiers committing criminal gang activity in foreign countries, they will give this country a bad name. It has the potential to cause damage to relations between the U.S. and whatever country they're stationed in.
This is a frightening thought, that we're exporting gang members to other countries. Is the military doing anything to identify and get rid of them?
The fact that current recruiting efforts are collecting garbage along with the good, is one argument in favor of universal conscription. Not saying that's enough of a reason, just noting it.
History may judge Nixon's ending the draft as his worst "crime". The generation that now runs America won't bring it back until it is too late.
Agreed, and worth another BumPing.
Tangentially related to illegal immigration.
BUMP
Yeah but how many times have you said this:
"We should take all these goddamn gangs and gang members and ship them to Iraq?"
I know I have... :P
"The Director of Special Intelligence Services has reliable information that anti-Mexican forces in Aztlan and in certain other area of Anahuac, are preparing to utilize explosives and snipers to kill our people. We urge our community to arm themselves to protect our families. We are also urging our soldiers presently serving In Iraq, Afghanistan and other foreign lands to do everything possible to return home and fight for your own. The situation here is critical."
Mexican Militants Urge
Latinos To Arm Themselves
4-29-6
http://www.rense.com/general70/arm.htm
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.