U.S. Aims To Lure Insurgents With 'Bait'

http://www.washingtonpost.com/ ^ | Monday, September 24, 2007 | Josh White and Joshua Partlow

[bigheadfred]

A Pentagon group has encouraged some U.S. military snipers in Iraq to target suspected insurgents by scattering pieces of "bait," such as detonation cords, plastic explosives and ammunition, and then killing Iraqis who pick up the items, according to military court documents.

The classified program was described in investigative documents related to recently filed murder charges against three snipers who are accused of planting evidence on Iraqis they killed.

[bigheadfred]

Good Morning America, how are you?

[Eagles6]

save

[bigheadfred]

Ping

[IrishMike]

Great news, just like fishing - use the proper bait.
I hope these snipers don’t have a ‘bag limit’ because I’m no fan of ‘catch n release’.

[mortal19440]

This classified info along with unit members names really had to be published? I think not. I wonder why this borderline traitorous activity didn't happen in WW II?

[goldstategop]

We're just using the jihadis' nasty IED surprises on them. Call it Blowback On Al Qaeda.

"Show me just what Mohammed brought that was new, and there you will find things only evil and inhuman, such as his command to spread by the sword the faith he preached." - Manuel II Palelologus

[Kozak]

American Snipers

A very worthy cause. Help reach out and touch a terrorist.

[Long Island Pete]

scattering pieces of "bait," such as detonation cords, plastic explosives and ammunition, and then killing Iraqis who pick up the items,

How soon before the ACLU cries entrapment?

[lilycicero]

I am reading between the lines on why you posted this article. I get it. I hope everyone reads the full article.

[Red Badger]

Why not plant some tracking devices in the bait and follow them to their hideouts?.................

[Red Badger]

Say, don’t you know me?..............

[xzins]

ABSOLUTELY phenomenal, fred. It is now clear to me that evan, hensley, and sandoval are innocent.

I am positive that specop procedures move into the regular line units because specop troops themselves, especially rangers, move into line infantry units.

Fast-roping was once a specop only technique. It’s now throughout the entire air assault community.

I’m definitely willing to be convinced that the “baiting” techniques used are part of why our troops are being charged. The door to Pandora’s box was opened and a bunch of unsuspecting young Americans walked through it.

I think the message was this: “If you know that you know that you know that Ahmed XYZ is one of the bad guys, but you cannot prove it, then there are “ways and there are ways” to take him out. By the way, the secretary will disavow any knowledge of your actions.....(mission impossible music fading slowly in the background.)”

Into this mix is the absolute refusal to allow our troops to keep battlefield contraband....AK47s and the like. If they cannot keep it, if they’re punished for keeping it, then WHERE did these guys come up with a “plant” AK on that battlefield on that day? Answer: on that battlefield.

If you’re gonna teach the troops to dance with the devil like this, then you don’t get to charge them with crimes and then hide behind claims of “classified techniques.”

Finally, why portray our troops as murderers to the media and the world by charging them with with crimes for this variety of sniper activity?! Everyone knows that sniping is not clean and is a blood sport on the battlefield.

IMHO, the Army clearly is shooting themselves in the foot on this one.

[NavyCanDo]

“classified program” No more. Thanks Washington Compost

[xzins]

See #12.

[Virginia Ridgerunner]

Two soldiers who had not been officially informed about the program came forward with allegations of wrongdoing after they learned they were going to be punished for falling asleep on a sniper mission, according to the documents.

Hmmmm.......I wouldn't expect long life expectancies for these two.

[bigheadfred]

I’m your native son.

[Red Badger]

I'm the train they call the City of New Orleans..................

[SampleMan]

Luckily for the terrorists, the Washington Post is providing this warning for them.

But the MSM would never do anything to hurt our troops!

[Girlene]

So let me see if I've got some of this story...There was allegedly a sniper program out there to plant bait to attract possible insurgents. How widespread or sanctioned it was, is still unknown at this point.

It is unclear whether the program reached elsewhere in Iraq and how many people were killed through the baiting tactics. Members of the sniper platoon have said they felt pressure from commanders to kill more insurgents because U.S. units in the area had taken heavy losses. The sniper unit -- .... often went on missions into hostile areas to intercept insurgents going to and from hidden weapons caches.

Here's the beginning of the motivation for charging them with criminal wrongdoing....

Soldiers said that about a dozen platoon members were aware of the program, and that numerous others knew about the "drop items" but did not know their purpose. Two soldiers who had not been officially informed about the program came forward with allegations of wrongdoing after they learned they were going to be punished for falling asleep on a sniper mission, according to the documents.

Here comes the problem....

Within months of the program's introduction, three snipers [Sandoval, Vela, and Hensley (their superior)] in Didier's platoon were charged with murder for allegedly using those items and others to make shootings seem legitimate. Though it does not appear that the three alleged shootings were specifically part of the classified program, defense attorneys argue that the program may have opened the door to the soldiers' actions because it blurred the legal lines of killing in a complex war zone.

James D. Culp, a civilian attorney for one of the snipers, Sgt. Evan Vela, said the soldiers became "battle-fatigued pawns in a newfangled concept of 'baiting' warfare that, like an onion, perhaps looked good on the surface, but started stinking to high hell the minute the layers were pulled back and scrutinized."

Specific incidents are: First Sandoval with Hensely allegedly kill an Iraqi and then plant a spool of wire in his pocket. Second Vela allegedly shoots an Iraqi near a hideout on Hensley's orders then someone plants an AK47. Third Hensley is charged with another Iraqis death who was planting wire in a road.

Is Hensley charged with all three deaths and Sandoval and Vela just charged with one each?

[bigheadfred]

Yes, that is the case.