Posted on 03/29/2003 2:46:12 PM PST by 11th_VA
Iraqi soldiers are being forced by militias loyal to President Saddam Hussein to ride motorbikes packed with explosives into coalition forces and blow themselves up, a group of Iraqi deserters said today.
Five deserters, who turned themselves in but refused to be named for fear of reprisals against their families, said they had been a given a choice by members of the feared Fedayeen militia unit in the city of Basra of carrying out suicide attacks or being shot, they told reporters.
However, there have been no reports of any such attempt in Basra.
"They are forcing us to ride motorbikes carrying explosives. We have to ride them into American or British positions," one 19-year-old said speaking through an interpreter.
"If we don't we were told we would be shot."
Four US soldiers were killed today near the city of Najaf when a suicide bomber set off his charge at a roadblock. It was the first successful suicide attack of the 10-day-old US drive to topple Saddam.
State television said the bomber was an Iraqi army officer seeking to teach the Americans a "lesson."
The bombing in Najaf, which also came amid calls by Muslim clerics for a holy war against the invaders, signalled a new threat against US-led forces already struggling with guerrilla tactics and attacks by soldiers disguised as civilians.
Another of the deserters said that ruling Baath party loyalists had set up checkpoints within Basra which has been besieged by British forces.
A special rear guard execution squad had been set up to kill any fleeing regular soldiers, he added.
The five said they had escaped from Basra last weekend and made their way south to this port town which is now in coalition hands and were turning themselves in as they were afraid of being handed in by Saddam loyalists.
Another 19-year-old said that he had seen his brother shot in front of him.
"If they (the coalition) attack and finish Baghdad, everybody will rise up against Saddam. It will be finished for him," he added.
The group spoke to journalists at the gates of a coalition compound where they were waiting to be taken into the custody of British soldiers.
This is encouraging.
So we defeat Saddam then they will rise up against him?? he is gone by then... what a cheapskate.
Not all that stupid. If Saddam's control is gone, you'll see the populace go after the fedayeen and the Ba'athists and the other surviving members of Saddam's regime. For example, Uday isn't really a well-liked guy without the fear and the power to hand out goodies or decide life and death. And, I'm sure there are some who have grudges against Chemical Ali. The list goes on and on and on. We don't know everyone who has benefited from their positions, but the locals do.
The Civil War might have ended differently if the 4 million slaves had been willing to fight to the death on behalf of the Confederacy. That's what the naysayers are predicting--that the Iraqis will fight against being freed. The Germans did so until the end of the war in 1945, but the average "Aryan" German was much less likely to have an immediate relative who had suffered at the hands of the regime than is the case in Iraq today.
How much of an effort is being made to get the word to the Iraqis living in Baghdad and Basra that we don't have any desire to control their country? We just want to get rid of Saddam and get rid of the weapons of mass destruction, and then go home...but undoubtedly they are being told something quite different by the regime.
This is stupid! That's like saying "...if they kill Saddam we will rise up against him..."
Maybe, but here is what I have thought for a while: Iraq will be more difficult than Afghanistan was, but once the Iraqi government falls, it will have fallen for good. IMHO, a year from now we may still be mopping up in Afghanistan, but Iraq will be completely over. Maybe I'm right and maybe I'm wrong. But isn't this a bit similar to what the Iraqi in question is saying.
Yes. Actually there have been stories here and there all along. The regular press types that inhabit the briefings refuse to believe it. They scorn the administration for saying the Iraqi people want to be liberated. Some have come close to mocking the notion in the briefings. It's those that encounter these people that tell the stories, and why Torie felt compelled to show that story of the woman who was tortured to the press today. I missed the actual briefing, but from what I saw, the reporters did not seem moved.
Ah, chill out. It's not stupid. They don't have the means to overthrow these tyrants on their own. They're saying they will not tolerate staying under the yoke of another oppressor if we lift it from their shoulders.
Sorry, it is not a waste of time. It is very useful to listen, then to counter the spin they are trying to put out there.
We've actually been doing it, by complaining to local affiliates and such about the boorish behavior of network reporters.
Apparently, they're doing that already. I just saw an NBC! newscast showing the allies invading houses where the Iraqis told us Saddam's troops were hiding.
There will probably be some grudge finger pointings, just like there were in Afghanistan, but on the whole, the Iraqis who can find a safe way to tell are going to do it ASAP.
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