Iraqi trenches show soldiers better trained than thought

Stars and Stripes ^ | Apr 1, 2003 | Mark Oliva

[Diddley]

SOUTHERN IRAQ —
When snipers from the 2nd Battalion, 23rd Marine Regiment came upon a dug-in fighting position along the highway south of Nasiriyah, they were shocked at what they found.

While the Iraqi soldiers were gone, they had left behind significant quantities of weapons, chemical protective gear, food stores and even unit rosters. The complexity of supplies suggests the Iraqi units are better supplied and trained than previously thought.

“I’m shocked at how well-organized they are,” said Sgt. Fred Kittman, part of the sniper team that uncovered the trench line. “We were told that these Iraqi units down this way weren’t this well-supplied and trained.” Among the weapons recovered:

• 13 French-made Milan anti-tank rockets, primed and ready to fire.
• Five rocket-propelled grenades.
• 48 60 mm high explosive mortar rounds.
• 13 80 mm white phosphorous mortar rounds.
"It looked liked everyone just walked off the line and stripped down,” said Kittman. “You could see flip-flop impressions leading away from the fighting positions.”

The Marines collected tan and olive Iraqi uniforms, black berets and boots. They also found a unit roster that they believe details the members of Iraqi 3rd Battalion, 47th Brigade, 11th Infantry Division. The Iraqi unit, garrisoned near Nasiriyah, surrendered to U.S. troops and sat out the fighting.

Personal items in the trench line included gas masks, water purification devices and instructions on how to use the chemical protective gear.,P. “All the NBC gear was in the plastic with extra canisters,” said Marine Sgt. James Zourek, another sniper involved in the recovery. “We saw instructions on how to use atropine.”
Finally, the Marines found stashes of fresh vegetables and oil, which suggested that the Iraqi troops hadn’t been gone long.

“There was bags of fruit and bread out there,” Zourek added. “It couldn’t have been there more than a couple days.”
What the Marines didn’t find in the trench also spoke volumes. There were no small arms, heavy machine guns or mortars.

“We didn’t find anything indigenous to a person trying to protect themselves,” Kittman said. “Nothing that would suggest they abandoned their personal gear that they carried.”
The Marines discovered that the Iraqi troops had two lines of defense along the supply route.
“They had the forethought to think we were going to come down here and they were waiting for us,” Kittman said.

[Wrigley]

Alex,
You should know that Mormons are saints.
And saints do nothing wrong.

[tiki]

Who says they surrendered. They might be out there in civilian clothing terrorizing our troops.

[snerkel]

I asked an honest question. I do not know how this program handles foul language and since you have been here longer, I thought you might know.

BTW, your posts do not offend me, I find them most amusing. :)

[Revelation 911]

Illbay:Give me a ****ing break, man. I'm sick of this kind of "Iraqi bogey-man" cr*p.

Restornu: You got something against peace?

Rev: What ive got something against is a potty mouth - Im just curious - is he in the council of saints when he talks like that? -

How bout rebuking his foul mouth and calling him on his poor example instead of playing stupid -

[Revelation 911]

~ insult one of us, you insult Jesus Christ!

despite the fact the one who swears insults Christ directly by claiming to be among the council of saints -thats blasphemy plain and simple -

Besides, who have I insulted by pointing out his filthy mouth ?

[Alex Murphy]

[spelling improved]We have no ridiculous thinking like if you insult one of us, you insult Jesus Christ!

Check out Acts 9:1-4, in which Jesus is caught saying something ridiculous to Saul.

[crusher999]

I'm with you on this one Illbay...

Just because they found this material means nothing.

At the risk of sounding overly "cocky" in regard to underestimating the enemy...I think this report if off-base.

How can you assume that these guys are better trained, if they had yet to read the manuals on how to don their chemical protective gear.

If they had found 10-speed bikes in the trench, would we be able to assume that they know how to ride them?

Hardly.

[Hacksaw]

They leave all their equipment behind and that reflects good training?

[Diddley]

[48]
.They leave all their equipment behind and that reflects good training?.

Good for us.

[xm177e2]

Who says they surrendered. They might be out there in civilian clothing terrorizing our troops.

But why leave so much equipment behind if that is their aim? They must have taken with them their anti-tank rockets if they were going to fight. They either surrenderred or went AWOL, those are the most likely explanations.

[Publius6961]

Iraqi trenches show soldiers better trained than thought

Well, the "children-for-shields" certainly are well trained.

Happy to call those "brave" soldiers "sand-maggots"

[Diddley]

[51]
.Happy to call those "brave" soldiers "sand-maggots" .

Works for me.

[tiki]

I think they could go out in the day with their weapons to fight in civilian clothing expecting to return.

[CCWoody]

Well, at least Illbay is not saying that he hates non whites like he did several days ago. Of course, as soon as I pointed out that post, it mysteriously vanished.

[White Mountain]

Illbay's #6: Give me a [] break, man. I'm sick of this kind of "Iraqi bogey-man" [stuff].

Your #21 to Illbay: ... while this type of foul mouthed personal attack is tolerated. The rest of us are obligated to live by the rules set forth by JR - what makes you exempt and why is it tolerated?

restornu's #22 to you: You got something against peace?

Some observations:

• Illbay should make it plain that he is addressing his comments to the author of the article, not the poster of the article.

• Illbay's post is unfortunately not unusual for the news forum, but he needs to hold himself to a higher standard, because:

• Illbay stands up openly for his religious faith in other FR forums, and he therefore needs to be a good example of his faith to others, and avoid even the appearance of evil. To do otherwise is hypocrisy, and does harm to all concerned.

• Two words already toned down with stars are easily removed completely, and should have been, as I did above.

• No one can say he has self-mastery who does not bridle his tongue.

• Illbay is not exempt. He was suspended for three or four days recently, and, who knows, it might happen again.

• This is the news forum, not the religion forum (posts #21 and #27).

• No, restornu, Rev911 has nothing against peace.

(Now back to your regularly-scheduled news thread...)

[A.J.Armitage]

Illbay stands up openly for his religious faith in other FR forums, and he therefore needs to be a good example of his faith to others, and avoid even the appearance of evil. To do otherwise is hypocrisy, and does harm to all concerned.

Except for potential converts to Mormonism who might be turned off. They're helped.

[White Mountain]

From the article: "I’m shocked at how well-organized they are," said Sgt. Fred Kittman, part of the sniper team that uncovered the trench line. "We were told that these Iraqi units down this way weren’t this well-supplied and trained." ... "It looked liked everyone just walked off the line and stripped down," said Kittman. "You could see flip-flop impressions leading away from the fighting positions."

Looks like these farmers by day and soldiers by night don't have a place to stow their gear while they are farming -- or maybe they had to fade into the countryside on very short notice.

[White Mountain]

Your #56: They're helped.

That's your spin.

[restornu]

restornu's #22 to you: You got something against peace?

No, restornu, Rev911 has nothing against peace.

****

My reply to Rev 911 was that when ever something happen LDS I get flaged!

I have no bone with Rev yet he drags me into his arguements.

So I replied to him "You got something against peace?"

I don't want to CONTEND!

Do you NOW UNDERSTAND THAT White Mountain?

Did you read? -

Question 1

reply 1

Question 2

Reply 2

[Illbay]

Illbay uses "splats" instead of actual bad words.

You fill in the splats.

As our sectarian brethren are wont to observe: I ain't perfect, just saved.