U.S. Says Iraqi Soldiers Ordered to Commit Atrocities Wearing American-Like Uniforms

AP ^ | 3/6/03 | Robert Burns

[Bush2000]

I think the dark complexion and black handlebar mustache will be a dead giveaway that they're Saddam's stooges...

[George W. Bush]

exactly so. almost nobody likes it, for a bunch of reasons. it is embarassing to wear it around Rangers, one feels like a lame-o pretender.

You said it better than I could. If I were ordinary enlisted, I'd be embarassed to be wearing their beret. I know it's an internal military thing but there's a certain respect and honor attached to those black berets, a sense that the man wearing it earned by being the best and the toughest. Not that any of our soldiers are in any way second-rate. But our special forces are special and there should be some relatively informal way for all the military to recognize that, something that says something about the man and his training, not just his rank. I guess it's kind of a military culture thing. The black beret, at least to me, is an honor that differs from the wearer's rank. And I like that idea.

[juzcuz]

I wonder if the US will warn Iraqi/Bagdad citizens that an attack is imminent by paper drop or something. Like in Serbia, that they should leave and live. I heard reports that Saddam will use his own citizens as shields. Just today a media guy named Arnolt from Bagdad reported that the citizens he talked to don't realize what's going to happen to them.

Why send our children in there to die to get rid of Saddam -his own citizens don't care one way or the other if he stays or goes? Why not drop paper with ample warnings to the innocent citizens to leave.. Give those refugees ample time to leave then drop a big one on the whole rats nest in Bagdad and be done with it......

[Salvation]

Bumping!

[AFreeBird]

the 'Monica' beret is reviled amongst 99% of the Army. One of my disappointments with W is he didn't rescind this piece of crap. Oh well ...

Just a guess, but I figure it isn't high on his priority list right now. Give him some time. Kindly remind him if you want.

[KaiserofKrunch]

I knew a fellow at Northwestern University who had an Iraqi passsport. It was the late '80s and I thought SH was great because he was giving the Iranian fundies hell. This fellow said "no, Saddam is evil, is a very bad man." I sort of shook that off at the time, but now believe that many citizens of Iraq really do feel this way.

SH rules with a Stalinist hand, and many of these people feel that a revolt will almost certainly get them, or more importantly their family members killed. The U.S. much to our shame encouraged a revolt during and at the end of GWI and then did not support the uprising. This tends to make an indigenous population suspicious and cautious. Those guys mugging for TV in Baghdad know that their comments are not made in a vacuum. I think that a real indicator of Iraqi sentiments towards U.S. troops is a report that was released today indicating that except in Tikrit, and Baghdad, U.S. Special Forces were operating "freely." I take it to mean that in most areas of Iraq there has not been wide spread opposition. Additionally, reports out of Kuwait talk of soldiers deserting, and preparing to desert. When the Iraqis are certain that the Americans and Brits are on the way, you will see mass desertion.

Since one very real goal of this whole operation is to remake the middle-east, it is important to leave as many innocent Iraqis alone as is possible. This approach has worked well in Afghanistan. Not to mention that it is the Christian, and moral approach. We want as much goodwill after the war as we can accrue. With God's blessing we will liberate Iraq, and put severe pressure on Iran, Saudi Arabia, Syria, and others to liberalize.

On the other hand, all of the Ba'ath socialist leadership should be disbanded and, or, destroyed. Also, as much of the Republican Guard and hardcore army elements as possible.

[dsutah]

I remember this now! It was back around the time of Clinton's impeachment that it came out. I remember, because J.Traficant was talking about it in the news, and he was really mad about it!

[river rat]

Enemy combatants in possession of US gear, uniform parts or items of personal belongings of American Marines - rarely achieved "prisoner status"....

I suspect that not much has changed in this regard.

Semper Fi

[piasa]

Iraq has done this before:

JANUARY 1991 : (GULF WAR, IRAQI PROPAGANDA OF A MASSACRE BY US TROOPS) a Bangladeshi paper ran a story claiming that US troops had massacred several hundred Bangladeshi soldiers- the story had been planted by Iraq. In a country where accurate and free public information does not exist, propaganda and disinformation are second nature to the regime. Abroad, Iraq has used both overt propaganda and grey and black techniques. During the Gulf War, for instance, it planted stories in the Third World press casting the Western allies in a bad light. - "Saddam's Spies," Globalscan International, LLC, 1999 iraquespies.htm

[piasa]

DU is disgusting...

[Texas Mom]

The obvious question...who supplied him the uniforms?

Wasn't there something a couple years ago about the US Army ordering their uniforms from China and there was such an outcry the order was canceled? China had all those unclaimed uniforms and gave them to their buddy Saddam.. Ya think maybe?

[Terriergal]

They can make their own can't they? They only have to resemble them to cause confusion.

This is a sick sick man. He doesn't care if his soldiers mistakenly shoot each other.

[Terriergal]

Of course, we could say he's just preparing them for defection.

[Terriergal]

Wasn't there something a couple years ago about the US Army ordering their uniforms from China and there was such an outcry the order was canceled? China had all those unclaimed uniforms and gave them to their buddy Saddam.. Ya think maybe?

Is that true? I hadn't heard that story.

[Terriergal]

ping!