[FairOpinion]

Read the rest:

"They were a motley bunch and you could barely describe them as soldiers - they were poorly equipped and didn't even have proper boots. Their physical condition was dreadful and they had obviously not had a square meal for ages"

Saddam is treating his own soldiers like slaves, and they didn't want to fight us. I feel sorry for them.
I wish someone had some sense and not sent them back.

[strela]

Keeping common troopers equipped, fed, and shod costs money. Saddam has more important things on which to spend his cash (like keeping his personal Fedaykin fed/armed/shod).

[John Jorsett]

I feel sorry for them. I wish someone had some sense and not sent them back.

Our side would be taking the chance that one or more of them was some fanatic who'd attack, so they'd have had to guard them. I'm sure it was a hard choice, but the right one. Anyway, it's only going to be a few days before the war starts and they'll be able to surrender for real. I'm sure they'll get better treatment than they ever did under Saddam.