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Desertion a major problem for Iraqi troops in Anbar
Iraqi soldiers in Al Anbar province are leaving their army in droves, draining much-needed manpower from fledgling Iraqi security forces and preventing U.S. troops from reducing troop strength in the volatile region, U.S. and Iraqi military officials say.Lousy living conditions, bad food and failure to receive regular pay are the main reasons behind the exodus, which is running at least several hundred soldiers a month, the officials say. Many of my soldiers have not gotten paid in six months. Sometimes, they dont eat for two or three days at a time. I tell my commander, but what else am I supposed to do? said Lt. Moktat Uosef, a 29-year-old Iraqi army company commander based in Husaybah. Posted by: Dan Darling 2006-06-13 |
| http://www.rantburg.com/poparticle.php?ID=155960 |