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Iraq
Cleaning House: 1300 Iraqi Troops, Police Dismissed
2008-04-13
The Iraqi government has dismissed about 1,300 soldiers and policemen who deserted or refused to fight during last month's offensive against Shiite militias and criminal gangs in Basra, officials said Sunday.
make sure you get back the uniforms and weapons, k?
Fortunately we have biometrics on all of them ...
Interior Ministry spokesman Maj. Gen. Abdul-Karim Khalaf said 921 police and soldiers were fired in Basra. They included 37 senior police officers ranging in rank from lieutenant colonel to brigadier general.
Too chummy with Sadr's "criminals"
The others were dismissed in Kut, one of the Shiite cities where the fight had spread.

Last month, Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki ordered the security forces to confront armed groups in Basra, Iraq's second largest city. But they met fierce resistance and the attack quickly ground to a halt as fighting flared across the Shiite south and Baghdad.

Since then, government officials have revealed that about 1,000 members of the security forces - including an entire infantry battalion - had mutinied, on some cases handing over vehicles and weapons to the militias.

Speaking in Basra, Khalaf said those dismissed included 421 police officers and 500 soldiers who had not returned to duty in the southern port city and would be tried by military courts. "Some of them were sympathetic with these lawbreakers, some refused to (go into) battle for political or national or sectarian or religious reasons," Khalaf said.
or because they were pulling dual duties?
But he said that those who returned in coming days and could prove they had been prevented from doing so by the militias would be reinstated.
Let's face it: at least one infantry battalion was green and untested, and they broke. One of the several lessons from this is that in the future, you don't put green troops into an urban warfare situation. Bring your best and let them handle the job.
Posted by:Frank G

#5  Sinse, you are aware that Benedict Arnold lived to a ripe, honored old age, yes? It was poor Major Andre who got hung as a spy.
Posted by: Mitch H.   2008-04-13 20:14  

#4  Intel sez a lot of these defections didn't happen on the spur of the moment; a lot of the groundwork was laid in place for an upcoming 'Tet'. Many were bribed, some were threatened (reportedly the 'special groups' have IP cops' cell phone numbers). Others did for the various reasons described.

Doesn't excuse any of it. Also doesn't mean all of them 'broke'.
Posted by: Pappy   2008-04-13 14:36  

#3  since they would be traitors most at least why not execute them like benedict arnold, they seem too have no prob;em killing anyone else
Posted by: sinse   2008-04-13 14:05  

#2  hey, Fortunately we have biometrics on all of them ...

youse wrote that in just now... correct? >:>
Posted by: RD   2008-04-13 13:21  

#1  file under next best thang... 'Dualies'

Well At least Our Folks and the Maliki Gubmint have these Double Dippers's prints, pics, DNA and relatives on file now.
Posted by: RD   2008-04-13 13:18  

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