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| Iraq |
| Iraqi officer reveals army chaos |
| 2003-04-12 |
| A colonel in Iraq's Republican Guard says he received few orders from the country's leaders during the war. Speaking from his home in a prosperous area of Baghdad, he told the BBC's Andrew Gilligan that the coalition bombardment of Iraq badly affected troop morale, with soldiers wanting to desert every day. In one of the first insights into how the elite Republican Guard has acted during the war, he said Iraq's military leaders only agreed to fight the war in the first place because, if they had refused, they would have been killed. The colonel, whose unit was initially placed in the desert but then withdraw to defend the Iraqi capital, deserted about a week before Baghdad was taken. The colonel, who commanded a force of about 600 men, said he had initially been told to stay in his position and "hide from the bombs". But it appears that once fighting started he was completely out of contact with Iraq's senior military leaders. "I didn't receive any order from the beginning," he said, adding that he was told that if the airport was still open, Iraq was still in the war. The coalition bombing sapped the morale of his soldiers - some of whom had not seen that kind of bombardment before. "From the beginning, I think that the balance of the air power is not equal. Something hit us. The aircraft... destroyed our tanks and equipment," he said. He said he did not force anyone to stay with the unit. "Every day, one, two, three. Every day one, two, three. Everyone he want to go, leave his gun and go away," he said. Speaking of the fear of Saddam Hussein he said in faltering English: "If they say to him we (do) not have power to face this army, it is not a good war, he maybe will kill him so they said 'yes' we will fight." He revealed that Iraqi soldiers had not wanted to fight in the streets of Baghdad because it was their city and home to their families. He added that in the Koran, God said soldiers had to win or die. "But when we see no one command us and tell us what's the planning, for what I will fight? I stay at home is better," he said. In the end, he said, the officers gathered round a fire and decided it was not worth fighting. The unit's troops changed into civilian clothes which they had with them, and went home. Our correspondent says he increasingly believes Iraqi officers followed orders, but did not really want Saddam Hussein to win and so did not make any serious attempts to defend Iraq. THAT SAYS IT ALL |
| Posted by:George |
| #6 I'd like to point out, Shana, that this was one of the final straws that broke the Revolutionary back in 1776 America. The British Army of the time had the same cute habit of quartering military personel in civilian homes. Note that I'm NOT compairing the Brits to the Fedayeen, GOD no. But the "quartering" as it was called, was specifically mentioned by many people at the time as the item that made the Revolution "personal" for them. And intimidated them as they were often expected to play the part of servants to the quartered officers. What the Brits did was annoying and offensive. What Saddam & his Fedayeen did goes beyond the pale. Ed. |
| Posted by: Ed Becerra 2003-04-13 04:00:28 |
| #5 Also this, concerning insurrection against Hussein: He installed his Fedayeen within families' homes. This is the ultimate in intimidation down to the smallest societal unit, and it really affects a person's will to resist and reinforces the 'Saddam is everywhere' idea -- as much as or more than the damned murals and statues. |
| Posted by: Shana 2003-04-12 18:16:46 |
| #4 I think you are being too harsh on the Iraqis. Obviously there were those trying to kill Sammy. He had several body doubles, and never stayed in the same palace for long. Have you forgotten the two missile strikes we launched specifically to get him? We couldn't have done them without someone betraying him. For all we know, the source(s) were there at the time of the attack, and basically signed their own death warrant by letting us know where Sammy was supposed to be. |
| Posted by: Baba Yaga 2003-04-12 15:50:29 |
| #3 Sadsack Hasbeen was a monster, and ruled Iraq through terror. It wasn't just those who might say, "I don't like Saddam" that were killed, but their families were brought in in front of them and slowly, methodically tortured until they died. While there were probably many brave men that would have loved to murder Hussein, there were few willing to risk their families and their extended families to years of torture. Of course, that kind of government has earned no loyalty from the common citizen, and the army and other groups melted away as soon as the threat to their families disappeared. One of the reasons our military performs at the level it does is because they KNOW their families will be cared for if anything happens to them. It is done through the military, and through hundreds of veterans' groups everywhere. You can see the difference on the battlefield. |
| Posted by: Old Patriot 2003-04-12 12:48:26 |
| #2 There were iraqis who tried to whack Hussain... they're all in the cemetaries or multiple small plastic bags in the dump. The price was high and usually not just the men, but their extended families were tortured and put to death as examples. If Sammy could've been gotten easily the Mossad would've done it long ago |
| Posted by: Frank G 2003-04-12 11:22:59 |
| #1 Okay. So he didn't get orders - none of them did, apparently. Okay. They didn't want to fight for Saddam and die. Smarter than we thought. So. WTF did WE have to do this? Aren't there enough MEN in Iraq to do this from the inside? I have no respect for any Iraqi males. Sorry, but at least some Germans had the cajones to go after Hitler. I can't help but wonder if they will respect and honor freedom without having earned it? Anyone have thoughts on this? |
| Posted by: PD 2003-04-12 10:56:37 |