How's the occupation of Iraq going so far? This story gives a glimpse of one important aspect.
Iraqi Batallion Refuses to 'Fight Iraqis' Washington Post 04/11/04
A battalion of the new Iraqi army refused to go to Fallujah earlier this week to support U.S. Marines battling for control of the city, senior U.S. Army officers here said, disclosing an incident that is casting new doubt on U.S. plans to transfer security matters to Iraqi forces.
It was the first time U.S. commanders had sought to involve the postwar Iraqi army in major combat operations, and the battalion's refusal came as large parts of Iraqi security forces have stopped carrying out their duties.
The 620-man 2nd Battalion of the Iraqi Armed Forces refused to fight Monday after members of the unit were shot at in a Shiite Muslim neighborhood in Baghdad while en route to Fallujah, a Sunni Muslim stronghold, said U.S. Army Maj. Gen. Paul Eaton, the official overseeing the development of Iraqi security forces. The convoy then turned around and returned to the battalion's home on a former Republican Guard base in Taji, a town north of the capital. ...
With diplomatic restraint, the article describes the significance of this development:
The refusal of the battalion to perform as U.S. officials had hoped poses a significant problem. The cornerstone of the United States' strategy in Iraq is to draw down its military presence and turn over security functions to Iraqis.
Over the past two weeks, that approach has suffered a severe setback as Iraqi security forces have crumbled in some parts of the country. In recent days perhaps 20 percent to 25 percent of the Iraqi army, civil defense, police and other security forces have quit, changed sides, or otherwise failed to perform their duties, a senior Army officer said Saturday.
A "significant problem." I should say so. The "severe setback" characterization is surely closer to reality.
And here in the story next paragraph we have a comment from a guy who must walk around all day humming, "Keep on the sunny side/Always on the sunny side/Keep on the sunny side of life":
"I wouldn't say it is so widespread that it's the majority," the senior officer said, speaking on condition of anonymity. "But it concerns us."
Well, at least it's not a majority of the Iraqi army and police who aren't showing up. Only, say, a quarter of them. And, well, the only time we tried to use the new Iraqi army, they refused to fight for the Americans. And when the US military fought in the Sadr City section of Baghdad a few days ago, the US-trained Iraqi police joined the guerrillas in fighting the Americans. Other than that, everything's going okay. "But it concerns us," he says. It should.
2 comments:
Crisis? What crisis?
Didn't we have the same problem with the South Vietnamese Army?
Something similar, in the early years of the war. But a big difference in Vietnam is that there was an established government structure in South Vietnam with ministries, an army, paramilitary forces and police that knew the language and the customs and had some loyalty to a government with some degree of legitimacy. When you go in, take over the entire place, and completely dissolve the army that was in place, you're pretty much starting from scratch. Even more so than in Afghanistan, where the Northern Alliance were at least organized forces with some degree of allegiance to the American and allied forces. - Bruce
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