Iraq Is Lost.
--- MASS IRAQI DESERTIONS Reported In British Press---
Iraqi forces desert posts as insurgent attacks are stepped up
By Oliver Poole in Baghdad
(Filed: 25/04/2005)
Iraqi army and police units are deserting their posts after the recent escalation in insurgent attacks, according to reports from around the country yesterday.
The end of a relative period of calm after the election has posed the first real test for the embryonic security forces since coalition troops started cutting back on their military operations in February.
On average 20 Iraqis and two coalition soldiers have died every day this month.
Suspected Sunni insurgents set off two bombs yesterday near a Shia mosque in Baghdad that killed at least 15 people.
The attack came as political leaders continued to haggle over the formation of a new government. Iraq's new police and army units, instead of taking responsibility for imposing law and order, are abandoning patrols or taking refuge in their guardhouses when challenged.
On the Syrian border, US troops in the Sunni city of Husaybah report mass desertions. An Iraqi unit that had once grown to 400 troops now numbers a few dozen who are "holed up" inside a local phosphate plant.
Major John Reed, of the 2nd Marine Regiment, said: "They will claim that they are ready to come back and fight but there are no more than 30 of them on duty on any given day and they are completely ineffective."
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=/news/2005/04/25/wirq25.xml&sSheet=/news/2005/04/25/ixnewstop.html
---Oh,...damn.---
Iraqi forces desert posts as insurgent attacks are stepped up
By Oliver Poole in Baghdad
(Filed: 25/04/2005)
Iraqi army and police units are deserting their posts after the recent escalation in insurgent attacks, according to reports from around the country yesterday.
The end of a relative period of calm after the election has posed the first real test for the embryonic security forces since coalition troops started cutting back on their military operations in February.
On average 20 Iraqis and two coalition soldiers have died every day this month.
Suspected Sunni insurgents set off two bombs yesterday near a Shia mosque in Baghdad that killed at least 15 people.
The attack came as political leaders continued to haggle over the formation of a new government. Iraq's new police and army units, instead of taking responsibility for imposing law and order, are abandoning patrols or taking refuge in their guardhouses when challenged.
On the Syrian border, US troops in the Sunni city of Husaybah report mass desertions. An Iraqi unit that had once grown to 400 troops now numbers a few dozen who are "holed up" inside a local phosphate plant.
Major John Reed, of the 2nd Marine Regiment, said: "They will claim that they are ready to come back and fight but there are no more than 30 of them on duty on any given day and they are completely ineffective."
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=/news/2005/04/25/wirq25.xml&sSheet=/news/2005/04/25/ixnewstop.html
---Oh,...damn.---
posted by Christy at 4:07 PM
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