Iraqi units refuse deployments

WASHINGTON, Aug. 28 (UPI) -- Members of two Iraqi military units have refused orders to deploy to heavily contested areas, a top U.S. military general said.

But the apparent mutinies have been limited to just two units, according to Brig. Gen. Dana Pittard, commander of the Iraq Assistance Group, the force of 3,000 coaltion military and police trainers fanned out across Iraq.

The most recent was last week, when about 100 soldiers in the 2nd Battalion, 4th Brigade of the 10th Iraqi Army based in Maysan province, refused orders to deploy to Baghdad as part of Operation Together Forward.

Earlier, an unspecified number of Iraqi soldiers from the 2nd Battalion, 3rd Brigade of the 2nd Iraqi Army Division refused to deploy from northern Iraq to Ramadi with the American 1st Brigade of the 1st Armored Division.

"A number of the members of that unit ended up not deploying down to Ramadi. That's the only other case that I know of like (Maysan)," said Pittard.

The Iraqi army is recruited and trained regionally, and generally expects to serve in their own provinces. That is by and large the practice, but in times of crisis -- like the outbreak of violence in Baghdad -- they can in theory be called on to deploy anywhere.

The Maysan soldiers did not deploy to Baghdad.

"The majority of this particular unit were (Shiite), and they felt, the leadership of that unit and their soldiers, felt like they were needed down there in Maysan in that province. Now, that will be worked out by the Iraqi government and the Ministry of Defense, and we'll be in support in that," he said. "I think it's really too soon to tell as far as what actions are to be taken in that regard.

Deployment refusals were more common last year, particularly before violent Anbar province had any serious military force to field on its own, according to U.S. military sources.

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