Iraq Dismisses 1,300 After Basra Offensive

superdude17* · #1 (**permalink**) 04-13-2008, 12:08 PM

Source: http://www.nytimes.com/2008/04/14/wo...hp&oref=slogin

Quote:

BAGHDAD — The Iraqi government announced Sunday that it had dismissed 1,300 soldiers and policemen for refusing to fight or performing badly during last month’s offensive against Shiite militias in the southern city of Basra.

Maj. Gen. Abdul-Kareem Khalaf, an Interior Ministry spokesman, said that 500 soldiers and 421 policemen were fired in Basra, including 37 senior police officers up to the rank of Brigadier General. Police officials said the remainder were fired in Kut, where fighting also spread.

“Some of them were sympathetic with these lawbreakers, some refused to battle for political or national or sectarian or religious reasons,” General Khalaf said in Basra.

The dismissals were an implicit admission of failures during the government offensive, which was widely criticized as being poorly planned. Prime Minister Nuri Kamal al-Maliki’s forces failed to disarm Shiite militias, in particular the Mahdi Army militia loyal to the cleric Moktada al-Sadr. However, they claim to have restored order to the streets, and the nearby ports vital to Iraq’s oil industry.

American officials, who praised the Iraqi forces’ progress in being able to move 6,600 reinforcements south to Basra so quickly, conceded that they had not been fully consulted in advance.

The Basra clashes pitched the country’s two most powerful Shiite forces against each other — the Mahdi Army and the government security forces dominated by Mr. Sadr’s most powerful internal Shiite rival, the Islamic Supreme Council of Iraq.

On April 3, Mr. Maliki promised to dismiss and prosecute the worst offenders among the more than 1,000 who deserted, laid down their weapons or refused to fight against their fellow Shiites and tribesmen. At the time one of his senior officials acknowledged that fear of the militias was a principal factor. “One of the main reasons is that they felt the other party was too strong, and too courageous and they couldn’t confront them,” he said.

Putting further political pressure on Mr. Sadr, Ali al-Dabbagh, an Iraqi government spokesman, said Sunday that the cabinet had agreed on a draft law that would ban any party from taking part in the October provincial elections unless they disband their militias. But it was unclear how much effect any law could have, given that the two dominant Shiite parties in government — the Sadrists and the Islamic Supreme Council of Iraq — are both closely affiliated with their armed wings.

In Baghdad, the Mahdi Army’s Sadr City stronghold was reported to be quieter on Sunday, after a week of heavy clashes with Iraqi government and American troops.

The Iraqi and American forces have taken control of southern neighborhoods in an effort to deprive the Mahdi Army of areas from which it can fire rockets and mortars at Baghdad’s high-security Green Zone three miles to the west.

Excellent, cleaning out the ranks will greatly improve the rest. By eliminating them from the ranks, they have eliminated endless other problems than just the obvious. As well, it was the best time to identify and reward those who not only stayed, but performed their duty well. These are the next generation of leaders.

Importantly, there have been other events in the building of Iraq’s police and military where similar things have happened. And all have resulted in a better, stronger, and more professional police and military.

DuH2 · #2 (**permalink**) 04-13-2008, 01:20 PM

Makes sesne.
All things told it was not a significant number though none is obviously better.

Voltaire · #3 (**permalink**) 04-13-2008, 02:16 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by superdude17*

Source: http://www.nytimes.com/2008/04/14/wo...hp&oref=slogin

Excellent, cleaning out the ranks will greatly improve the rest. By eliminating them from the ranks, they have eliminated endless other problems than just the obvious. As well, it was the best time to identify and reward those who not only stayed, but performed their duty well. These are the next generation of leaders.

Importantly, there have been other events in the building of Iraq’s police and military where similar things have happened. And all have resulted in a better, stronger, and more professional police and military.

As I said in another thread, this is the equivalent of hiring undocumented workers to patrol our border.

I do agree with the idea being tossed around in the senate about having Iraq pay the upcoming costs of the war with oil revenues. Then at least we aren't paying for the guns being shot at our troops.

justabubba · #4 (**permalink**) 04-13-2008, 02:18 PM

instead of expecting competent behavior it has become such a rare commodity that we now celebrate it?
don't get me wrong, what was reported is both a positive action and it is newsworthy but it is also a practice that one would hope had been employed from day 1. obviously common sense is not all that common in iraq, either

Tuatara · #5 (**permalink**) 04-13-2008, 02:35 PM

I wonder if any of the 1300 recently unemployed Iraqi soldiers and policemen will join forces with any of the many insurgent groups?

justabubba · #6 (**permalink**) 04-13-2008, 02:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tuatara

I wonder if any of the 1300 recently unemployed Iraqi soldiers and policemen will join forces with any of the many insurgent groups?

any chance they took their weapons away

GovernmentCheese · #7 (**permalink**) 04-13-2008, 02:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by justabubba

instead of expecting competent behavior it has become such a rare commodity that we now celebrate it?
don't get me wrong, what was reported is both a positive action and it is newsworthy but it is also a practice that one would hope had been employed from day 1. obviously common sense is not all that common in iraq, either

I've been following the MNF website for at least a year now. You'll see stories like this -

Quote:

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is building the $163 million Basrah Children’s Hospital, designed to care for children with cancer and to train doctors in pediatric oncology. The project is being built using U.S. and United Nations funds. Further, medical equipment that will be installed in the hospital is being donated by Project HOPE, an international philanthropic organization. The project is about 70 percent completed, with an estimated construction completion date of July 2008. Approximately 700 workers are employed daily on the job site

http://www.mnf-iraq.com/

Blade · #8 (**permalink**) 04-13-2008, 04:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Voltaire

As I said in another thread, this is the equivalent of hiring undocumented workers to patrol our border.

.

That's an anti-iraqi slur - some will and have fought, others are deadbeats.

GovernmentCheese · #9 (**permalink**) 04-13-2008, 04:38 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Blade

That's an anti-iraqi slur - some will and have fought, others are deadbeats.

I agree. It is also an anti-protect the border and anti-Mexico post. Shame on him for using Voltaire's nick.

Voltaire · #10 (**permalink**) 04-13-2008, 04:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Blade

That's an anti-iraqi slur - some will and have fought, others are deadbeats.

It is not an anti-Iraq slur, it is the truth. There is going to be a moral dilemma for many Iraqis who have been given the responsibility of protecting a US backed Iraq government while still favoring an Al-Sadr ideology.

Why is everyone so quick to shout bigot around here?

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