Armed, and Safer, Iraqis

The June 14 deadline for Iraqi citizens to turn in banned weapons worked about as poorly as any gun buy-back program in the United States. After the two-week program ended, a guard at one of the designated places to turn in guns said, "We have had plenty of reporters, but no weapons come in."

American soldiers are laying down their lives to protect Iraqi citizens, and the last thing that we want to do is put them in harm's way. On Tuesday, six British soldiers were killed. During the preceding week, an American soldier was killed by a sniper and another killed in a drive-by shooting.

But as we try to protect Iraqis and ensure the safety of our troops, we must ask: Is it really clear that our soldiers are better off by attempting to disarm Iraqi citizens?

The argument seems straightforward enough: Get rid of guns, and the Iraqis can't harm our troops. Banning the carrying of guns also makes it easier for soldiers to simply arrest anyone they are suspicious of.

Yet, the question is more complicated: If guns are banned, who would turn them in? Presumably the most law-abiding citizens – not the terrorists and Ba'ath Party members whom our troops should be concerned about.

Fortunately, despite many news stories to the contrary, our government has taken a much more sensible approach than outright banning guns. Iraqis are able to keep weapons up to AK-47s in their home or business and are able to carry guns with them with a permit. These AK-47s are real military machine guns, not the semi-automatic versions that fire only one bullet per trigger pull and are banned from being sold in our country by the 1994 so-called assault-weapons ban. Yet, despite Iraqis owning machine guns and the country still not under control, Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld pointed out that Baghdad is experiencing fewer murders than Washington, DC, where handguns are banned.

To the extent that guns are banned and law-abiding citizens disarmed, the jobs for our soldiers actually become more difficult. Crime is already rampant. Consider the case of Mohammed Abdul Razak, an Iraqi taxi driver who lost his handgun when soldiers stopped him at a checkpoint because he had it in his car's glove compartment without the proper permit.

Just two days later, Razak could not defend himself when carjackers attacked. Before his gun was taken, Razak had successfully used his gun to scare off thieves.

As one report recently noted: "Instead of being filled with people coming to give up their guns, police stations are busy with Iraqis complaining about being victims of crime – as well as people who say they want their confiscated weapons back." A machine gun can be handy defending oneself when people are being attacked by bands of thugs.

It would be great if gun-control laws primarily disarmed criminals, but as data from the US and other countries indicates, disarming law-abiding citizens actually increases crime and encourages criminals to attack because they have less to worry about. Studies continually show that gun-control laws such as gun buy-backs, waiting periods, one-gun-a-month regulations, assault-weapons bans and gun-show regulations are associated with either no statistically significant change or increases in violent crime. The states that polls show as having the biggest increases in gun ownership are also the ones that have experienced the biggest relative drops in violent crime.

But won't letting citizens carry weapons make soldiers' jobs more difficult and more dangerous? Surely it is easy to imagine what can go wrong when a soldier comes across a citizen with a gun.

Yet, recent research by Professor David Mustard at the University of Georgia examined jurisdictions with different kinds of gun laws and found that only one kind was associated with fewer police being killed by criminals – the kind that lets citizens carry concealed handguns. The people who take the time to apply for a permit to carry a gun are not the people police have to worry about. Interestingly enough, criminals apparently become less likely to carry guns as more law-abiding citizens do so.

With an American media that reports only the bad things that happen with guns, it might be hard for some Americans to understand that the simplistic approach of banning guns can make our soldiers' jobs more difficult. Our soldiers are extremely important in creating a stable society, but they cannot protect more than 22 million Iraqis all of the time. Wasting resources on collecting Iraqi guns will only work against efforts to make Iraq eventually a civilized country.

John Lott [send him mail], a resident scholar at the American Enterprise Institute, is the author of the newly released The Bias Against Guns, which examines the evidence on multiple victim killings.

Nah, the few really BAD guys possessing some of the BIG stuff is a threat to our troops.

Our enemies armed the Iraqi people - warehouses, schools, hospitals across Iraq were filled with weapons for the 24 million Iraqis to use against us as we arrived in Iraq. They CHOSE not to....they're pointing out the weapons caches to our troops regularly:

May 16, 2003
Release Number: 03-05-53

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

COALITION AND IRAQI POLICE WORK TO MAKE IRAQ SECURE

CAMP DOHA, Kuwait -- Coalition Forces continue to aggressively patrol to make Iraq safer for all Iraqis by eliminating smuggling and trade in weapons and explosives.

Coalition forces also continue to conduct training and joint security patrols with Iraqi police in efforts to increase the professionalism of the police force and prepare them for their role in a self-governed Iraq.Coalition Activity:Fifth Corps soldiers raided a suspected safe house in Al Door, a town just north of Baghdad, that resulted in about 250 detainees. Among the detainees was Adil Abdallah Mahdi Al Duri Al-Tikriti who is the Ba'ath Party Chairman for the Dhi Qar District.

The Second Brigade Combat Team of the 101st Airborne Division conducted 38 daytime joint patrols and 74 nighttime joint patrols with Iraqi police in Mosul. One of the patrols was attacked by Iraqis who fired pistols and threw a grenade. The patrol wounded and detained one individual. There were no casualties among the patrol members.

Fifth Corps soldiers raided a local arms market in Fallujah early Wednesday morning.

The collected two truckloads of weapons and ammunition and arrested the owners.Second Battalion, Third Armored Cavalry Regiment soldiers raided an arms market near Fallujah. Several prisoners were taken and are being interrogated.

Various small arms, as well as bundles of blasting caps were found. Suspected arms dealer, Sahid Salyman, was killed in the raid when he tried to kill coalition soldier.Fourth Infantry Division soldiers raided a government building on Wednesday believed to be running a regime "shadow government" in Baqubah.

Soldiers arrested 15 Iraqis and confiscated various types of weapons and communications equipment.Third Brigade Combat Team soldiers continue to conduct presence patrols in Tall Afar. On Wednesday, they found rocket-propelled grenades, rockets, small arms and ammunition, a mortar tube and blocks of explosives in a village.

They were acting on a tip from citizens who wanted the arms and explosives taken away from their village.A patrol from the U.S. Army's 977th MP Company, working with U.S. Marine's First Expeditionary Force, seized weapons and ammunition Wednesday morning near Ad Diwaniyah.

The raid yielded a high-powered rifle, an AK-47 and several mortar rounds. The rifle is suspected to have been used in an ambush several days ago in which gunmen killed a one coalition soldier and wounded another. Five prisoners were taken in custody.

Police Activity:

Marines from Third Battalion, Fifth Marine Regiment and Iraqi police conducted ajoint police raid and recovered two kidnapped children in Ad Diwaniyah Wednesday.

Eighteen Iraqi-Marine police patrols were conducted and eight joint static security positions were manned in Ad Diwaniyah.

The local police obtained better transportation and communication capabilities, which increased their ability to perform their mission.Third Battalion, Seventh Marine Regiment Civil Affairs personnel graduated another class of Iraqi Police from a training program they established in Karbala Province.

Part of the 442nd Military Police Company arrived today in An Najaf to support law and order training.Local Iraqi police in All Hillah began providing security to local hospitals, banks, water treatment sites and electrical plants Wednesday. Marines from Third Battalion, Seventh Marines continued joint Marine-Iraqi police patrols and manning of joint static-security sites.

The U.S. Army's 551st MilitaryPolice Company, working with Marines from Second Battalion, Fifth Marine Regiment, are developing a plan for joint U.S.-Iraqi policing of As Samawah.The U.S. Army's 194th Military Police Company is working with the Third Battalion, 23rd Marine Regiment on a plan for joint policing of the city of As Suwaryah.Second Battalion, Fifth Marine Regiment personnel recently graduated 60 Iraqi citizens from a two-day security training program in As Samawah.

The graduates will serve as security guards at sites throughout the city.

In the First Marine Expeditionary Force's zone, which is Iraqi territory southeast of Baghdad, 9,358 Iraqi policemen are now back at work. This is about half of what will be required to bring the police force back to full strength. In the U.S. Fifth Corps zone, which is Baghdad and areas north and east of Baghdad, 8,626 Iraqi policemen are back at work.

About 43,000 will be required to bring the police force back to full strength. Third Infantry Division soldiers conducted 143 patrols in various areas in Baghdad in the last 24 hours, significantly decreasing the amount of criminal activity reported.

The Coalition Joint Task Force Seven's Provost Marshal's Office (military police) will support the efforts of DynCorp International to recruit, train and logistically support up to 1,000 advisors. DynCorp International was recently awarded the Iraqi Police Advisor contract by the U.S. Department of State Mission in Iraq. Advisors are anticipated to start arriving in Iraq in June.

May 17, 2003
Release Number: 03-05-57

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

COALITION AND IRAQI POLICE WORK TO MAKE IRAQ SECURE (May 17, 2003)

CAMP DOHA, Kuwait -- Coalition Forces continue to aggressively patrol to make Iraq safer for all Iraqis by eliminating smuggling and trade in weapons and explosives. Coalition forces also continue to conduct training and joint security patrols with Iraqi police in efforts to increase the professionalism of the police force and prepare them for their role in a self-governed Iraq.

Update on the Consolidation of the Mujahedin-E Khalq (MEK):

Coalition forces have consolidated 2,139 tanks, armored personnel carriers, artillery pieces, air defense artillery pieces and miscellaneous vehicles formerly in the possession of the Mujahedin-E Khalq (MEK) forces. The 4th Infantry Division also reports they have destroyed most of the MEK munitions and caches. The voluntary, peaceful resolution of this process by the MEK and the Coalition significantly contributes to the Coalition’s mission to establish a safe and secure environment for the people of Iraq.

Coalition Activity:

Coalition Joint Task Force Seven (CJTF-7) has procured and will soon distribute 20,000 police uniforms to the Iraqi police throughout Iraq.

The Mayor of An Najaf requested the presence of U.S. troops to deter activity of Ba'ath party and criminal elements operating in the area. A cordon and search operation by Marines from 3rd Battalion, 23rd Marine Regiment resulted in the capture of 20 Iraqis, who are being held for questioning. A Marine was shot in the lower leg by an Iraqi during the operation, and is in stable condition.

A 233rd Military Police Company unit on joint patrol with Iraqi police in Baghdad on Thursday responded to a complaint that two armed men took control of a residence and had thrown the occupant out. The patrol apprehended the men and confiscated two pistols and ammunition. Both were transported to the Police Academy jail for the offense of armed invasion.

A 204th Military Police Company unit on a joint patrol with Iraqi police saw a house on fire in Baghdad on Thursday. The patrol investigated and apprehended two Iraqi males who were seen fleeing the scene. Both were transported to the Police Academy jail and may be charged with arson.

A 204th Military Police Company unit on a daytime patrol interrupted a possible car-jacking being perpetrated by two Iraqi males in Baghdad on Thursday. The two Iraqis fired at the patrol. The patrol returned fire, then were assisted by soldiers in a Bradley fighting vehicle and HMMWV from the First Brigade Combat Team who arrived on the scene after hearing the gunfire. One subject was shot in the leg and transported by to a military medical facility under guard. The other subject was not injured and was transported to a holding facility for further questioning.

Iraqi Police Force and V Corps soldiers raided six houses in Baghdad on Thursday. They recovered uniforms, shoes and equipment that had been donated to a recreation center, then stolen in an armed robbery the day prior. They also recovered two AK-47 rifles, ammunition and two hand grenades

3rd Infantry Division soldiers conducted 95 vehicle searches at Tactical Control Points in Baghdad, confiscating 27 weapons.

101ST Airborne Assault Division soldiers seized a loaded Anti-Aircraft Artillery Gun and 1,000 rounds of ammunition near Makhmur recently.

18th Military Police Brigade maintained a presence at 13 Iraqi police stations to assist in law and order reporting. They also responded to two home invasions and arrested six individuals and seized weapons.

Fifth Corps Division Artillery soldiers observed Iraqis blowing up "junction boxes" on telephone poles near Taji recently. They dispatched a quick response force, which overtook and disabled a vehicle with 15 personnel. One Iraqi was injured, and 14 others detained.

Fifth Corps Division Artillery soldiers have cleared and consolidated 276 of 465 captured weapon and ammunition sites to date. The weapons and ammunition are being removed to an area outside of Baghdad to assess their safety and possible future use by a new Iraqi military.

18th Military Police Brigade units have done assessments of personnel and facilities at 43 Iraqi Police Force stations, and report that 86% of the Baghdad police force (7,047 of the original 8,205) have reported back to work.

Marines from the 5th Marine Regiment conducted the first day of training of for the police force in Rumaythah, and continues to maintain a 24-hour joint Iraqi-Marine police reaction force within the city.

Police Activity in the Last 24 Hours:

Throughout Iraq, Coalition forces conducted 16 raids and 1,256 patrols. Of the patrols, 167 were conducted jointly with Iraqi Police. The following are highlights of the patrolling effort:

Baghdad: Coalition forces conducted one raid and 421 patrols. Ten of the 421 patrols were conducted jointly with Iraqi police. These patrols arrested 129 people for various crimes, including looting, weapons violations and black market activity. They also seized ten AK-47 rifles.

Mosul: Coalition forces conducted two raids and 672 patrols. Ninety-two of the patrols were conducted jointly with Iraqi police. They arrested several Iraqis who had been wanted for questioning for various crimes.

Fallujah: Coalition forces conducted two patrols, resulting in the seizure of several AK-47 rifles and several handguns.

Al Basrah: Coalition forces conducted 12 raids and 58 patrols. 19 of the patrols were conducted jointly with Iraqi police. The raids and patrols seized four AK-47 rifles, several knives and numerous rocket propelled-grenade rounds. They arrested numerous suspects for crimes including murder, aggravated assault, theft and looting.

May 21, 2003
Release Number: 03-05-76

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

COALITION AND IRAQI POLICE WORK TO MAKE IRAQ SECURE (MAY 21)

CAMP DOHA, Kuwait - Coalition Forces continue to aggressively patrol to make Iraq safer for everyone by eliminating smuggling and trade in weapons and explosives. Coalition Forces also continue to conduct training and joint security patrols with Iraqi police in efforts to increase the professionalism of the police force and prepare them for their role in a self-governed Iraq.

Task Force ‘Vigilant Justice’ Conducts First Raid

Fifth Corps' Task Force Vigilant Justice conducted its first raid Monday night against a site in Baghdad suspected of housing weapons dealers.

The raid targeted a café in the Baghdad neighborhood of Kadhimyah, which was suspected of harboring criminal elements. The task force detained 15 suspects and seized eight AK-47 rifles, several forged passports and identity documents, narcotics and over 30 million Iraqi Dinars.

The suspects are being held pending a magistrate's determination as to their involvement in the illegal arms trade.

Military investigators and prosecutors will continue to build cases for prosecution by Iraqi authorities. More raids are planned by the task force as part of an aggressive effort to fight serious crime in Baghdad.

The new task force was formed by V Corps to target criminals for arrest and subsequent prosecution in Iraqi criminal courts. The task force is composed of U.S. Military Police, Baghdad Police and military prosecutors. It is part of a comprehensive effort by V Corps to bring law and order to Baghdad.

Fifth Corps has returned over 7,000 local police to duty in Baghdad, conducted dozens of joint U.S. and Iraqi police patrols, reopened over 20 police stations, established a criminal detention facility, and reopened criminal and civil courts in the city. A refurbished city prison is scheduled to open in late May.

Coalition Activity:

Fourth Infantry Division soldiers raided a house suspected of belonging to Hani Abd Al-Latif Al-Tilfah Al Tikriti, #7 from the "Top 55" list early this morning. The soldiers confiscated numerous AK-47 rifles, rocket-propelled grenade launchers, bags of money and an address book. Soldiers detained seven individuals, including one woman who may be the wife of Al-Tilfah.

Soldiers from the 1139th Military Police Company and Iraqi police seized a suspected stolen truck and an AK-47 rifle after making a traffic stop in Baghdad on Sunday. In another traffic stop in Baghdad the same day, they seized two AK-47 rifles and an automatic weapon.

Soldiers from the 615th Military Police Company and Iraqi police investigated a report that four or five men were looting, occupying the homes of local civilians and terrorizing the local Baghdad populace on Sunday. They searched a house and detained one person who was armed with an AK-47. Iraqi police are holding the suspect while they conduct an investigation.

A joint 204th Military Police Company and Iraqi police patrol investigated a report of a robbery in Baghdad on Sunday. Iraqi police determined that the suspect, a 14 year-old male, had stolen 10,000 Dinar from another 14 year-old male. Iraqi police made the suspect return the money. They also confiscated an AK-47 rifle from the suspect's house.

Soldiers from the 549th Military Police Company assisted Iraqi police in searching a vehicle that may have been stolen in Baghdad on Sunday. The driver was determined to be the owner, but two AK-47 rifles and three pistols were confiscated.

Soldiers from the 977th Military Police Company raided a home in Ad Dinwaniyah last night. They arrested 20 people and confiscated 5.5 million U.S. dollars. The military police took the money to the U.S. Marine's Force Service Support Group for safekeeping. An AK-47 rifle and pistol were also seized in the raid.

First Brigade Combat Team, 3d Infantry Division, soldiers raided a site last night in Baghdad where Fedayeen and former regime agents were thought to be located. They detained eight Iraqis for questioning.

A patrol from 3d Battalion, 23d Marine Regiment, engaged about 20 armed Iraqis in Al Kut last night, resulting in two Iraqis killed and one wounded. There were no friendly casualties, and they detained 11 Iraqis.

Marines found one dead and one wounded Iraqi yesterday in Karbala after a local police officer told them about a shooting. The wounded Iraqi is suspected of murdering the other Iraqi. He was transported to the Karbala police station on a charge of murder.

Soldiers from the 173d Airborne Brigade raided a site containing suspected paramilitary forces early this morning in Baghdad. They detained 22 people for questioning.

Marines from 2d Battalion, 5th Marine Regiment assisted police in preventing the theft of several trucks from the As Samawah Ministry of Education building yesterday. The police chased the thieves after an exchange of gunfire, but were unable to detain them.

Local police and United Kingdom soldiers interrupted a carjacking in Al Basrah yesterday afternoon. Armed with a rocket-propelled grenade launcher, they shot and wounded one of the carjackers. A news team from Reuters that accompanied the patrol taped the incident.

Police Activity in the Last 24 Hours:

Coalition Forces conducted four raids and 1,182 patrols throughout Iraq. Of those patrols, they conducted 226 with Iraqi Police. They also detained or arrested 222 individuals. The following are highlights of the patrolling effort:

Baghdad: Coalition Forces conducted two raids and 548 patrols. Of those patrols, they conducted two with Iraqi police. The raids and patrols resulted in 182 arrests for various crimes, including looting, curfew violations, weapons violations and theft. They also seized 50 rifles, 48 pistols, two rounds of mortar ammunition, five rocket-propelled grenade launchers and a truck.

Mosul: Coalition Forces conducted 543 patrols. Of those patrols, they conducted 150 with Iraqi police. Their activities resulted in five arrests for various crimes, including selling weapons and fuel on the black market. They also seized a light machine gun, several AK-47 rifles, two pistols, one benzene and one propane fuel trucks.

Ad Dinwaniyah: Coalition Forces conducted 11 joint patrols with Iraqi police. They arrested 20 individuals for various crimes and seized an AK-47 rifle, a pistol and $5.5 million.

Baqubah: Coalition Forces conducted one raid and 18 patrols. Of those patrols, they conducted two with Iraqi police. They arrested seven individuals for carrying weapons and large sums of money. They also seized two AK-47 rifles, two rocket-propelled grenade launchers, an address book and photos of an individual on the "Top 55" list.

Tikrit: Coalition Forces conducted 15 patrols. Of those patrols, they conducted two with Iraqi police. They also arrested one person involved in a drive-by shooting and seized one AK-47 rifle with several magazines.

Al Amarah: Coalition Forces conducted one patrol. They seized nine AK-47 rifles, two pistols and a rocket-propelled grenade.

Al Basrah: Coalition Forces conducted 146 patrols. They detained 24 individuals for looting, possession of bomb-making equipment and attacking a police station. They also seized 14 AK-47 rifles with 30 magazines, one pistol, a pick-up truck and 450,000 Dinars.

CENTCOM's daily security logs are very informative. There are at least 50 more like the above - bad guys and weapons taken out by our troops daily - ignored by the press - daily - who continue to treat our awesome military like helpless victims under fire. May....the more you read, the more you want to punch a reporter.

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