Bodies of 49 Iraqi soldiers found (Members of the new Iraqi army)

BBC ^ | October 24, 2004 | BBC

[Carling]

Whatever. I don't even go to church regularly. I just love people like you who sit on this board and make a mountain out of a gopher hole.

Obviously I touched a nerve in you, although that wasn't even close to my intention. And what's with the "horribly biased" quotation? I never said anything about you or anyone being "horribly biased" in this thread. Please refrain from misquoting me in future posts.

[TexKat]

You've got mail.

[spunkets]

"Maybe this incident will change that."

I don't know. Saudi changed theirs regarding foreigners arming for effective self defense. It's obvious folks should do that in Iraq, because of the batths and jihadis. Both of those groups use extortion and other forms of coercion to impede cooperation with the interim gov. The extortion is composed mostly of death threats to self and family. It's ridiculous not to arm for effective defense.

[SittinYonder]

It's ridiculous not to arm for effective defense.

Yep. The Iraqi Constitution is in desperate need of a Second Amendment.

[Lester Moore]

Rules of Engagement for Iraqi soldiers: Once engaged, not that you have choosen it to be so, it is now a fight to the death. Do not go passively. Fight to the death. Do not lay down.

[BagCamAddict]

And what's with the "horribly biased" quotation? I never said anything about you or anyone being "horribly biased" in this thread. Please refrain from misquoting me in future posts.

I wasn't quoting you with the "horribly biased" comment. My quotes from your post were italicized. However, I should have been more clear by only using quotation marks around the word "horribly", because you had said:

Interesting, if horribly flawed, chain of logic you have there.

I was re-using your use of the word "horribly" to accent the word "biased" in the same way that you had used "horribly" to accent the word "flawed".

[JSteff]

"You’d think all the “brilliant” people at the pentagon would have learned that by now."

You have to remember that every DOD military employee probably has 3-10 suits looking over his shoulder at the DOD. Probably have coordination meetings with state and Justice department people.

They need to dismiss the civilian employees and put combat experienced officers in their place. Get that State Department out of this situation, it is a MILITARY situation. One of struggle and blood.

State Department "protocols" and pc politeness not necessary here.

[JSteff]

"Probably because a bloodbath right before the elections would put the moderates out of power in three months. It needed to be done in April."

Israel has shown it does not take bloodbaths to control or intimidate the Muslims and Arabs. Just concerted force and unbending strength.

The Iraqi troops and police forces know this because they lived under it. Saddam was able to control the Iraqi's, they should be able to also.

They don't need to use chem or bio, just the unflinching determination and strength that Saddam did and the Israeli's do. It can be done.

[kms61]

Doesn't look like it to me. Looks like whoever shot them checked the bodies for valuables, ID cards, etc, which would have meant turning them over. Notice their shoes have all been removed.

[BagCamAddict]

You're right. Plus, on further scrutiny, most of them have blood on the fronts of their shirts... blood wouldn't flow laterally or "up" if they were shot facing up. So they must have been shot facing down, and the blood flowed down onto the ground and soaked the front of their shirts.

This is such a sad sad tragedy. These poor guys... hearing their cohorts being shot one by one and knowing they were next. Animals did this, plain and simple.

[LinnieBeth]

the actual status under the Geneva Convention of "insurgent" guerilla type fighters. My assumption is that armed enemy combatants not in uniform engaging in hostile action are afforded no protection.

Exactly so- at least that's what I've read; and what has made it so important that our detainees are given the status POW