Posted on 09/24/2007 2:52:01 PM PDT by stm
WASHINGTON (AFP) - US military snipers in Iraq are "baiting" Iraqis by scattering items such as detonation cord, plastic explosives and ammunition, and then ambushing and killing those who pick them up, The Washington Post reported Monday.
Pentagon spokesman Bryan Whitman declined to comment on the Post story, which reported such actions were being taken at the urging of Pentagon experts on special operations.
But Whitman did say the US military rules of engagement "certainly recognize and reflect the values of this nation."
An army official, speaking on condition of anonymity because of secrecy rules, said he could not rule out that snipers were using bait such as detonation cords or blasting camps to lure out and kill suspected insurgents.
"This is not indiscriminate and there are rules of engagement," the official told AFP.
"This is usually done in locations where people are looking to harm soldiers," he said, suggesting the bait was left inside or on the perimeter of US military "locations" to target insurgents trying to steal ammunition and materiel.
The newspaper said the classified program was uncovered in documents related to recently filed murder charges against three snipers accused of planting evidence on Iraqis they killed.
"Baiting is putting an object out there that we know they will use, with the intention of destroying the enemy," Captain Matthew Didier, the leader of an elite sniper scout platoon, said in a sworn statement.
"Basically, we would put an item out there and watch it," Didier continued.
"If someone found the item, picked it up and attempted to leave with the item, we would engage the individual as I saw this as a sign they would use the item against US forces."
In documents obtained by The Post from family members of the accused soldiers, Didier said members of the Pentagon's Asymmetric Warfare Group visited his unit in January and later handed over ammunition boxes filled with the "drop items" to be used "to disrupt ... attempts at harming coalition forces and give us the upper hand in a fight."
Eugene Fidell, president of the National Institute of Military Justice, called for an investigation of any baiting program.
"In a country that is awash in armaments and magazines and implements of war, if every time somebody picked up something that was potentially useful as a weapon, you might as well ask every Iraqi to walk around with a target on his back," Fidell said in the Post article.
Soldiers said that about a dozen platoon members were aware of the program, and that numerous others knew about the "drop items" but did not know their purpose, The Post reported.
LET US DO OUR DAMN JOBS WITHOUT YOUR MEDDLING AND AGENDA-DRIVEN CONDEMNATIONS!!!!!!!!
The ultimate BAIT.....72 Virgins
Reminds me of the movie, Enemy at the gates when the Russian snipers would cut telephone lines and pick off the Germans who came to fix them.
Great idea. When I hear these things I’m encouraged.
JAGs trying to make a splash or trying to prove their relevance (In this WOT) are without question hurting our efforts -
What fool was stupid enough to publish our tactics? The cat’s out of the bag on this one now, but please don’t publish any more of tactics that keep our guys alive and the enemy dead.
Sounds like a problem to me. How do know that the suspect intended to use the items at all, or against Coalition forces?
My first thought was of the movie Jurassic Park.
A goat chained up to attract T. Rex.
Of course the insurgents would be thinking of something other than food.
LOL
After all, one of those Iraqis might have just been picking up the det cord and caps to turn in for some Lakers tickets
or new sneakers...
I’m not sure what the problem is here. There’s nothing new about using bait to lure rats and vermin into traps so they can be eliminated. Is someone complaining about the mess or something?
Now, if we would just drop MOAB’S on funeral processions for radicals....
Snipers are not going to indescriminately kill anyone who goes near the drop box. They often know who the bad guys are, this is just a way to flush them out from under their rocks. I am all for it.
People want us to succeed (unless you are a democrat) but apparently don’t want to let us do what is needed. Civilians have no business whatsoever telling the military how to conduct operations in theatre. NONE.
Which is why professional soldiers aren't going to waste their energy and ammunition on such a crude method. This article is pure disinformation.
If we could just get the snipe on some dollar bills sprinkled artfully around Washington DC. Maybe along the steps of the Capitol Bldg. Heh, heh.
Of course the insurgents would be thinking of something other than food.
Well, then, how about a goat infected with AIDS?
Back here in the states it is illegal to hunt over bait in some states.
That's all I needed....
This would explain the preponderance of ass-shots.
they could use a few Marine snipers in NYC today
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