Iraqi army ready to surrender en masse

Seattle Times ^ | February 22, 2003 | Jonathan S. Landay

[carbon14]

Iraq deserter says military personnel eager to quit

By Jonathan S. Landay Knight Ridder Newspapers

SULAIMANIYAH, Iraq — An Iraqi army deserter yesterday described Saddam Hussein's military as being rife with corruption, outfitted with inoperable equipment and populated by troops ready to surrender the instant that U.S. forces attack.

[carbon14]

Potentially, the five minute war...

[DaughterOfAnIwoJimaVet]

Could be The Mother of All Surrenders.

[Arkinsaw]

It was nice of him to report the name of his unit down to the company and then say that the whole bunch was ready to surrender. Bet his friends left behind appreciate it a bunch.

[martin_fierro]

Could be The Mother of All Surrenders.

BAWQ BAWQ IRAQ BAWQ < /whatever chicken noises are in Iraqi>

[Quilla]

It was nice of him to report the name of his unit down to the company and then say that the whole bunch was ready to surrender.

You make an excellent point, one that makes me question this man's credibility. He knows his comments are dangerous enough to require his family be in hiding, yet he disregards the safety of his unit members and their families. Hmmmm.

[listenhillary]

outfitted with inoperable equipment

I thought they had the best Russian rifles money could buy. Paying five times the market value for them.

[this_ol_patriot]

Those guys look so happy to be there, probably the best they've been treated in years and are so happy to get water that doesn't taste like urine and mold.

[libertylover]

"... chicken noises are in Iraqi.."

I don't know that they're chickens just for not wanting to commit suicide for Saddam.

[Aeronaut]

I guess we can thank God for the French influence in Iraq.

[wunderkind54]

It appears the protracted build-up by Bush is having a desired psy-op effect.

Sitting in their trenches waiting for Armageddon tends to do a number on idle minds...plus there is no loyalty to their reigning madman.

Yes, I suspect a very short conflict will ensue shortly.

[decimon]

I don't know that they're chickens just for not wanting to commit suicide for Saddam.

Or invite the destruction of their families and communities. Probably most of FR's keyboard commandos would surrender to anyone before doing without electricity for a week.

[happygrl]

Oh please. These are ordinary Iraqis who bear us no ill.

What is it with those who need to belittle someone making rational decisions ?

Our own psyops have conveyed to these men the fact that if they surrender, they will save their own lives.

What is cowardly about that ?

[YOMO]

Back in WWII Ibelieve the Japanese said something similar.
They claimed they were abandoned, starving, and ready to surrender. A group of Marines was dispatched to check them out. The result is that with one or two exceptions there was no survivors from that Patrol.
When the main body of Marines heard what happened they went back in force and with a vengance. Prisoners were not an option. Of course in those days we didn't have to fight the enemy and Political Correctness at the same time, and allies were allies.

[Batrachian]

"Probably most of FR's keyboard commandos would surrender to anyone before doing without electricity for a week"

But not you, right?

[ItisaReligionofPeace]

With all due respect, do you think you are any more of a man than the average Iraqi? Why the heck should they fight? They know the U.S. has a vastly superior military, the U.S. will treat them well when it takes over the country and just as important, they probably don't like Saddam to say the least.

[RightOnline]

"I don't know that they're chickens just for not wanting to commit suicide for Saddam."

I agree. These people aren't that stupid. They know full well the type of "leader" they have, and that he is hell-bent on throwing as many bodies in front of him as he can get away with while he plots his escape to save his lily-white ass.

They also know that when Saddam talks about their willingness to spill their blood to fight the Americans, he's not talking about his own blood.

No, I think the smartest thing they can do is surrender en masse.......and then maybe we should turn 'em loose on their former leaders. Street justice. We'll barbecue and watch.

[ItisaReligionofPeace]

You're right, he has no credibility now. It's a trap. He really knows how prepared and motivated the Iraqi army is and he is simply trying to lure us into Iraq. (/sarcasm)

[decimon]

Have you seen me engaging in the collectivist, group think bashing of peoples by nationality?

[ItisaReligionofPeace]

No doubt what you say is true, however, we know from the last war how badly the Iraqi's were slaughtered, and so do they. Also, I don't think many Iraqi's are willing to die for Emperor Saddam. They weren't ten years ago, and they certainly aren't now.

[gulfcoast6]

For there sake I hope they do defect in mass.