Iraqi Troops Reporting Deserting

Newsmax.com ^ | March 17, 2003 | Carl Limbacher

[Lady In Blue]

NewsMax.com

 

Monday, March 17, 2003

Iraqi Troops Reported Deserting

As many as 30,000 terrified Iraqi soldiers have already deserted, according to a report in Britain's Sun newspaper.

Writing from the U.S. Command Center in Qatar, Sun correspondents George Pascoe-Watson and Simon Hughes reported that intelligence sources estimate that as many as 15 percent of Saddam's army have deserted before a single shot has been fired.

A senior British war planner at US Central Command in Qatar told the Sun last night: "Iraqi soldiers are scared out of their wits at what they know is over their borders.They are not stupid. They know if they hang around there’s a good chance of things getting very nasty indeed."

The mass desertions fueled the Sun reports by leaflet drops warning Saddam’s men to quit or face death, was uncovered by eavesdropping on military communications.

The paper speculated that Saddam may not even be able to rely on his elite Republican Guard. Military planners believe the troops may turn on their generals rather than face the 250,000-strong Allied force.

[gov_bean_ counter]

Hey, would the last one out, please get the lights and off the big guy?

[harpseal]

Every deserter we pick up is one less armed Iraqi soldier we have to deal with. Personally I would be elated if we did not have to drop a single bomb or fire a shot but unfortunately there will be some who just inist on being killed.

[patriciaruth]

Does this article say where they went?

[try phecta tom]

I soooooo hope this is true GO GEORGE GO USA

[patriciaruth]

My husband is laughing and saying, "Surrender now, and avoid the rush."

[Agent Smith]

Memo to Saddam:

The jig is up. Say your prayers.

[DeepInEnemyTerritory]

Great news! Maybe we can train these guys to do the dangerous "urban warfare" assuming, of course, that there are people who insist on fighting.

[bobi]

aaaaa statistics :)).

in sun office

one sais: 15% have deserted.

the other: how much is that?

well aaa 15% out of iraqi army of 200000 is 30000.

the other: uuuuu wow ...

BY THE WAY THE ORIGINAL STORY SAIS THAT IN THE NORTHERN PART OF IRAQ US UNITS ARE REPORTING THAT ABOUT 15% OF SOLDIERS THERE!! HAVE DESERTED.

That does not mean 15% in whole Iraq.

But I am sure that by the end of the week there will be 100000 deserters. But I hate statistics especially writen by a journalists.

[The South Texan]

Are the French advising the Iraqi military too?

[RS]

Video ! Pictures ! FORCE the media to play this up even if they hate doing it !

[TBall]

I hope these guys don't get near our troups. trojan horse shit.

[Canticle_of_Deborah]

Ping!

[Consort]

Send all the Iraqi POWs to France.

[RS]

... And treat them well, we need more people in that area with a greater respect for themselves and their country rather then the mindless ones who follow the insane leaders !

Let them go home with stories of the generously way they were treated by the Americans.

[deport]

LOL...... Yep and word is they had to tell them to go back and come back in 48 hours.......

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'30,000 IRAQI SOLDIERS DESERT'

Mar 17 2003

Scared Iraqi conscripts return home to avoid battle, say Allied commanders

From Bob Roberts At The US HQ, Camp As-Saylihah, Qatar

UP TO 30,000 Iraqi conscripts have fled to escape an invasion, allied commanders claimed last night.

One source said of the deserters - around 15per cent of the Iraqi army: "They have upped and left, they are going home to mum."

[Inkie]

They'd just let them go and probably make them mayor.

[Reeses]

15 percent of Saddam's army have deserted

How many of them want to fight with us? If we play this right, instead of POW's they could be part of the coalition of the willing.

[Tax Government]

The deserters must be segregated as though they carry an infectious disease.

[Happy2BMe]

"I soooooo hope this is true GO GEORGE GO USA."

The chances of this being true are far greater than it not being true.

They surrenderred in Desert Storm by the tens of thousands, but those were the Iraqi soldiers supposedly "disposable" by the Iraqi elite.

The Republican (I hate they chose that name) Guard are the ones we will need to be watching. They have "political officers" who stand in the ranks waiting to shoot to kill anyone even looking like they want to desert.

Pray.