Half of New Iraqi Army deserts

Thursday 11 December 2003, 20:32 Makka Time, 17:32 GMT

Three hundred Iraqi army recruits have resigned from the first battalion set up by US occupation forces.

Only 400 soldiers are left on Thursday, following the mass walkout over terrible pay and conditions.

Salaries in the new army range from $50 a month to $180 for a colonel, a US occupation administration source said.

Speaking on condition of anonymity, the official also confirmed there had been discipline problems ? with some recruits refusing to obey instructions before resigning.

"My understanding is that they felt they should be paid more money, for example, than the police," he said, adding that the occupation administration will review all security force salaries.

Bad beginning:

Iraq?s administrators had been building a new Iraqi army after dismissing all the members of Saddam Hussein's armed forces following the invasion in April.

"There may have been some confusion when they first joined the Iraqi army. They weren't sure exactly what their terms and conditions are," the official said.

What remains of the Iraqi First Battalion is serving with the US 4th Infantry Division.

The official said a second Iraqi battalion is now training "and there are no resignations from that."

Another group of more than 2000 recruits are expected to begin their training next year, he said.

AFP



Link!

Maybe they're not willing to be seen as traitors by their countrymen.

Which, since it's their country, is completely valid.

What the heck were they thinking firing all these guys in the first place?

"You know what we REALLY need in Iraq? 2 million unemployed ex-Army guys with weapons training running around doing whatever they want."

Yeesh.

jak

"whatever they want", usually involves shooting and bombing US troops..

Man,

What a great desicion to fire em all..



Also note:

"Salaries in the new army range from $50 a month to $180 for a colonel, a US occupation administration source said."

What a stupid a$$ salarys are those? this 50$ is couples of days salary for US trooper..

Why arent Iraqis also paid with real sums of real money?

Originally posted by Jakomo

Maybe they're not willing to be seen as traitors by their countrymen.

Which, since it's their country, is completely valid.

What the heck were they thinking firing all these guys in the first place?

"You know what we REALLY need in Iraq? 2 million unemployed ex-Army guys with weapons training running around doing whatever they want."

Yeesh.

jak

Traitors? They're training to replace the coalition forces and PROTECT their contry in the future.

Originally posted by FULCRUM
"whatever they want", usually involves shooting and bombing US troops..

Man,

What a great desicion to fire em all..

Also note:

"Salaries in the new army range from $50 a month to $180 for a colonel, a US occupation administration source said."

What a stupid a$$ salarys are those? this 50$ is couples of days salary for US trooper..

Why arent Iraqis also paid with real sums of real money?

I don't know this for sure, but I would think that $50-$180 a month in Iraq is probibly really good money and will go a long way to help them and their families. As Iraq gets back on its feet, they will get better pay and will be able to know that they are doing their part to form a new country.

Even our soldiers don't exactly get minimum wage (but make up for it big time when in actual combat, moneywise)...as they get room and board, medical, other benefits, etc.

However, if we had done this right, there would be an Iraqi government by Iraqis right now...but puppet to their Pentagon masters. Unfortunately, they discovered their intel pretty much sucked, after going in, so now they don't know the foxes from the hens....and trying to piece it together now, is like looking for needles in haystacks. They screwed up. So now you've got a bunch of people vying for power in post US Iraq, trying to convince the US they won't return to a Saddam-like state...and the memory of Afghanistan is ringing in our ears, when we left the Mujahadeen in charge, and it blew up in our faces.

If it wasn't for the current Euro vs. Dollar oil situation, we wouldn't be there in the first place....and we wouldn't still be there...But, until a US friendly government is set in place, and it is assurred to stay in power, and in it's place....the US isn't going anywhere...and Iraq is on the slow road to recovery....

Originally posted by GriBiT

I don't know this for sure, but I would think that $50-$180 a month in Iraq is probibly really good money and will go a long way to help them and their families. As Iraq gets back on its feet, they will get better pay and will be able to know that they are doing their part to form a new country.

It's freaking GREAT money in a country that just saw it's first Gas price increase in 30 years (thanks to US)...from 3 cents a gallon to 5 cents!!! The average policeman made $20 a month prior to the invasion, now makes $200!!!

I'm of the opinion the walk out has less to do with money than people are making out. Or if it does have to do with money, a song comes to mind: Can't buy me love.

How much does Al Qaeda pay?

Originally posted by Jakomo

How much does Al Qaeda pay?

Sad, but true. "Well" I hear.

Link!



BAGHDAD, Iraq (CNN) -- About 300 of 700 members of the new Iraqi army have resigned, citing unhappiness with terms, conditions and pay and with instructions of commanding officers, a representative of the U.S.-led coalition said Thursday.

"It's a new force, and ... we face some difficulties," the representative said.

In response to the resignations, the coalition will review the terms and conditions and compare them with other security services in Iraq -- the police and Civil Defense Corps, the representative said.

The first and only battalion of the new army serves under the U.S. Army's 4th Infantry Division.

Last month, Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld said the Pentagon and the Coalition Provisional Authority were discussing recalling some units of the former Iraqi army, which was formally dissolved in May.

The discussions followed a letter two senators sent President Bush about the "need to speed up the process by which Iraqis assume greater responsibility" for security as the coalition prepares to cede power back to Iraqis in July.

The letter, from Sens. Carl Levin, D-Michigan, and Richard Lugar, R-Indiana, said the new Iraqi army, "which is being created from scratch, currently has less than 1,000 members. We cannot afford to transfer security functions to Iraqis at that slow a pace. The quicker we get the new Iraqi army in place, the more security we are likely to have and the better off Iraq will be."

I just posted this to show you that Al-Jazeera isnt making # up!

It isnt a issue that is it or is it not great in there..

Its about same employer paying two different kinds of salaries to two different groups of people..

Employer pays its 'own' people good money,

But only pays 5% (or whatever, anyhow.. MUCH, MUCH LESS..) of that to the SLAVES.

This can be considered as racistic..

And i do see it that way.

Originally posted by FULCRUM
It isnt a issue that is it or is it not great in there..

Its about same employer paying two different kinds of salaries to two different groups of people..

Employer pays its 'own' people good money,

But only pays 5% (or whatever, anyhow.. MUCH, MUCH LESS..) of that to the SLAVES.

This can be considered as racistic..

And i do see it that way.

However, the employer's "own" people live in a land with a much higher cost of living.

The "slaves" as you called them could probably do more with what they're getting paid in Iraq than PFC Joe can do here in the states with what he gets paid.

Originally posted by FULCRUM

This can be considered as racistic..

And i do see it that way.

Interesting. Maybe. I can see how they may feel that way. Isn't the perception of other people a pesky thing when you have a 'plan' inspired by God?

Originally posted by junglejake

However, the employer's "own" people live in a land with a much higher cost of living.

The "slaves" as you called them could probably do more with what they're getting paid in Iraq than PFC Joe can do here in the states with what he gets paid.

G.I.s that are in Iraq can buy same products from the same stores as Iraqis..

AT THE SAME PRICE!

A platoon of G.I.s can buy a large Iraqi 'SUPER MARKET' empty!



..

Think about it, is this fair?



So,

While in Iraq average US G.I.s should also only get that 50$ per month..

There cant be any MASTERS and SLAVES..

Originally posted by GriBiT

Originally posted by Jakomo

Maybe they're not willing to be seen as traitors by their countrymen.

Which, since it's their country, is completely valid.

What the heck were they thinking firing all these guys in the first place?

"You know what we REALLY need in Iraq? 2 million unemployed ex-Army guys with weapons training running around doing whatever they want."

Yeesh.

jak

Traitors? They're training to replace the coalition forces and PROTECT their contry in the future.

Well, when you work for a foreign army that is occupying your country... people sometimes get the wrong impressions.

Baghdad: Almost half the soldiers recruited into Iraq's new army have deserted less than two months after completing basic training, in a major embarrassment for the US-led administration in Baghdad.

Three hundred of the New Iraqi Army's 700-strong 1st Battalion were discharged after they refused to obey orders following a row over pay and "terms and conditions", a senior Coalition Provisional Authority official confirmed yesterday.

However, Iraqis said some had left because they feared being killed in escalating attacks on occupation forces, and because the training was too hard.

Their departure is a significant setback to the coalition's efforts to hasten the recruitment and deployment of Iraqis onto the streets to combat the upsurge in attacks on US-led troops, which average 21 a day.

www.theaustralian.news.com.au...


Now, we have 300 battle trained pissed off Iraqis running freely about in Iraq. What does that mean for American soldiers? This inept adminstration must go!


AND WHY DO I HAVE TO FIND THIS IN AN AUSTRALIAN NEWSPAPER??

Folcrum already covered this topic:

www.abovetopsecret.com...

Oh? didn't know.

Now, we have 300 battle trained pissed off Iraqis running freely about in Iraq. What does that mean for American soldiers? This inept adminstration must go!

Originally posted by Colonel
Now, we have 300 battle trained pissed off Iraqis running freely about in Iraq. What does that mean for American soldiers? This inept adminstration must go!

Behold, the power of democracy. If others feel the way you do, this administration will go. If they don't, it will stay for another 4 years. But then you'll get your wish anyway, because thankfully Clinton didn't win his bid to end term limits for the presidency. Whew!