US army kills 11 friendly policemen, how stupid can this get?

newnew
Posted:
in General Discussion edited January 2014
BBC Clickylinky.



I know this very well might turn into another flamewar, but this thing makes me sick. Seems to me that the occupation forces are so preoccupied with their own safety that they can't even tell friend from foe.



At the current rate this war will cost more than the entire world aid budget this year. Just think about what good could have been done in the world with the same amount of money, spent for peaceful purposes.



</rant>
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Comments

  • Reply 1 of 37
    moogsmoogs Posts: 4,296member
    Hard to judge unless you were standing in their shoes.



    If the police vehicle was not properly marked or otherwise drawing suspicion for some reason, it's almost understandable, given the general instability in Iraq. It's very sad, but things like this are going to happen. I have no doubt we will see some American friendly fire casualties as well; that's the price we pay for trying to destroy a second world country and then rebuild it in the aftermath.
  • Reply 2 of 37
    bungebunge Posts: 7,329member
    It's bad news. Throw some spikes across the road to pop the tires. Don't just shoot.
  • Reply 3 of 37
    ericgericg Posts: 135member
    This is I think the second time US soldiers are killing Iraqi policemen...... If I were a Iraqi I'd better think twice to join the policeforce
  • Reply 4 of 37
    satchmosatchmo Posts: 2,699member
    On one hand I'm disgusted, but when so many of your fellow soldiers have been killed and you're basically a sitting duck, you can get very trigger happy.



    I can just imagine how badly these American soldiers want to get the hell out of Iraq...but can't.
  • Reply 5 of 37
    alpha macalpha mac Posts: 463member
    Quote:

    Originally posted by satchmo

    On one hand I'm disgusted, but when so many of your fellow soldiers have been killed and you're basically a sitting duck, you can get very trigger happy.



    I can just imagine how badly these American soldiers want to get the hell out of Iraq...but can't.



    no one made them join the army.
  • Reply 6 of 37
    groveratgroverat Posts: 10,872member
    This topic is fresh.
  • Reply 7 of 37
    running with scissorsrunning with scissors Posts: 1,124member
    Quote:

    Originally posted by Alpha Mac

    no one made them join the army.



    i guess that makes it all right then. thanks for clearing that up for us. i can now go on with my day.
  • Reply 8 of 37
    brussellbrussell Posts: 9,812member
    Quote:

    Originally posted by groverat

    This topic is fresh.



    You know, I was just recently thinking about how much better AO has gotten since we no longer have groverat's substance-free attack-postings to wade through.

  • Reply 9 of 37
    groveratgroverat Posts: 10,872member
    *sniffle*
  • Reply 10 of 37
    sammi josammi jo Posts: 4,634member
    When you're getting fired on daily, hair-trigger reactions are understandable. Try not to automatically blame the troops; they're in a war, despite what their "commander in chief" (!) claims. They're just trying to do their job, ie taking orders, under the most godawful conditions, intense heat, inadequate water and MREs, kit that's falling apart, living in squalor unable to bathe because of the lack of water, daily multiple ambushes, sniper attacks, roadside bombs, and.... hostile bosses in the Pentagon who have cut their combat pay.



    If there's blame to apportion, then aim it at those insane, greedy, shortsighted evil f£?¶ing bastards who sent the troops there in the first place. Bin Laden must be rubbing his hands together as the terrorists regroup, both in Iraq and Afghanistan, under their surrogate father's $87 billion incentive.
  • Reply 11 of 37
    x xx x Posts: 189member
    Quote:

    Originally posted by bunge

    It's bad news. Throw some spikes across the road to pop the tires. Don't just shoot.



    Given the fact that that's not possible, why don't you come up with a better solution?
  • Reply 12 of 37
    scottscott Posts: 7,431member
    Quote:

    Originally posted by bunge

    It's bad news. Throw some spikes across the road to pop the tires. Don't just shoot.



    Please order 100,000 sets of spike stripes for the military.
  • Reply 13 of 37
    powerdocpowerdoc Posts: 8,123member
    Quote:

    Originally posted by ericg

    This is I think the second time US soldiers are killing Iraqi policemen...... If I were a Iraqi I'd better think twice to join the policeforce



    Quite true : actually there is only 8000 iraqi policemen when 40 000 are required. This won't help to make iraqi join the police.

    This are really sad news.
  • Reply 14 of 37
    dale soreldale sorel Posts: 186member
    Or how about when one of our ground vehicles was hit by an RPG...only to have civilians come out of the nearby houses shooting at our troops



    I believe it's next to impossible for anyone not in Iraq to understand the situation there \
  • Reply 15 of 37
    x xx x Posts: 189member
    Quote:

    Originally posted by Powerdoc

    Quite true : actually there is only 8000 iraqi policemen when 40 000 are required. This won't help to make iraqi join the police.

    This are really sad news.



    Seeing how Iraq has a population of 25 million people, finding an additional 32,000 police won't be a problem. Especially since they are being paid far more as a police officer than they are sitting at home twiddling their thumbs in the un-airconditoned house.



    There have been more U.S. combat deaths due to friendly fire than there has been Iraqi police deaths due to friendly fire, and I don't think Americans are saying to themselves, "I'm not joining the military, I might be killed by my own friends."
  • Reply 16 of 37
    powerdocpowerdoc Posts: 8,123member
    Quote:

    Originally posted by X X

    Seeing how Iraq has a population of 25 million people, finding an additional 32,000 police won't be a problem. Especially since they are being paid far more as a police officer than they are sitting at home twiddling their thumbs in the un-airconditoned house.







    Oh yes it's really a problem. The chief of the police in Iraq is not an idiot : it's the former chief of the police of New York. If it was so simple to have more policemen, he will already have the correct number. A policeman do not born from nothing : he must have faith in his job, and recieve the proper training.



    Quote:

    There have been more U.S. combat deaths due to friendly fire than there has been Iraqi police deaths due to friendly fire, and I don't think Americans are saying to themselves, "I'm not joining the military, I might be killed by my own friends."



    Perhaps but Iraqi have less confidence in US troops, than US troops in their own army. Psychology is more powerfull than pure logic.
  • Reply 17 of 37
    bungebunge Posts: 7,329member
    Quote:

    Originally posted by X X

    Given the fact that that's not possible, why don't you come up with a better solution?



    Given the fact that you've shown us no facts as to why this is impossible, why don't you support your case? The army has had many months to prepare for temporary occupation. They know they have check points. They're evidently not prepared.
  • Reply 18 of 37
    aquaticaquatic Posts: 5,602member
    This isn't the Army's fault. I feel sorry for the troops. It's Vietnam II. They are just trying to stay the **** alive. How do they know if a civilian is a suicide bomber, or hiding gun or grenade. Who knows if there's an RPG behind each window. The problem is not just not enough Iraqi police but not having the UN there. U.N. Invited indeed. The idiots in America who support our President deserve to be pushed down a set of stairs. He cut benefits for people CURRENTLY in Iraq. I don't care if it was him or his office, it got through. And now he is telling the UN how to do its job. I personally hope this Iraq mess gets much worse and the UN fails. So then, we can have a new, STRONGER UN take its place. One that does not answer to the US. One that the US answers to.



    Does anyone here plan on voting for Bush in '04? If so do you have any family in Iraq?
  • Reply 19 of 37
    kneelbeforezodkneelbeforezod Posts: 1,120member
    Whether or not you agreed with the Bush Admin's decision to go into Iraq (and putting aside the lies and disinformation about WMDs for a minute) there are a couple of things that can be said for sure.



    1. Saddam Hussein's no longer being in control of Iraq is definitely a Good Thing.



    2. There needs to be some kind of stabilizing force in Iraq.



    3. The US is not the only country that will benefit from increased stability in the Middle East.



    4. The US can't afford to foot the entire bill.





    So, until the Bush Admin can admit that it didn't have a clue about what it was getting itself into and call for assistance from other countries, Iraq is going to continue to be a huge financial drain and a big old mess. Yes, the UN is less effective than it could or should be - but bringing it into Iraq really is the only option. It will share the burden and finally bring some semblance of legitimacy to the action.
  • Reply 20 of 37
    dale soreldale sorel Posts: 186member
    Quote:

    Originally posted by Aquatic

    It's Vietnam II.



    Uh, you might want to check the number of troops KIA in Vietnam, as compared to Iraq, before you start throwing around the V word
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