Iraqis in Al Anbar province leaving army in droves

By Andrew Tilghman, Stars and Stripes
Mideast edition, Sunday, June 11, 2006

HADITHA, Iraq — Iraqi soldiers in Al Anbar province are leaving their army in droves, draining much-needed manpower from fledgling Iraqi security forces and preventing U.S. troops from reducing troop strength in the volatile region, U.S. and Iraqi military officials say.

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“Many of my soldiers have not gotten paid in six months. Sometimes, they don’t eat for two or three days at a time. I tell my commander, but what else am I supposed to do?” said Lt. Moktat Uosef, a 29-year-old Iraqi army company commander based in Husaybah.

Uosef’s brigade is one of the most troubled. The 4th Brigade of the 7th Iraqi Army Division has lost nearly half its soldiers during the past six months, dropping from 2,200 troops in December to fewer than 1,400 in May, according to Marines who work with the Iraqi unit.

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“The insurgent activity is directly proportional to the force density in the area. But that force density doesn’t have to be American. That is why the Iraqi security forces are so important,” he said.

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http://www.stripes.com/article.asp?article=37831§ion=104

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The article points out that many of the Iraqi army members are Shiite and consider the posting in the north to be horrible.

I would not be surprised if the US is paying them to leave. I have become so cynical. :(

maybe we should dontate them halliburton

Msongs
www.msongs.com
batik & digital art
put your pics on shirts!

are we trying to lose?

OTOH I'm not sure how reliable this source is. Don't know anything about them.