Free Iraqi forces

Dan Neely

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http://www.nytimes.com/aponline/international/AP-Training-Iraqis.html

Iraqi Dissidents Get Military Training
By THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
Filed at 7:11 p.m. ET

TASZAR AIR BASE, Hungary (AP) -- Hakim was so eager to help overthrow Saddam Hussein, he sold a successful business in California, drew up a will and bade farewell to his American wife and children.

Oppression under Saddam's regime is ``like Hitler's, but multiplied 10 times or more,'' the Iraqi dissident said. Flashing a steely determination, he added: ``My mission is to assist in creating a free and democratic Iraq.''

Under heavy security, Hakim and other exiled opponents of Baghdad intent on liberating their homeland are undergoing U.S. Army training on a Hungarian air base to prepare for volunteer duty as guides, translators and guards in case of war.

At a corner of the based dubbed ``Camp Freedom, they spoke for the first time to The Associated Press of their hopes and fears for the future.

The Hungarian government authorized the United States to bring 1,500 trainers and up to 3,000 Iraqis for sessions at the base 120 miles southwest of Budapest, provided the dissidents do not receive combat training. Though the first group included only about 50 Iraqis, the Army says more have arrived and will begin training this week.

``I've been very surprised and very impressed at what an optimistic and enthusiastic group this has been,'' said Maj. Gen. David W. Barno, commander of the American training task force.

Hakim, whose last name and age were withheld for security reasons, left Iraq in 1974 at the urging of his mother after several family members were killed for opposing the dictatorial regime.

``I have eight brothers and sisters, and she told me, 'Go, I don't want to lose all of you,''' Hakim recounted Saturday in an interview.

Dressed in a U.S.-issue camouflage uniform bearing the insignia ``Free Iraqi Forces,'' Hakim -- his eyes misty and voice quavering -- said he had not been in direct contact with his family in Iraq since his escape nearly three decades ago to the United Arab Emirates, a journey which later led took him to the United States.

A holder of university degrees in mathematics, petrochemical engineering and business administration, Hakim blames Saddam for ``destroying a culture which was the cradle of civilization and a gift to the world.''

His goal, the Shiite Muslim said, is a regime change ``where everybody has dignity and a good life regardless of religion or race.''

Mohammed, another California resident, has a 9-year-old daughter and sold computers before coming to Taszar. He shared Hakim's frustration when asked about recent worldwide demonstrations against war in Iraq.

``People really don't know what's going on in Iraq. If they knew Saddam, there would be no demonstrations,'' said Mohammed, who dismisses the notion that America is only after Iraq's plentiful oil.

``Saddam is willing to give all the oil in Iraq just to stay in power,'' he said. ``Anyway, Iraq has to sell to the United States or to Europe. People can't drink the oil.''

The chief U.N. inspectors and key European countries are holding out hope that war is not inevitable. But Mohammed said he believed the current showdown, unlike the 1991 Gulf War, would not end until Saddam is deposed.

``I think this time America is very, very serious. I don't think they would send 150,000 soldiers to the Gulf if they were just playing the same game as before,'' he said.

Life on the base is austere compared to what most of the trainees left behind in the United States, Canada and other countries where they've sought refuge. They're not allowed to leave the base, and they sleep on cots with foam mattresses inside tents the size of several basketball courts.

Barno, the U.S. training commander, said a deliberate decision had been made to have representatives of as many ethnic and social groups as possible from all parts of Iraq, including Shiites, Sunnis and Kurds.

Trainers said one of the biggest challenges of working with the volunteers was getting them used to teamwork and acquiring the discipline essential for surviving in a hostile environment.

``It seems they've put down a lot of personal grudges'' stemming from their varied social and religious origins, said Sgt. Eric Kraft, a first aid instructor. ``They have a common goal here.''

U.S. officials would not confirm speculation that the Iraqis being trained at Taszar could form the core of a postwar administration in Baghdad if Saddam is deposed.

Although Washington reportedly is considering a plan under which the Baghdad regime would be replaced with a U.S.-led military government, American officials have said there is no desire for a long-term occupation of the country.

Taszar's trainees said they were confident that ordinary Iraqis, once out from under Saddam's tyranny, eventually would get used to living in a democracy.

``I have faith, but you have to be realistic,'' Hakim said. ``If you take a person from total dictatorship and switch him between day and night to democracy, it's got to be supervised.''

``But the seed is there,'' he said. ``There's a love for freedom and dignity in Iraq, of that I have no doubt.''

Hakim, who first learned about the training program from a friend while drinking coffee in a Starbucks cafe near his California office, said he felt it was only a matter of time before international support for U.S. policy in Iraq grew.

``America has taken the initiative, just like it did in the first and second world wars,'' Hakim said. ``When the rest of the world understands, it will line up behind it.''

``It is the time for this mission. I cannot take my mind off of it,'' he said.
Along with a little commentary from the board I got the link from.

Every day I love this country a little more. Give us your poor, your tired, your huddled masses yearning to breathe free. Then be prepared when they come back to kick the shit out of you. -- John McGivney

I couldn't've said it better myself.

:ar15: :rifle: :nofear: :ar15:
 

Tzar

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I would be very careful with these "Iraqi trainees". I don't think I would use them to form the core of a new Iraqi military or government.

These guys run the risk of being assimilated to America in the eyes of the Iraqi people and to make things even more difficult for Washington later on.

It reminds me of all these Cuban crackpots that were supplied with arms and training by Washington in the 60s. This is stupid. The current Cuban community in Miami (where all these crackpots have found refuge) is probably the least credible in the eyes of the Cuban people. Their virulent hate and paranoia of Castro has discredited them and would make them unfit for government participation in the after-Castro Cuba.

In the case of Iraq, the future government will need to have some credibility in the eyes of the Iraqis and not be perceived as some other puppet regime. Otherwise, it will be as socially and politically baseless as Hussein's own regime (the regime of the Sunni minority).
 

Headshot

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I think that these forces will be of great help during the war. But unfortuintely any post saddamn goverment will probably HAVE to be an american puppet. Rumsfeld always wanted a country to "play god" with, and upon examing the current "nation building" efforts in Afghanistan, it doesnt look like Iraq is going to recieve much help.
 

John Paul

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Read the article about them in todays paper.This was an approved story and all i got to say is these guys sound like a bunch of sad sacks.They are not going to see combat,they are more for liason work.Just picture mchales navy but with middle eastern accents and you get the picture.
 

tigersqn

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The "Free Iraqi Army" is worse than useless as a military force. They will be used strictly as guides and to help Iraqi Army units surrender.
They are receiving no more than rudimentary military training. Just enough so they won't kill themselves or their allies in the field.
 

Headshot

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some of those kurds are pretty fierce however. I suppose that comes from the genocide of ones people, just a guess
 

Marko

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Well it takes a big man to slate the Iraqi who is willing to die to overthrow his countries leader. We all can slag these fighters military capabilities also, but they are willing to fight with spirit and bravery, not multi-billion dollar support in the way of smart bombs and NVG's. Listen to yourselves.

P.S. The Iraqi's are simply going in as liasion officers by the way, so don't worry they won't cramp your style, just watch 'em with those pesky drugged up air force pilots.
 

Marko

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Originally posted by Headshot
some of those kurds are pretty fierce however. I suppose that comes from the genocide of ones people, just a guess
And thanks to the US, the Turkish will be carrying on that genocide right were the Iraq's left off.
 

Headshot

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very very teribly true. thats the one problem with turkey, which way are the US's guns going to be pointed when the turks start to massacre the kurds?
 

Wolf

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Did I just read that correctly, Marko and Headshot agreeing on something :D
 

Tim McBride

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Good to see a lack of knowlegde from both sides on the Turkish issue. The PKK has killed more civilians then the Turkish army.

_Tim
 
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markoy

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Originally posted by Tim McBride
Good to see a lack of knowlegde from both sides on the Turkish issue. The PKK has killed more civilians then the Turkish army.

_Tim
....and as a result the Turks won't systematically exterminate the Kurdish people ? The PKK are terrorists, the Kurdish people are not.
 

Tim McBride

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Originally posted by markoy


....and as a result the Turks won't systematically exterminate the Kurdish people ? The PKK are terrorists, the Kurdish people are not.
The Turks haven't done this, so why would they start? If we should worry about anyone during the upcoming war its the PKK, not the Turkish army.

_Tim
 

Headshot

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Originally posted by Wolf
Did I just read that correctly, Marko and Headshot agreeing on something :D
ehh dont count on it happening too often.. but sure dreams do come true

and about the turks and kurds.. the kurds im most concerned about are saddamns terrorists kurds, asar al islam, i believe theyre called. They may have the Al Queda connection.
 

tigersqn

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I'm not so sure the Kurds are really all that worrisome. Sure they can cause a lot of internal strife in Iraq after the battles are over and I'm sure Turkey will suffer severe headaches over the Kurdish question.

My main concern is over the Al-Badr Bde out of Iran. This organization has the potential to cause major geo-political trouble for any governing body in Iraq after the war (read the US). They are strongly supported by the conservative element in Iran, who incidentally are against any US attack on Iraq.

If and/or when the reformers in Iran ever gain the upper hand, the influence that the Al-Badr Bde could exert on Iraqi internal politics could diminish, but that might not happen for awhile yet.
 

Wolfe Tone

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The Iranain governments, Shah, the Mullahs, the Reformists of the future, did and will continue to try and exert influence in Iraq. They will use the Kurds against whoever controls Baghdad and forge links with their co religionists in the Shia part of Iraq.
 
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