Dancing in the streets, part Deux!

[SlowwHand]

Actually, this is just another chance to whine about Coalition troops.

"Forget that sniper, Joe; just stop the looting".

[gsmoove23]

I think our troops did an amazing job, Saddam fell more rapidly then I would have expected and its quite obvious that there was a real attempt to keep civilian casualties to a minimum in the whole affair. That being said, the actual fight was never what concerned me about the war but what came after.

"Forget that sniper, Joe; just stop the looting".

Wouldn't it have been great if they had actually brought enough troops with them to do both?

[SlowwHand]

Not their job entirely.
Now the vigilante's have the right idea.


And yes, Coalition troops did an overall outstanding job.

[gsmoove23]

Whether or not its the coalition troops' job its the coalition's job to enforce law and order in occupied territory and they weren't ready for the job. In the absence of any other authorities it is the troops job to enforce this until another remedy is found.

[SlowwHand]

U.S., Iraqis Begin Joint Baghdad Patrols
1 hour, 42 minutes ago

By HAMZA HENDAWI, Associated Press Writer

BAGHDAD, Iraq - With looting already easing in Baghdad on Monday, Iraqis and U.S. troops began jointly patrolling the streets to quell the lawlessness that has engulfed the capital since the collapse of Saddam Hussein (news - web sites)'s regime, the American military said.
Iraqis started accompanying troops late Sunday or early Monday, said Navy Capt. Frank Thorp, a U.S. Central Command spokesman. In addition, Iraqis have also launched neighborhood watch programs and Iraqi civil leaders are emerging to maintain order, he said.


"We're beginning to see a downward trend in looting," he said.


On Monday morning, several hundred Iraqi police officers in plainclothes and uniform reported to the Iraqi police academy in response to a coalition call for Iraqis to take part in joint patrols to restore order. The officers registered upon entering the academy, as Marine sentries watched

[Ned]

Originally posted by gsmoove23
Whether or not its the coalition troops' job its the coalition's job to enforce law and order in occupied territory and they weren't ready for the job. In the absence of any other authorities it is the troops job to enforce this until another remedy is found.

gsmoove, looking back, as I said before, I do not believe that Franks had planned for a total collapse of government authority across the country. We certainly did not have enough troops in country to both fight the war and to police the cities. We needed the local police.

But when Saddam's regime fell, every form of government vanished: police, local government, utility workers ...everything. I don't think anyone had planned on the collapse being so great. As an example of this, I never once saw a single post in this forum predicting such a total collapse of government.

Something similar happened, I believe, with the collapse of Nazi Germany. In order to prevent a complete dissaster, we employed the current government to a great extent - even though it included Nazi's. We did this of necessity.

We apparently are going to repeat history. Some of the new government are going to be Ba'ath party members. We have no choice but to use them.

[gsmoove23]

Ned, how can you say that. The administration and pro-war people have been saying that Saddam's regime is a house of cards for years! I've gotta admit even I was thinking Saddam might not be able to hold it together for more then a couple of weeks once the war started. Chaos is one of the things pro-war people absolutely counted on.

[Lancer]

They'll get it under control themselves, it's their country now.

[gsmoove23]

It turns out the National Library has fallen victim to looters as well. Right across the street from the Defense Ministry which has survived, being well protected by US forces.

[SlowwHand]

I can see the outcry at ACS, had Coalition troops blown away Iraqi citizens caught up in looting.

Forget that, bub.

[MarkG]

Actually they've had standing orders to prevent looting when they see it

i saw (with my own eyes) on many occassions in reports, looters running away with stuff in front of US soldiers who just dazed off under the hot bagdad sun

[MarkG]

I don't think anyone had planned on the collapse being so great. As an example of this, I never once saw a single post in this forum predicting such a total collapse of government

are you comparing the high command of the largest military force in history with the posters of apolyton?

[SlowwHand]

Whine, whimper, and complain.

The Macedonian Creed.

[gsmoove23]

US troops haven't had to blow away any civilians at the buildings they have protected. May not be to hard after all.

[MichaeltheGreat]

Originally posted by Lancer
They'll get it under control themselves, it's their country now.

So nobody's dancing anymore?

Nice way of ducking responsibility - hey, we invaded and got our national hardon taken care of, but cleaning up the mess is your problem, honey.

BTW, good job in Mosul of shooting at cops and a crowd because the cops fired at some looters. I guess they're supposed to "get it under control themselves" without weapons, or without being in range of any US forces, or wearing pink miniskirts with bunny ears so they're easily recognized by US forces still looking for those dancing, celebrating snipers?