Sep
4
4
The learning curve may not be flat…
… but it’s as close as you’re going to get:
U.S. Changes Arrest Techniques in Iraq
BAGHDAD, Iraq (AP) – The U.S. military is avoiding once-common arrest techniques like bagging suspects’ heads, the U.S. commander in charge of the Iraqi capital said, because such actions are considered humiliating by Iraqis and pushing new recruits into the insurgency.
“You’ve got to see it from a force protection standpoint: You’re making more enemies,” U.S. Army Maj. Gen. Peter Chiarelli told The Associated Press. “When we mistreat one person I’ve got a net increase of nine enemies.”
Coming up next: U.S. Army Maj. Gen. Peter Chiarelli will reveal that letting Iraqi prisoners be sodomized while in US custody may be counterproductive after all.
Mojo said,
September 4, 2004 at 20:06
No, we must remain resolute! No changes, ever! Once we start learning from our mistakes we might learn from the one back in November 2000. (God would be very disappointed if that happened.)
Sergeant America said,
September 4, 2004 at 20:45
Well, since a responder wants to use use the “way back machine,” if an Iraqi, foreign fighter, sadrite, wahabi islamic fundamentalist extremist (did I repeat myself?), Iranian’s head offends, then just cut it off!
It works for them!
I never did like that “paper or plastic” query…
Frederick said,
September 4, 2004 at 23:08
Wow, next thing they’ll decide that Iraqis get pissed off when you bomb their mosques.
Josh Narins said,
September 5, 2004 at 15:35
Next year, watch for the bit where the Generals decide that abducting adolescents, in order to force their parents to turn themselves in, isn’t the best plan ever.
Late in the year look for some sort of repudiation of mass arrests.
I got my schedule, didn’t you?
Jon H said,
September 7, 2004 at 3:42
“because such actions are considered humiliating by Iraqis”
Ya know, I bet such actions are considered humiliating by little old church ladies in Birmingham, too.
Jon H said,
September 7, 2004 at 3:47
To complete my thought:
It irks me that they make it sound like some peculiarity of Iraqi/Arab/Muslim culture, as if they’re making an exception as a nod to cultural sensitivity, when in reality it’s humiliating to freaking everybody of any cultural group.
It also irks me because it’s presented as if they couldn’t have foreseen this. Gosh, who knew that *Iraqis* would have this cultural thing where they don’t like being bound and gagged with bags over their heads.