"I just think it's a lost cause"

[Louis Proyect <lnp3@xxxxxxxxx>]

Soldiers' Doubts Build as Duties Shift
For Many, Prolonged Stay and New Threat Have Eroded Early Optimism
By Daniel Williams
Washington Post Foreign Service
Tuesday, May 25, 2004; Page A11

KARBALA, Iraq -- When the Army's 1st Armored Division arrived in Iraq 13
months ago, its job was to close out Iraq's past by wiping out remnants
of former president Saddam Hussein's armed base of support. Now several
of its units are confronting a new threat, Moqtada Sadr, a Shiite cleric
who is leading an armed revolt in defiance of U.S. plans to sideline him
in a new Iraq.

This shift in responsibility is hitting hard at soldiers who moved into
this area south of Baghdad last Wednesday for a short mission to fight
Sadr's militia. In the view of many troops in Company A of the
division's Task Force 1-36, the old battle, though filled with hardship,
was imbued with the optimism of liberation. The new one is tinted by
pessimism. Soldiers feel themselves mired in an effort to navigate the
indecipherable intricacies of Iraqi politics.

"I just think it's a lost cause," said Spec. Will Bromley, a gunner who
sits inside the turret of a Bradley Fighting Vehicle and mans a 25mm
cannon whose rounds can blast walls to pieces. "This has become harder
than we thought. Getting rid of Saddam Hussein, that's one thing.
Getting Iraqis to do what we want is another. It's like we want to give
them McDonald's and they might not want McDonald's. They have to want it
or we can't give it to them."

Sgt. Jerry Sapiens, a specialist in nuclear, biological and chemical
warfare, suggested there was no end in sight. "We're in the baby-sitting
phase and my question is, how long can we baby-sit for the Iraqis? We
want the Iraqis to change, to be like us, and to do this we will have to
be here forever."

"The enemy is not the same as before," said Spec. Matthew Aissen, a
medic. "I fear that people who use religion as a power point are taking
over the place. It's a power struggle. Our weak point is they think we
are evil and we're not so popular, so we become part of the mess."

The 1st Armored Division was supposed to be out of the powdery sand,
100-degree heat and explosive danger of Iraq a month ago. After a year
in the country, they were scheduled to be back in green and placid
Germany, their home base.

During its tour, Company A has seen all sides of the post-invasion phase
of the Iraqi conflict. It was originally tasked to safeguard Baghdad
neighborhoods, fight insurgents and crime, uncover arms depots, defuse
roadside bombs and oversee reconstruction projects.

Duty in Iraq was scheduled to end in April, but in a surprise decision,
the Pentagon ordered the 1st Armored Division to stay on for another
three months. The disappointment was evident among many of the soldiers
here, and has sharpened their doubts.

Capt. Andrew Lomax, Company A's executive officer, was scheduled not
only to return to Germany, but also to end his Army service. He now
worries that when he enters his post-service period as a member of the
Army Reserve, he could be called back to active duty at any time. "Some
of us need to make life plans. We're obviously short of forces in Iraq.
Suppose the country just wants to split apart? Can we live with that? Or
another dictator comes? Are we going to fix that? There are plenty of
troublemakers and Iraqis who tolerate them. You could have units here
forever," he said.

full: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A52971-2004May24.html

--

The Marxism list: www.marxmail.org