If you are in Iraq, don't pick up anything on the floor: US snipers baiting Iraqis

Source: http://www.news.com.au/story/0,23599,22471872-2,00.html

US snipers baiting Iraqis - report
US military snipers operating in Iraq are "baiting" Iraqis by scattering items like detonation cord, plastic explosives and ammunition, and then ambushing and killing those who pick them up, The Washington Post reported today.

The newspaper said the classified program was described in investigative documents related to recently filed murder charges against three snipers accused of planting evidence on Iraqis they killed.

"Baiting is putting an object out there that we know they will use, with the intention of destroying the enemy," Captain Matthew Didier, the leader of an elite sniper scout platoon is quoted as saying in a sworn statement.

"Basically, we would put an item out there and watch it," Capt Didier said.

"If someone found the item, picked it up and attempted to leave with the item, we would engage the individual as I saw this as a sign they would use the item against US forces."

In documents obtained by The Post from family members of the accused soldiers, Capt Didier said members of the Pentagon's Asymmetric Warfare Group visited his unit in January and later passed along ammunition boxes filled with the "drop items" to be used to disrupt ... attempts at harming Coalition Forces and give us the upper hand in a fight".

Eugene Fidell, president of the National Institute of Military Justice, said such a baiting program should be examined "quite meticulously" because it raised troubling possibilities, such as what happened when civilians picked up the items, the paper said.

"In a country that is awash in armaments and magazines and implements of war, if every time somebody picked up something that was potentially useful as a weapon, you might as well ask every Iraqi to walk around with a target on his back," Fidell is quoted in the article as saying.

Soldiers said that about a dozen platoon members were aware of the program, and that numerous others knew about the "drop items" but did not know their purpose, The Post reported.

Two soldiers, who had not been officially informed about the program, came forward with allegations of wrongdoing after they learned they were going to be punished for falling asleep on a sniper mission, the paper said.

Army officials declined to discuss the classified program, according to the report.

 

Are our soldiers terrorists? No.

Are they being ordered to behave like terrorists? YES.

Impeach Bush.

 

Poor Iraqis. I really feel so sorry for them.

Imagine walking around in an american city, seeing an object on the ground, picking it up, and getting shot in the head by a sniper.
This is the freedom we brought to the iraqis.

 

That is really sad. In a poor country where they are trying to survive, if they find anything of interest they would probably take it.

 

Exactly. Let's see.
Given the dire state of Iraq and the fact that most iraqis are now impoverished, if you are an iraqi and see an object on your street, you could pick it up to:
a) sell it to feed your family,
b) keep it for protection against the bandits, kidnappers, and death squads,
c) keep it because you think it is a cool object,
d) keep it to use against the foreign occupiers.
Whatever option was your motivation, you loose! You end up dead with a sniper's bullet in your head.

Remember, these are Iraqis, in their own country, pick up stuff in their own streets, and getting killed by foreigners.

Let's see what they had:
1) Saddam, evil dictator, kills you for trying to assassinate him or overthrow his rule
2) US Army, brave men and women, kills you for picking up a planted object on the street

My advice is to Iraqis: GET THE HELL OUT OF THIS CURSED LAND!

 

to them, ALL iraqis are terrorist.
shoot first, ask question later

 

It's a great idea if implemented correctly to make sure the people who pick up the items are indeed terrorists, i'm sure you would agree.

 

It totally madness to use such a bait method.

They said:

"... to place an item that can be used agains the US troops ... ... If someone picked up the item and wanted to take it with them then we would attack the person because picking it up would be a sign that he would use it against US troops."

Damn, I could have picked up a gun if I found it in the street and I would never kill anybody. Stupid bait.

 

I find that to be so sad. One of the reasons I never joined the army.

 

Is this for real? Let me get this straight: the military is placing objects of obvious value (including stuff made out of metal) on the ground of an impoverished country, and then shooting those who pick it up and try to walk away with it? That is wrong for so many reasons.

 

I don't wanna thik about all this. My brother is in Iraq and got nearly killed when they blew up the car not far from him.

 

Yes. It is for real. This article appeared also today on Yahoo at the front page:

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20070925/ap_on_go_ca_st_pe/us_iraq_snipers

 

Mind explaining how this pathetic idea is a 'great' idea? Is it written on the man's face that he's going to kill someone?

 

I am sorry to hear that your brother got nearly killed. But the fact that he got nearly killed does not justify the policy of baiting iraqis.

This policy is so flawed. First, I would think that the insurgents have money and contacts. They probably make bombs from stuff smuggled into the country or build locally. I don't see the insurgents walking around the streets to look for detonators that someone would have conveniently left for them.

The most likely people to pick up those items are impoverished iraqis who may have no idea what they are picking up but think it could be of some value.

 

O no I don't sai it's justified absolutely not! I just mean I don't want to think about Iraq in general. My bro is still not home and will be there till december. I want him safe.

 

I'm with Toopoc on this one, this is a great idea! I think they could expand the bait a little more to include shoes and loafs of bread (terrist gotta eat). I love all this justified murder going on. The Iraqis should be damn grateful we brought them such freedom.

/sarcasm..............

 

why dont they just give iraqis the gun and let themkill themselves? doing this way is just like you random shoot innocent people on the street and said we are hunting terrorists. they should go out from iraq already and let them settle their problem themselves.

 

It's statements like these that go to show how far removed you are from reality. Proof positive of either a moral void, or any credibility.

 

So because the Washington Post and Yahoo reported it that makes it fact? If you read the story, it sounds very much like an opinion piece mixed with some facts...I also like how guerilla has done the whole "guilty until proven innocent" as opposed to the "innocent until proven guilty" method that the US constitution uses.

 

ouch, that must of got you going