corrente

This AP story is worth detailed examination:

BAGHDAD, Iraq (AP) - The bodies of about 50 unarmed Iraqi soldiers - many killed execution style with gunshots to the back of the head - were found on a remote road in eastern Iraq, victims of an ambush as they were heading home on leave after basic training, Iraqi authorities said Sunday.

The nature of the attack suggested an increased boldness and organization by insurgents, who, until now, have mainly used roadside bombs and suicide car bombs in their attacks on the Iraqi military and police.

An Associated Press reporter on the scene reported seeing the burned frames of two minibuses. Bloodstains were visible on the ground, along with human remains. Witnesses said the attackers stole some buses. Police said they had found 51 bodies from the attack place.

Initial reports citing witnesses that insurgents had initiated the attack by firing rocket-propelled grenades at several vehicles carrying the unarmed troops have not been confirmed.

Police said witnesses saw the soldiers' buses being stopped by the attackers before they were forced to leave the area.

Al-Azzawi said he believed the soldiers were training at the Kirkush military camp northeast of Baghdad. The soldiers had just finished their training course and were being given leave before reporting for duty, the Iraqi Defense Ministry said.

Diyala's deputy Gov. Aqil Hamid al-Adili told Al-Arabiya TV he believed the ambush had been set up.

"There was probably collusion among the soldiers or other groups. Otherwise, the gunmen would not have gotten the information about the soldiers' departure from their training camp and that they were unarmed," he said.

"In the future we will try to be more careful when the soldiers leave their camps. We will provide them with protected cars that can escort them home."

A U.S. military source in the region confirmed the incident, but was uncertain of the number of dead.
(via AP)

Several points:

1. Kudos to the AP reporter "on the scene." That takes real courage. (We need to create a media situation where actual reporting happens routinely,)

2. The effort to train the new Iraqi Army has (obviously) been infiltrated. More great intelligence work from us. Seems like if a problem can't be addressed with an airstrike, there's nothing we can do. Not a good sign.)

3. The US doesn't even know how many of the Iraqi soldiers died. Iraqi's just "don't count," do they? Not civilians, bien sur, but not soldiers either. Nice PR!

4. The whole disgusting, sad, and sorry episode shows the fundamental immorality of the flypaper theory—the ideas that it's better to fight "the terrorists" in Iraq than here in the States. Leave aside the fact that Saddam had nothing to do with AQ; did anyone tell any of these 50 Iraqis that they died so that we could be safe from terror? I didn't think so. And these guys call themselves Christians... What about a little informed consent, eh?