Iraq's Military Elite Among World's Best

(CBS)  They are Iraq's most secret and elite warriors, trying to save their country, fighting side-by-side with their U.S. mentors.

They are Iraq's version of the U.S. Delta Force, going night after night with their U.S. mentors into the most dangerous areas, hunting down the most wanted as they did when CBS News chief foreign correspondent Lara Logan joined them on this mission targeting a suspected Shiite sniper cell in Baghdad.

Logan's rare glimpse into their shadowy world revealed something startling: After four years of hard training, hard fighting and thousands of missions, U.S. Green Berets and Navy Seals have built an Iraqi counter-terrorism force that rivals any in the world.

"The way they surgically take down these targets, the way they treat everyone with respect and dignity, they are phenomenal and I would put them up against anybody," says a Green Beret commander.

"Even Americans?" asks Logan. "Even Americans," he replies.

This is Iraq's other war, against Shiites accused of killing U.S. and Iraqi forces. Logan says what it's really about is money and position in the future Iraq, after the U.S. leaves. As the Shiites vie for power, anticipating a U.S. withdrawal, much has changed for these elite soldiers.

At first they were condemned for raids against Shiite targets, like a hugely controversial one in Sadr City more than a year ago that left more than 20 dead. They were labeled the "Dirty Squad" by Iraqi leaders, including Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki, who repeatedly attacked them for going after his Shiite allies.

Now, as he clings to power, it's the prime minister himself who calls on these forces time and again, even sending them back into Sadr City on a hostage rescue mission to try find the deputy oil minister who was kidnapped late last month.

They didn't find him, and came under heavy fire as they left Sadr City; a sign they're still not welcome in the militia-controlled area.

Iraq's best soldiers are caught in the middle of constantly shifting alliances that make this war increasingly complicated for them - and for the United States.

[drummer94]

Elite? Oh c''monz! We struckemdown in short order. We can do it to anyone. Lara,as good lookin''n as you are, those folks, we really messed ''em up. Thanks for the reports. Keep your head down girl. We lookforward to the news and you.

[one_american]

Democrat Senator Joe Biden does an about face on the troop surge, praising the troops and progress in Iraq:

http://www.mnf-iraq.com/images/stories/FJI/2007/ifm07250.wmv

[lizardbate]

Alot of comments that make no sense, but just like me if it makes you feel better, say it.

[krenz4]

Yeah!!! and what will happen when we leave iraq and the Mullahs take control of these forces. We are going to be fighting these guys ourselves one day. At least the fighting field will be level. They will have our arms, our training, our tactics and equipment! Real Smart move on our part.

[emma915]

. ."okay gents, turn to the left and shoot the guy next to you. . .even if it is your brother!"

For generations upon generations, they''ve been fighting under these guidelines. When will they ever learn?

[edjohn66]

So, after Iraq collapses in anarchy, who will these special forces work for then? Will they pass their training along to other groups? Like Hezbollah, maybe?

[downtowner97]

Darkmeat 4. You, like most supporters of the war, seem to have difficulty with math.

Only 30% of the people in this country support the war. You assume that anyone against the war is a liberal, and for this math lesson, we''ll assume you''re right.

If 70% of this country consists of liberal Democrats, after only 50% of the people were Democrats in the election that put Bush in office, Bush has made 60 million people in this country switch parties (20% of 300,000,000).

Fortunately, this is not the case. The reality is that there are about 60 million Republicans who know that this war is a stupid idea. That was why so many Republicans like me voted Democrat in the congressional elections to send the Decider a message that we want this stupid war to end.

[downtowner97]

We''re trying to "manage" a civil war. Civil wars only end one way: attrition. When everyone is sick of losing half the people they care about, they rethink their ideals.

Our civil war, as terrible as it was, was necessary to make us what we are today. Iraq needs to be allowed to have theirs.

[toldyouso21]

"They are Iraq''s most secret and elite warriors, trying to save their country, fighting side-by-side with their U.S. mentors. "

Ironic eh? That the country that is responsible for Iraq being what it is today, are the "mentors" who claim to be saving the Iraqi people? Sort of like an arsonist who later joins the rescue team in putting out the fire and trying to save the victims. Uh huh.

Don''t look now. Your shoe laces are untied--even if you are not wearing any shoes.

[toldyouso21]

After we leave Iraq, and we will because most Americans want that, something should be done for this elite force. I regret the rest of the Iraq army is not like them.
Posted by ramos937 at 04:35 AM : Sep 07, 2007


You regret that most of the Iraqi army does not betray their own country and assist the invaders? Would you have the same sentiment for collaborators in America? NO matter what you may think of this war--people who love their own country are resistant to outsiders invading and killing them and will fight and resist that presence by any means necessary. Those in a country who help the invaders are despised. We''d kill such traitors in America and they will do the same to them in Iraq. YOu may like traitors who work for us--but the fact is, they should NOT be loyal to us. They sell themselves to the highest bidder, and when their "trick/John" finally leaves--they are destroyed for the betraying w.h.or.emongers that they are.