U.S. Bases in Iraq "Prison-Like" for GIs

Since Security Transfer, American Soldiers Face "House Arrest" Conditions, Iraqi Commander Says

(AP)  An Iraqi military commander on Monday compared new restrictions on the U.S. military to "house arrest," saying American combat troops cannot patrol as freely as they did before pulling out of cities on June 30.

Col. Ali Fadhil, a brigade commander in Baghdad, cited several occasions in which Iraqi troops turned down U.S. requests to move around the capital, and in one instance to conduct a raid - the Iraqis carried out that operation themselves. The new balance of authority stems from a security agreement that requires all U.S. troops to be out of Iraq by the end of 2011.

Fadhil spoke to The Associated Press about conditions in Baghdad, where violence has dropped dramatically since the sectarian bloodletting and insurgent attacks that swept much of the country in past years.

"They are now more passive than before," he said in reference to his U.S. allies. "I also feel that the Americans soldiers are frustrated because they used to have many patrols, but now they cannot. Now, the American soldiers are in prison-like bases as if they are under house-arrest."

The U.S. military in Iraq had no immediate comment Monday on the relationship with its Iraqi counterparts. It has said that it remains available to assist them and has noted progress in the Iraqi military despite lingering questions about its resolve and training.

On July 16, three U.S. soldiers were killed in an assault on a U.S. base near an airport in Basra in southern Iraq. Maj. Gen. Rick Nash, commanding general of Multi-National Division-South, said the U.S. was committed to fulfilling the terms of the security agreement. But he also said: "U.S. forces have an inherent right to self-defense and the authority to protect themselves."

Hadi al-Amiri, a lawmaker and member of the parliament's security and defense committee, said the Americans' withdrawal from the cities went very smoothly.

Outside of cities, Americans are free to move without approval, Iraqi officials said. Iraqi forces face near-daily attacks in urban areas, though most of the violence is not on the scale of the past.

On Monday, a car bomb killed two police officers and injured eight civilians in Ramadi, west of Baghdad, said Maj. Gen. Tareq Youssef, the police chief of Anbar province. Ramadi, the provincial capital, was once a stronghold of Sunni insurgents.

Four police and one civilian died in attacks in and near the northern city of Mosul, Iraqi police said.

[jpmorgan43]

I would like to see all of military personell come home. I have a granddaughter getting ready to go to Iraq.I am praying for this is over before she goes.I have never believed in women being sent into war zones. They are better equipped to do administration duties. I would like to see every American continuously keep an electric candle or light in their windows for peace and safety in our nation and other nations until all of our military are brought home safe and out of harms way.This would burn like the peace light in Gettysburg.I suggested we do this a number of years ago,when I lived in Virginia and when people of our country were being held hostage overseas. It wasn't all that long that many people did this and the hostages were released. This country also needs to all agree in prayer and ask God to give us love,peace and unity in our country and all other nations and pray for our continued support of Israel.

[dixxson]

That's REPUBLICAN DEMOCRACY. (REPUBLICANISM)

[dixxson]

Well Whether they Roam around Iraq, Killing everything that moves or don't move or not.
They are now acting like NATURAL BORN THRILL KILLERS.
They will still need somebody to kill when they return!
Once the primitive killer instinct is reawakened!
It is difficult to put back to "SLEEP".
So Like asking for a Vacation, A Pay Raise, A Cup of Tea",
They're asking for someone to kill!

[worldcitizen1]

No more American lives should be lost in this ignorant, unnecessary war of agression against the people of Iraq. SUPPORT OUR TROOPS, BRING THEM HOME! Bush, Cheney, Rumsfeld = "the axis of evil"

[speakinup22]

didserve - first you have to capture OBL before you try him.

Sheese, do we have to tell you EVERYTHING ?

[didserve]

Why are Americans there anyway?

Start War Crimes Trials!

[smoknmirrors]

October 23, 1983. 6:23 am. Beirut, Lebanon. Compound. Barracks for 1600 Marines. Explosions. 241 U.S. Marines dead. Sitting ducks. Penned. Pinned. Will we allow history to repeat itself? We gave them a democracy at great cost of life and treasure, perhaps at the risk of this great Republic itself. Now it is up to them to keep it. Bring our troops home.

[nor-one]

We gave them "democracy"? We bombed the ***** out of their country, killed the dictator we supported for years, stole everything that wasn't nailed down, supplied them with a new strong man, chased millions of them from their own country and force them to listen to idiots from their agressor nation. That's some democracy we gave em. Now let's run from where we never should have been in the first place!!

[speakinup22]

nor-one put your troll head back in the sand and shut up.

[ToolMangler1]

"by speakinup22 July 20, 2009 3:30 PM EDT
nor-one put your troll head back in the sand and shut up"



You do realize that he/she is 90% right, don't you? (much as I hate to admit it)

[edward1975-2009]

Pull our soldiers completely out and let the bloodbath begin. Obama has underminded all the effort to bring a stable government to this country. We can't leave our troops sitting there. They wish us to leave, then let's do it.