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01/11/2005: I'm behind the power curve....
in not mentioning the recent disclosure of the Pentagon's plans to combat the insurgency in Iraq by deploying special forces contingents (ideally Iraqi special forces, though U.S Special Forces would undoubtedly be involved in some aspect of this operation--if only to train the Iraqi teams) to target insurgency leaders, insurgents, and sympathetic civilians. These plans, which are based on Reagan era strategies in Central America, have been characterized as "death squad" tactics by some commentators, not without reason, it would seem. Quoth Juan Cole:
Newsweek reports that the US Pentagon is considering an El Salvador strategy in Iraq, of forming Iraqi Special Forces units to engage the Iraqi guerrillas. In Central America, this sort of policy produced death squads that killed leftists (and sometimes nuns) indiscriminately. If the US is seriously thinking of reintroducing death squads into Iraq (they used to be called Saddam Fedayeen; are they now to be Wolfowitz Fedayeen?), then it really is time to try to get the US Department of Defense back out of Iraq before it completely ruins the country. The Rumsfeld/Wolfowitz/Feith notion of dealing with some terrorists in Fallujah was to displace and damage the entire city (notably not a tactic the British used against the IRA in Belfast, but then the Irish are at least Europeans). If the DoD now introduces death squads, it is likely the prelude to a military coup (Iraqi Special Operations troops who have a license to kill would have an advantage in plotting a take-over of the country.)Excellent point, though it's General J.C. Christian, Patriot, who identifies who is the ideal candidate is to implement these plans:
General Sir,Talk about a wonderful opportunity for rehabilitation....
I am responding to the advert you recently placed in Newsweek for experienced counter insurgency leaders trained in organizing Death Squads. I've attached a resume detailing over 30 years of political assassination, ethnic cleansing, cold blooded murder, intel gathering, fratricide, bulldozing, blackmail, hot blooded murder and mayhem. I was instrumental in setting up the Mukhabarat and generally undermining any challenges to central authority. I understand that GWB, the hypocritical son of the Fascist dictator, has commissioned you with task of setting up the Esquadrille De La Morte. I look forward to hearing from you.
Faithfully,
Saddam Hussein
UPDATE: The good news about the death squad plan (admit it, you wouldn't think, unless you were a Freeper, that there's a silver lining to this dark cloud)?
It got Billmon out of retirement and back posting at Whiskey Bar. See The Salvadoran Option and Bumper Sticker.
Len on 01.11.05 @ 12:02 PM CST
