If you guys had ever been there, you'd see how wholly undisciplined and downright rotten a bunch of those kids really are.
They LITERALLY, and I mean LITERALLY sit there when the news cameras are around and act like those kids on all the "Aid" commercials, and when the newspaper reporters turn their backs, they'll flip you off, throw rocks or garbage right at your face, then turn around waiting for a chance to smile in the camera. They pick on other kids, they run around in little cliques and wreck stuff.
Maybe it is a product of so many men lost in the Iran-Iraq war that left many of them fatherless. I don't know, but only a few women will actually come out and take care of the kids.
The way we handled it was to let the Iraq police take care of them. We just got them on the radio whenever the kids were getting out of control, (things like shooting rocks from slingshots at the guards, stuff like that) and the Iraqi police would take them around the corner (or maybe not) and just kick the crap out of them too, sticks hoses, whatever was at hand.
The make those British soldiers look like good samaritans.
Just FYI, that is not tolerated by the Americans NOR the British, but stuff happens you know.
You also ought to know, those Brits were much nicer than their own police and you ought to be giving them a medal instead of making a big deal.
Think of the most out of control kids you've ever known in USA while growing up. THen magnify that at least 10 fold if not 20 fold! Then take away the well defined law system, the social services system, and a good chunk of the parents who actually care what their kids do during the day (for whatever reason) and then THIS image in your mind...This is the image of the male youth in the bigger cities of Iraq. I don't joke about this stuff.
If you are going to condemn those soldiers, think on this first, put yourself in their position and then pass judgement. He who is without sin cast the first stone right?
