The US military has confirmed it is investigating allegations that members of a reserve US army unit in Iraq refused to undertake a convoy mission. The unit involved is responsible for transporting food, water and fuel for US-led forces, a top US official said. Up to 19 soldiers from the unit based near Talil in southern Iraq allegedly failed to carry out their orders. The soldiers, from a unit north of Baghdad, told family members that they considered the convoy destined for Taji to be a "suicide mission", citing the poor condition of their vehicles and the absence of ground and air support to protect the convoy.The platoon is under arrest for refusing a "suicide mission" to deliver fuel, the troops' relatives said Thursday. Refusal to obey orders in a combat zone is a serious military offence. Yet, the occupation has become a perilous situation, with more than 1,000 US troops killed since the invasion. [more
] and [more ]- Pictured above: Army
Reserve Sgt. Larry O. McCook, of Jackson, Miss., shown in this 2004
handout photograph taken at the Hinds County Detention Center in
Raymond, Miss., where he is a deputy, is one of several soldiers said
to be part of a reservist supply unit in Iraq that refused to go on a
convoy mission. According to his wife, Patricia McCook, her husband and
other reservists refused to go on a 'suicide mission' to deliver fuel,
to Taji, Iraq, north of Baghdad, because they considered their vehicles
unsafe. [more ]
- U.S.
Rep. Bennie Thompson said he plans to submit a congressional inquiry
today on behalf of the Mississippi soldiers to launch an investigation
into whether they are being treated improperly. "I would not want any
member of the military to be put in a dangerous situation
ill-equipped," said Thompson, who was contacted by families. "I have
had similar complaints from military families about vehicles that
weren't armor-plated, or bullet-proof vests that are outdated. It
concerns me because we made over $150 billion in funds available to
equip our forces in Iraq. "President Bush takes the position that the
troops are well-armed, but if this situation is true, it calls into
question how honest he has been with the country," Thompson said. [more ]