Democratic Underground Latest Greatest Lobby Journals Search Options Help Login
Google

Fallouja Insurgents Fought Under Influence of Drugs, Marines Say

Printer-friendly format Printer-friendly format
Printer-friendly format Email this thread to a friend
Printer-friendly format Bookmark this thread
This topic is archived.
Home » Discuss » Latest Breaking News Donate to DU
 
clem_c_rock Donating Member (989 posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Thu Jan-13-05 11:34 AM
Original message
Fallouja Insurgents Fought Under Influence of Drugs, Marines Say
Boy are they getting desparate w/ this pathetic propaganda attempt.

http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/world/la-fg-iraqdrugs13jan13.story

<snippit>
FALLOUJA, Iraq — Although the ferocity of insurgents is generally attributed to religious fervor and a hatred of America, Marines who participated in the November assault on Fallouja say many of their foes also had something else to bolster their tenacity: drugs.

The Marines say they found numerous stockpiles of needles and drugs such as adrenaline and amphetamines while battling insurgents in the fiercest urban combat waged by U.S. forces since the Vietnam War.

In some homes used by insurgents, crack pipes were found, the Marines say.

Senior U.S. military officials in Iraq said that some of the drug caches discovered during the Fallouja offensive had an estimated street value of several thousand dollars.
</snippit>
Printer Friendly | Permalink |  | Top
SnowGoose Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Thu Jan-13-05 11:37 AM
Response to Original message
1. So do American Pilots.
If memory serves, it was even used as a defense in a 'friendly fire' incident.
Printer Friendly | Permalink |  | Top
 
daleo Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Thu Jan-13-05 12:03 PM
Response to Reply #1
16. Yes, when the Canadian troops were bombed in Afghanistan.
There may be plenty of other cases as well.
Printer Friendly | Permalink |  | Top
 
clem_c_rock Donating Member (989 posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Thu Jan-13-05 12:08 PM
Response to Reply #1
18. it serves you well. But you know, it was just a bunch of Canadians.
Edited on Thu Jan-13-05 12:57 PM by clem_c_rock
Who got in the way of freedom
Printer Friendly | Permalink |  | Top
 
MadAsHellNewYorker Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Thu Jan-13-05 11:37 AM
Response to Original message
2. War on Drugs = War or Terror
ahhh, so we invaded Iraq to keep its population safe from drugs!!!!
Printer Friendly | Permalink |  | Top
 
RuleofLaw Donating Member (345 posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Thu Jan-13-05 11:40 AM
Response to Original message
3. Can you say BS?
First, how does the military know that these houses where used by insurgents? I would imagine in a town of a little over 300,000 people, that there might be one or two crack heads. Second, I am wondering if this 'discovery" is to cover up for something else:

"Marines say the information prompted them to change their strategy.

"On the second day of the fight, word came down to focus on head shots, that body shots were not good enough," said 1st Lt. Tim Strabbing, a platoon leader with the 3rd Battalion, 1st Marine Regiment, 1st Marine Division, one of the lead units in the assault to oust the insurgents. The battalion, known as the Thundering Third, suffered 23 dead and 300 wounded.

Strabbing said his platoon found five locations with stockpiles of needles and adrenaline. "My guys put five rounds into a guy who just stood there and took it and then took off running," he said."


The way I read this is that the order was to shoot to kill. No prisoners. Another possible war crime.
Printer Friendly | Permalink |  | Top
 
Judi Lynn Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Thu Jan-13-05 11:57 AM
Response to Reply #3
13. This is so transparent, from another angle!
What if they are starting to worry the home crowd is seeing them as cruel and sadistic? This quote:
"My guys put five rounds into a guy who just stood there and took it and then took off running,"
would lead someone to think, "Gee, he didn't even feel it. Guess it's not SO bad if we shoot them to kingdom come, if it doesn't hurt them, being zoned out on drugs, f'r crissakes!"

If we are living under the assumption they are all dope fiends, heavily drugged, yet fully functional in war, we might not be as tempted to feel as much sympathy for these guys we're killing for no reason at all....
Printer Friendly | Permalink |  | Top
 
daleo Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Thu Jan-13-05 12:06 PM
Response to Reply #3
17. Maybe the resistance got hold of body armor
"My guys put five rounds into a guy who just stood there and took it and then took off running," he said."

Body armor would be a better explanation, perhaps stolen from U.S. supplies or Iraqi allies of the U.S. forces. Or maybe taken from dead U.S. troops. The military probably doesn't want to admit to this possibility, so this drug story was cooked up.
Printer Friendly | Permalink |  | Top
 
SweetLeftFoot Donating Member (905 posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Thu Jan-13-05 12:24 PM
Response to Reply #3
20. Crack in Iraq ...
jesus, what a load of shite.
Printer Friendly | Permalink |  | Top
 
MADem Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Thu Jan-13-05 04:14 PM
Response to Reply #20
39. Yeah, my first thought too....n/t
Printer Friendly | Permalink |  | Top
 
olddad56 Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Thu Jan-13-05 06:44 PM
Response to Reply #20
47. there could be crack in Iraq...
after all, it is the CIA that controls the import of crack into this country.
Printer Friendly | Permalink |  | Top
 
SweetLeftFoot Donating Member (905 posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Fri Jan-14-05 06:01 AM
Response to Reply #47
56. I doubt it
Highly
Printer Friendly | Permalink |  | Top
 
jukes Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Thu Jan-13-05 01:30 PM
Response to Reply #3
30. this same b/s propaganda line
was used about the moros in the phillipines, and many other groups by others @ other Xs. this has been mistakenly used to explain the US army adopting the .45 automatic as it's service sidearm.

this time it's being used to explain away the enemy's conviction and tenacity; it's because they're stoners, not cause they're RIGHT!

we've had the "baby-head bashing" story, and the "drug-crazed infidel" story; what's next for psyops, the "raped-nun" story or the "machinegunners chained to their weapons" story?
Printer Friendly | Permalink |  | Top
 
TryingToWarnYou Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Thu Jan-13-05 01:43 PM
Response to Reply #3
34. Couple of things to consider and remember...
One, you can shoot someone a bunch of times...if you dont hit a vital organ or cause rapid, catastrophic blood loss, they are going to keep on going until pain wears them down or they go in shock.

Two, while most of us agree that this is a bad situation over there, it is still a war. If you are being fired upon, you fire back and you are trained to kill that other person, not wound them. Wounded people can kill you.
Printer Friendly | Permalink |  | Top
 
Commie Pinko Dirtbag Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Thu Jan-13-05 03:00 PM
Response to Reply #3
36. Wow! Superman is on the insurgents' side!
Not surprising really, since he's an ethical kind of guy.

Printer Friendly | Permalink |  | Top
 
NCN007 Donating Member (143 posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Thu Jan-13-05 08:18 PM
Response to Reply #3
52. Shooting to kill an armed combatant is not a war crime n/t
Printer Friendly | Permalink |  | Top
 
atreides1 Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Thu Jan-13-05 11:41 AM
Response to Original message
4. So, USAF Pilots use speed too
So the insurgents were using speed, just like USAF pilots do.
This gave them the ability to keep on fighting without rest, and when you use speed and combine it with religious fervor and patriotism, you get an enemy that will not surrender.

An enemy that will die for their beliefs, and in the process take as many US troops with them.
Printer Friendly | Permalink |  | Top
 
clem_c_rock Donating Member (989 posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Thu Jan-13-05 11:48 AM
Response to Reply #4
9. Very true - one point though
99% of these people are not fueled by religious ferver and patriotism. Our propaganda machine wants us to believe that all people fighting back are extremist.

Guess what, the bottom line that they don't want us to realize is these are poeple fighting to protect their homes against an invading force.

Period.
Printer Friendly | Permalink |  | Top
 
atreides1 Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Thu Jan-13-05 12:19 PM
Response to Reply #9
19. Point Taken
But isn't part of being a patriot also fighting to protect your home and your family against an invader.

The insurgents have many reasons as to why they fight, some fight for religious reasons, some fight for love of country, some fight to bring back the "good old days". So while I disagree with your 99%, I understand what your trying to say.
Printer Friendly | Permalink |  | Top
 
clem_c_rock Donating Member (989 posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Thu Jan-13-05 12:28 PM
Response to Reply #19
24. So when arabs fight an occupation hit has to be linked to fanaticism?
Why do we have to keep linking fighting an invading country w/ religion?

A simple law that is as unarguable as the law of gravity:

You invade a country = people will fight back.

It will be so until the end of time.
Printer Friendly | Permalink |  | Top
 
atreides1 Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Thu Jan-13-05 03:08 PM
Response to Reply #24
37. Not Just Arabs, Read Some History and Learn
But the reasons that people fight back are as diverse as the people fighting, why did the Zealots fight the Romans, one reason was because of religious beliefs, why did the French have so many diverse political groups resisting the Germans, love of country.

So you see, religion, patriotism, protecting your home and family, all of these are reasons why people fight back when they are invaded.
Printer Friendly | Permalink |  | Top
 
clem_c_rock Donating Member (989 posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Thu Jan-13-05 06:44 PM
Response to Reply #37
46. It just seems you're buying into this idea that arab=extremist

I don't buy this sh** at all. It's as stupid as saying American=Ku Klux Klan member.

In other words, the % of arabs extremist, if there were to be an accurate assessment, would be such a tiny percentage it would blow people's minds.

Now speaking of history let's look at Iraq:

1920 - British ivade Iraq w/ over 600,000 troops in the name
of oil. Puppet regime headed by King Fassel and son are propped
up and rule Iraq for the next 30+ years. King Fassel is paid up
to $800,000 a month to protect British oil rights.

1963 - Popular leader, Abel Kassem is assasinated in a bloody CIA backed
coup.

1968 - Our favorite psychopath, Saddam Hussein is fully installed w/ the
help of the CIA. The US fully supports Saddam for the next 30+
years, including the years where he gassed the Kurds.

-Then we have the Sanctions that were rabidly enforced by the US and British.

Then we have this current mess.

Now, my guess is that, a good deal of Iraqi's know their history and the Western involvement. A good deal of Iraqi's also know about Western involvement in Muslim countries.

With all this taken into account, I will still back up my original assertion 99% of the resistance is trying to protect their homeland and to get Western powers out of their lives - For Once!

Can you F***ing blame them!?
Printer Friendly | Permalink |  | Top
 
NYC Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Thu Jan-13-05 01:32 PM
Response to Reply #4
31. Surrender? Why would anyone surrender?
He could wind up in Abu Ghraib.
Printer Friendly | Permalink |  | Top
 
Ganja Ninja Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Thu Jan-13-05 11:41 AM
Response to Original message
5. They've tried to peddle this lie before.
It's just bullshit and why the hell is the LA Times aiding and abetting this lying white house by reprinting this crap. It belongs in the circular file in the corner.
Printer Friendly | Permalink |  | Top
 
underpants Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Thu Jan-13-05 11:44 AM
Response to Reply #5
6. Yes they have- they are trying to create NEW 10 foot monster soldiers
just like back in the cold war. Gee oh yeah that's right they still are fighting the cold war (per O'Niell's book) and the have an expert on board too

Printer Friendly | Permalink |  | Top
 
Massachusetts Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Thu Jan-13-05 11:49 AM
Response to Reply #6
10. Whoa, thats one scary picture!
Printer Friendly | Permalink |  | Top
 
Ganja Ninja Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Thu Jan-13-05 12:45 PM
Response to Reply #6
28. Condi needs a laxative. n/t
Printer Friendly | Permalink |  | Top
 
MADem Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Thu Jan-13-05 04:15 PM
Response to Reply #28
40. Aisle FIVE!!!! n/t
Printer Friendly | Permalink |  | Top
 
montana_hazeleyes Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Thu Jan-13-05 06:47 PM
Response to Reply #6
48. Almost every photo I've seen
of Condi she looks so disgruntled and mad. I wonder if she ever lightens up. Just an observance.
Printer Friendly | Permalink |  | Top
 
NCN007 Donating Member (143 posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Thu Jan-13-05 08:23 PM
Response to Reply #48
53. I think she needs to get some
Printer Friendly | Permalink |  | Top
 
Dr Fate Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Thu Jan-13-05 11:46 AM
Response to Original message
7. Far out man- were they playing their "Jerry" bootlegs too?
I...see...colors...maaaaan...
Printer Friendly | Permalink |  | Top
 
underpants Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Thu Jan-13-05 11:47 AM
Response to Reply #7
8. LOL
Jerry? as in Garcia? Isn't he that Cuban fella?
Printer Friendly | Permalink |  | Top
 
Dr.Phool Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Thu Jan-13-05 11:50 AM
Response to Original message
11. Same bullshit they said about the Vietnamese
A drug cache worth several thousand dollars? I used to keep more than that in my bedroom before I got busted 20 years ago.
Printer Friendly | Permalink |  | Top
 
Malikshah Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Thu Jan-13-05 11:55 AM
Response to Original message
12. OOOOhhhh they're Assassins...
from the word Hashish...

ooooohhhhh.....

christ in a bucket, this is pathetic.
Printer Friendly | Permalink |  | Top
 
LeftCoast Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Thu Jan-13-05 11:58 AM
Response to Original message
14. Reefer Madness meets Lawrence of Arabia
:eyes:
Printer Friendly | Permalink |  | Top
 
IA_Seth Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Thu Jan-13-05 01:37 PM
Response to Reply #14
32. Reefer Madness
I have that on DVD...sure puts the past into perspective when you watch it.

Funny stuff.
Printer Friendly | Permalink |  | Top
 
daleo Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Thu Jan-13-05 12:02 PM
Response to Original message
15. Two words - Go pills. n/t
Printer Friendly | Permalink |  | Top
 
Malva Zebrina Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Thu Jan-13-05 12:24 PM
Response to Original message
21. Same in Somalia
in Mark Bowdens book, Black Hawk Down, he mentions that a leaf called "kat was chewed by the Somalian fighters just before a confrontation.

http://www.somalilandtimes.net/2003/76/7609.shtml
Printer Friendly | Permalink |  | Top
 
SweetLeftFoot Donating Member (905 posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Thu Jan-13-05 12:27 PM
Response to Reply #21
22. Khat
Most male Somalians chew kaht all day.
Printer Friendly | Permalink |  | Top
 
leftchick Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Thu Jan-13-05 12:27 PM
Response to Original message
23. it is so transparent...
I almost posted this story ealier today but just couldn't.It is pure Military propaganda.
Printer Friendly | Permalink |  | Top
 
ckramer Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Thu Jan-13-05 12:29 PM
Response to Original message
25. Why shouldn't they try everything on earth before they go see Allah?
Drugs, whores, wines, cheese, porno movie, whatever
Printer Friendly | Permalink |  | Top
 
radric Donating Member (124 posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Thu Jan-13-05 12:36 PM
Response to Reply #25
26. Maybe those 72 virgins will show up too..
Printer Friendly | Permalink |  | Top
 
IA_Seth Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Thu Jan-13-05 01:38 PM
Response to Reply #26
33. I expect a "/sarcasm" here?!
Printer Friendly | Permalink |  | Top
 
bobbyboucher Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Thu Jan-13-05 08:35 PM
Response to Reply #33
55. Don't expect it.
He thinks he's sliding under the radar, but he's as obvious as daylight.
Printer Friendly | Permalink |  | Top
 
Seemann For Congress Donating Member (107 posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Thu Jan-13-05 12:44 PM
Response to Original message
27. Next week....
Next week's quote from the White House;

"We have located their dealer and have captured stockpiles of Uppers Of Mass Destruction."

The following week's quote from the White House, following reports that no UMDs were actually found;

"Based on intelligence we recieved elsewhere, we have concluded that they did have programs of Uppers of Mass Destruction. Furthermore, we believe that they were trying to obtain materials to build a meth lab."

The following week's quote from the White House, after it's been proven that no meth labs were being developed.

"The world is a safer place without Wavy Gravy in charge of Iraq."
Printer Friendly | Permalink |  | Top
 
shadowknows69 Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Thu Jan-13-05 01:14 PM
Response to Reply #27
29. well everyone knows crack is a black inner city problem
Edited on Thu Jan-13-05 01:14 PM by shadowknows69
so it must be those terrorist crack dealers supplying the insurgents with drugs. so from here on all drug offenders in the USA will be considered enemy combatants and sent to camp gitmo for a glorious life-long holiday. Simply staggering the tripe they'll attempt to feed us.
Printer Friendly | Permalink |  | Top
 
David__77 Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Thu Jan-13-05 02:06 PM
Response to Original message
35. Most armies do use drugs for combat purposes.
It can be very useful. How else is one to stay awake for three days?
Printer Friendly | Permalink |  | Top
 
Redstone Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Thu Jan-13-05 04:10 PM
Response to Original message
38. This is the lamest propaganda I've seen
Edited on Thu Jan-13-05 04:18 PM by Redstone
in a while. For Christ's sake, couldn't our propaganda machine come up with ANYTHING better than this?

And, of course, nobody in the ranks of our All-American, sanctified, well-scrubbed, bible-totin' baby-kissin' church-goin' old-lady-across-the-street-helpin' Boy Scouts of soldiers would ever in their lives even think about using none a them illegal drugs.

Gosh sakes, no sir, not our boys (and girls), gee whillikers!

Things were pretty hairy in Viet Nam, and we sure didn't do none a them drugs over there. Nope, didn't need 'em; me and the guys would just chat about how we were Defending Democracy and Preserving Freedom for a while, and we always felt better.

It's only them crazed Mooslem fanaticals what does that. What animals.

Redstone
Printer Friendly | Permalink |  | Top
 
Fovea Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Thu Jan-13-05 04:17 PM
Response to Original message
41. I strongly suspect the crack pipe story
That is American paraphenalia, for a drug that is not widely used elsewhere, last I heard.


Printer Friendly | Permalink |  | Top
 
hector459 Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Thu Jan-13-05 04:22 PM
Response to Reply #41
42. The native do not smoke crack in a pipe.
this story is suspect.
Printer Friendly | Permalink |  | Top
 
Eloriel Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Thu Jan-13-05 06:29 PM
Response to Reply #42
45. The folks who have the coke connnections are CIA, remember?
Edited on Thu Jan-13-05 06:30 PM by Eloriel
Plus why would they use crack here, with the world's biggest (and probably finest) heroin fields just right next door.
Printer Friendly | Permalink |  | Top
 
NIGHT TRIPPER Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Thu Jan-13-05 07:35 PM
Response to Reply #42
49. Crack ="American" thing--also Americans are given speed for combat
it's a Fact that they gave out "energy pills" to the soldiers during the initial invasion--
Printer Friendly | Permalink |  | Top
 
punpirate Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Thu Jan-13-05 05:19 PM
Response to Original message
43. Asked a friend in nursing...
... about the adrenaline bit. Concurs that there's a good possibility with self-administration of adrenaline of going into serious tachycardia. Also said additional adrenaline would cause one to bleed more quickly, hastening death if wounded.

That said, I'd believe the use of speed. As others have mentioned, our own pilots self-medicate both uppers and downers. And, lots of people had wondered how German tanks could have travelled 2-1/2 days without rest breaks in the Blitzkrieg of Poland... the supposition was that the personnel were wired on that new German wunderdrug--amphetamines.

Printer Friendly | Permalink |  | Top
 
purduejake Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Thu Jan-13-05 05:26 PM
Response to Original message
44. I'd probably use drugs in their situation as well...
And I'm not a bad person.
Printer Friendly | Permalink |  | Top
 
shadowknows69 Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Thu Jan-13-05 07:37 PM
Response to Reply #44
50. hell yeah
anything I could get my hands on
Printer Friendly | Permalink |  | Top
 
gardenista Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Thu Jan-13-05 07:47 PM
Response to Original message
51. Hmmm... must mean new, viable allegations of US troop drug use
will be coming out soon.
Printer Friendly | Permalink |  | Top
 
riverwalker Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Thu Jan-13-05 08:29 PM
Response to Original message
54. "the ferocity of insurgents"
Edited on Thu Jan-13-05 08:32 PM by riverwalker
is how people fight when their entire families have been slaughtered in front of their eyes. Crack pipes my arse. Besides, wasn't Fallujah a city under seige? Even food and medicine was not getting into the city for weeks before the offensive. Yet they had "crack pipes"? C'mon.
Printer Friendly | Permalink |  | Top
 
DU AdBot (1000+ posts) Click to send private message to this author Click to view 
this author's profile Click to add 
this author to your buddy list Click to add 
this author to your Ignore list Thu May 09th 2024, 07:52 PM
Response to Original message
Advertisements [?]
 Top

Home » Discuss » Latest Breaking News Donate to DU

Powered by DCForum+ Version 1.1 Copyright 1997-2002 DCScripts.com
Software has been extensively modified by the DU administrators


Important Notices: By participating on this discussion board, visitors agree to abide by the rules outlined on our Rules page. Messages posted on the Democratic Underground Discussion Forums are the opinions of the individuals who post them, and do not necessarily represent the opinions of Democratic Underground, LLC.

Home  |  Discussion Forums  |  Journals |  Store  |  Donate

About DU  |  Contact Us  |  Privacy Policy

Got a message for Democratic Underground? Click here to send us a message.

© 2001 - 2011 Democratic Underground, LLC