[CampX]

Why does the media, and I presume the military also, attach labels such as 'irregulars' and 'terrorists' to participants of a full-scale war? I don't want to argue semantics here, but I want a more concise meaning to these labels. In my feelings, any enemy combatant with an AK47 or RPG is just that, an enemy. I don't care if he's wearing civilian clothes, or black pajamas; if he's armed and in the warzone, and he ain't one of my fellow troops, then he's the enemy.
'Irregular' troops in this war would seem to me as almost a militia, an armed and not-so-well trained group that may have been civilians not too long ago. I assume that they aren't Saddam's loyal troops, but so far they are doing a good job of harassing the Coalition forces. Which leads me to another question; why, if intelligence reports of Iraq stated that the regime would crumble easily if given a good shove, are a majority of Iraq soldiers fighting as hard as they are? I don't buy into the reports of them being forced at gunpoint to fight the war, I honestly feel they are fighting for the sovereinty of their country. A lot of them hate Saddam, but distrust and fear Americans more.
Do these labels serve a purpose, or are they just a form of propaganda or media-hype?

[jmbg29]

This thread: http://www.thehighroad.org/showthread.php?s=&threadid=12477&perpage=25&highlight=unlawful%20combatants&pagenumber=3 covered some of it. Page 4 or 5 has a link to TFL where it was argued to death as well.

Both degenerated into written laws and treaties vs. personal opinion.
:rolleyes:

Which leads me to another question; why, if intelligence reports of Iraq stated that the regime would crumble easily if given a good shove, are a majority of Iraq soldiers fighting as hard as they are?Since you admit that you can't figure out why the henchmen of a mass-murdering thug would fight when trapped between a rock and a hard place, I can pretty much guess which side you will come down on. :rolleyes: :barf:

[hondo68]

Didn't an enemy without military insignia used to be a SPY = fire at will?

[fallingblock]

Saddam is using his secret police and elite special troops to 'motivate' the regular Iraqi army. They are being faced with some pretty awful choices. Go out and suicide against the enemy, or die here/ see your children die.

If you do not 'buy' the concept, despite the accounts of Iraqi soldier and civilian witnesses, then the problem would seem to lie with your desire to deny that these things are happening. If that is the case, what evidence do you have, from any source, that Hussein has not resorted to these sort of tactics and worse, to gain and maintain control in the past?

I pity the poor conscript and his family. Time for Saddam to make a permanent exit:mad:

[Jim March]

Unfortunately, I myself am an "irregular".

Anybody seen my Ex-Lax?

:uhoh:

[Destructo6]

Equating "militia" with "irregular" doesn't really present any problems. It would probably be more accurate to describe militia as being part of a wider range of irregular combatants. Other irregulars are spies and saboteurs.

There's little doubt that Iraqis are being pressed into service through coercion and misinformations (the Americans have come here to kill the women and rape the men).