I spotted this AP article this morning in our local paper, and found an online version at Yahoo News. It seems the first Iraqi soldier has just graduated from the US Army Ranger school at Fort Benning, GA after some two months of the famed grueling training.
Identified only as Capt. Arkan (his last name withheld to protect his family), he was a 25 year old lieutenant in Saddam's army at the start of the Iraq war in March, 2003, but feels no animosity towards the United States. He says of that time:
"It was a situation you expect from war," he said. "They were fighting Saddam Hussein, not the people. They came for the people. You have to take these matters professionally."The commander of the Ranger Training Brigade, Col. Clarence K.K. Chinn, said:
"Once an officer gets training in the United States, there's a loyalty toward this country."Well now, that's debatable. I seem to recall Iranian air force student pilots training at a base I was stationed at in Texas in 1978.
Nevertheless, it's good to see some positive Iraq news from AP.
No comments:
Post a Comment