Iraq through the eyes of a Danish grunt..

[WT Smiths]

Outstanding photo tour..thanks Freki!

[FREKI]

Thanks all!

Originally Posted by LSyd

helmet.

Ohhh

Well as I mentioned ealier the Danish approach is to be as calm and friendly as posible, so instead of APC's we'd use 4x4's and stuff like west and helmet would usually be left on the car as long as the situation was calm..

And we would of course always smile and wave and all that to give the people the best posible impression of us


We also usually had extra water, some wind up radios or such with us to give to those we came in contact with ( we even used to bring porn to the new Iraqi army recruits we helped train ) and while I've never smoked myself I used to hand out Danish smokes to the people we car-searched, it would really improve the mood and apperently Danish branded smokes ain't that bad, or so I've been told


Of course we did need to show some force from time to time, but we could usually limit that to the tribe or group out of order, making the impact as small as posible for the normal law abiding Iraqis

Originally Posted by wisla_krakow

take no offense, but i definitely did not expect you to look like that or be a soldier.

None taken

I would btw be very curious to hear what you did expect?

( grumpy old man, tween nerd, potsmoking hippie???? )

[wisla_krakow]

Originally Posted by FREKI

I would btw be very curious to hear what you did expect?

( grumpy old man, tween nerd, potsmoking hippie???? )

nah, a thin, mid-20's, blonde-haired dane, haha. i just meant that you're really built.

[Swede]

Great photos, FREKI! Nice to see a different perspective than the media shows. I like the Danish approach, the way you tell it.

Originally Posted by Nightsky

Great and fascinating, a totally different perspective when we see in media. I just saw the documentary "Heavy Metal in Baghdad" about the only metal band in Iraq that was very interesting and showed how dangerous it actually is in Iraq and that everyone is a target.
Did you have the feeling that you couldn't trust anyone (except for your danish mates of course)?

I saw that yesterday (third time I've seen it, it keeps getting added to with new parts). Awesome film. Here's a link: http://www.aftonbladet.se/nyheter/vb...icle6168181.ab should be good for a few days at least.

[FREKI]

^very interesting movie!

[Trantor]

a very sad thread. I dont see what people find so amazing in this thread, concerning photos of the invasion of a country, not approved by the UN, and obviously, an invasion that went terribly wrong.

to me, its just impossible to appreciate a photo thread taken during military action, focusing on the military.

[CapitalCity]

Such powerful photos. thanks for sharing!

[FREKI]

Originally Posted by Trantor

a very sad thread. I dont see what people find so amazing in this thread, concerning photos of the invasion of a country, not approved by the UN, and obviously, an invasion that went terribly wrong.

Maybe if you read up on the actual facts you'd feel differently..

First of all, none of these pics are from the invasion, I didn't get to the country before early fall 03 making the begining of the pics from the occupation and the rest from when the Iraqi government had asked us to stay and assist

Second the "war/liberation/invasion" call it whatever you want was done with several UN resolutions backing it and as all following trials have shown was perfectly legit..

And finally about that "went terrible wrong" part - southern Iraq is coalition troop free, it's now a democracy with safer streets than you'll find in most of the US - and the shiites aren't killed or oppressed by the Baath party or Saddam anymore, just as larger tribes such as the Bani Maliks or militias such as the Mehdi aren't allowed to run free or bully others anymore..


So while I certainly won't try to justify the way the military action was sold to the US or some other places, I will ask you to look at the facts for the area these pictures are covering

We were there to help the people, we assisted the police, we assisted the government, we funded infrastructure and we secured cooking gas and drinking water to an area of and with nearly the same population/size of Denmark and we trained new soldiers and police who are now themself under their new elected democratic government running the place pretty succesfully...

Originally Posted by Trantor

to me, its just impossible to appreciate a photo thread taken during military action, focusing on the military.

I wouldn't ask you to, but I would ask you to look up the facts before speaking out falsely like that..

It's not without reason the UN desperatly tried to help the Shiites for 10+years before what should have been done in '91 was finally done..

Saddam put these people on the frontline of 30 years of war - he starved them, he killed them, he drained their marshes, he stopped their water supply, he mined their fishing zone and fields and he tortured, he conscripted them to fight attack Iran, to attack Kuwait and later to defend against the most powerful military force ever assembled doing Desert Storm and under OIF and executed people by the 10.000's and send even more in jail without reason leaving their families to starve without a provider..


If there is anybody on this planet I sympathizers with it's the southern Iraqis and I am happy I got a chance to do something with my life that ment a lot to a lot of people and hopefully will mean even more to the many generations to come who will grow up in a free, secure and hopefully rich nation after all that suffering and pain

[SHiRO]

Originally Posted by Trantor

a very sad thread. I dont see what people find so amazing in this thread, concerning photos of the invasion of a country, not approved by the UN, and obviously, an invasion that went terribly wrong.

to me, its just impossible to appreciate a photo thread taken during military action, focusing on the military.

Wow, how uninformed...

The Danes were not part of the invasion of Iraq. They were there on the request of the UN to help rebuild.

[Trantor]

doesnt matter, they were armed to the teeth. I know I wouldnt like any foreign army in my country, all armed.

It's not without reason the UN desperatly tried to help the Shiites for 10+years before what should have been done in '91 was finally done..

Saddam put these people on the frontline of 30 years of war - he starved them, he killed them, he drained their marshes, he stopped their water supply, he mined their fishing zone and fields and he tortured, he conscripted them to fight attack Iran, to attack Kuwait and later to defend against the most powerful military force ever assembled doing Desert Storm and under OIF and executed people by the 10.000's and send even more in jail without reason leaving their families to starve without a provider..

and maybe soon the western world will do basically the same thing against Iran because the same shiites want nuclear powerplants in Iran...


Freki, already posted this thread at SSC?

[1ajs]

Originally Posted by Trantor

doesnt matter, they were armed to the teeth. I know I wouldnt like any foreign army in my country, all armed.



and maybe soon the western world will do basically the same thing against Iran because the same shiites want nuclear powerplants in Iran...


Freki, already posted this thread at SSC?

blah ur miss informed about iran its not the people that are the problem its the government

[LSyd]

Originally Posted by FREKI

Maybe if you read up on the actual facts you'd feel differently..

First of all, none of these pics are from the invasion, I didn't get to the country before early fall 03 making the begining of the pics from the occupation and the rest from when the Iraqi government had asked us to stay and assist

Second the "war/liberation/invasion" call it whatever you want was done with several UN resolutions backing it and as all following trials have shown was perfectly legit..

And finally about that "went terrible wrong" part - southern Iraq is coalition troop free, it's now a democracy with safer streets than you'll find in most of the US - and the shiites aren't killed or oppressed by the Baath party or Saddam anymore, just as larger tribes such as the Bani Maliks or militias such as the Mehdi aren't allowed to run free or bully others anymore..


So while I certainly won't try to justify the way the military action was sold to the US or some other places, I will ask you to look at the facts for the area these pictures are covering

We were there to help the people, we assisted the police, we assisted the government, we funded infrastructure and we secured cooking gas and drinking water to an area of and with nearly the same population/size of Denmark and we trained new soldiers and police who are now themself under their new elected democratic government running the place pretty succesfully...
I wouldn't ask you to, but I would ask you to look up the facts before speaking out falsely like that..

It's not without reason the UN desperatly tried to help the Shiites for 10+years before what should have been done in '91 was finally done..

Saddam put these people on the frontline of 30 years of war - he starved them, he killed them, he drained their marshes, he stopped their water supply, he mined their fishing zone and fields and he tortured, he conscripted them to fight attack Iran, to attack Kuwait and later to defend against the most powerful military force ever assembled doing Desert Storm and under OIF and executed people by the 10.000's and send even more in jail without reason leaving their families to starve without a provider..


If there is anybody on this planet I sympathizers with it's the southern Iraqis and I am happy I got a chance to do something with my life that ment a lot to a lot of people and hopefully will mean even more to the many generations to come who will grow up in a free, secure and hopefully rich nation after all that suffering and pain

very well said. sums up why i enjoyed working in southern Iraq.

-

[Trantor]

Originally Posted by 1ajs

blah ur miss informed about iran its not the people that are the problem its the government

a government not much different from countries which western governments do support. Like Saudi Arabia, for example.

[FREKI]

Originally Posted by Trantor

doesnt matter, they were armed to the teeth. I know I wouldnt like any foreign army in my country, all armed.

I certainly understand your point and normally I would also agree..

BUT as none of us have lived under the conditions and horrors that the people in the south did it is very hard to speak on their behalfs from half the planet away..


I know that the media in this day and age can sell a lot more adds when showing conflict and death rather than successes and improvements ( why 9/10 still think it's hell on earth to this day ) but reality on the ground is a great deal different from what you see on CNN at prime time and that was part of the reason why I posted these..

My recomendation was to look at the early footage doing the liberation where any footage was good footage for the news stations, there you get an idea of why it was done.

How many times in history have we seen citizens of a nation being invaded run out to their invaders cheering and celebrating and risking life and limbs to show their hatred for their government and Saddam and their appriciation for new hope..


As for the guns, they are part of the job, and if UN could have done the job unarmed from the beginning they wouldn't have been needed but after 10 years of missable falior from their side and millions of deaths something had to be done..

And in a gun saturated tribal soceity such as Iraq you won't get far with a water bottle and a blue hat.. just as I'm sure is the case in many parts of Brazil where living conditions and safety isn't exactly perfect either..

[Trantor]

ok Freki, you convinced me. I hope you were a nice boy with only the best intentions towards iraqis and Iraq.

just as I'm sure is the case in many parts of Brazil where living conditions and safety isn't exactly perfect either

true, but we wouldnt accept armed foreigns trying to fix it.

[toyota74]

I didnt know the danes were in Iraq in the first place.I can
see both sides to little discussion and we all know the reason
to invade was not to help the kurds but it was one of the outcomes
of the war.So whats done is done and Im sure Iraq will find peace
soon.Most countries in the world have been invaded at sometime
in thier history.Ireland has been invaded loads of times from
the normans to the vikings and the british.Ithink we are
moving to a peace time and have began to stop bashing
britian over the past .You could say forgiven but not forgotten.
The danes patroling the iraqi streets ,how bad rather the danes
than someone else.Europeans have come along way since their
colonial past ....Im glad in Ireland can keep our neutrailty and
only commit to peace keeping ...and im sure the danes are
commited to peacekeeping...

excuse the typing

[Trantor]

Originally Posted by toyota74

Ireland has been invaded loads of times from
the normans to the vikings and the british.I think we are
moving to a peace time and have began to stop bashing
britian over the past .

thats exactly what worries me when I see these armed danes. I can picture Freki with a camouflaged horned helmet


ps: I know the horned helmets werent really used by vikings...

[FREKI]

:lol:

The Norwegians we had serving under us back in 03 had actual viking helmets as their regiment mark on their shoulders

But horned helmets are usually only seen at football matches and as you point out were never used in real life, atleast not to the extend we are now credited to have done

Originally Posted by Trantor

true, but we wouldnt accept armed foreigns trying to fix it.

Of course not, but that is probable because Da Silva isn't sending his troops to kill and torture people or shutting of their water and food supplies or letting his secret police run wild and punish all with a enough guts to speak their mind about their situation or their leader or just look at them the wrong way.. or refuse to pay a bribe.. or being marsh Arab or just for fun...


It is certainly not without reason Iraq had no fly zones, embargos, soldiers on all sides, weapon inspectors etc etc etc.. Saddam was a devil to these people and those who survived his reign deserves the best.. especially after it could have all been fixed 18 years ago if the UN didn't once again f*ck things up!

[Trantor]

Originally Posted by FREKI

Of course not, but that is probable because Da Silva isn't sending his troops to kill and torture people or shutting of their water and food supplies or letting his secret police run wild and punish all with a enough guts to speak their mind about their situation or their leader or just look at them the wrong way.. or refuse to pay a bribe..

you seem to forget that Brazil was a dictatorship not long ago... in fact, in my first ten years of life, the country was still a dictatorship, if you consider the end of it with the first direct election of a president since the 60s...

not only we didnt need foreigners to free us (nor did any other S.American dictatorship) as in fact it was the US itself who quite supported and even trained these S.American dictatorships grunts and secret polices.

[whatsthepoint13]

Some of the most intreaguing pics I've ever seen on here. Thank you so much.
I find Iraq strangely beautiful.
It's great that so many Iraqis continue on with everyday life as their nation is in chaos.