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Troop morale in Iraq hits ‘rock bottom’
“US troops facing extended deployments amid the danger, heat, and uncertainty of an Iraq occupation are suffering from low morale that has in some cases hit “rock bottom.”
The open-ended deployments in Iraq are lowering morale among some ground troops, who say constantly shifting time tables are reducing confidence in their leadership. “The way we have been treated and the continuous lies told to our families back home has devastated us all,” a soldier in Iraq wrote in a letter to Congress.
Security threats, heat, harsh living conditions, and, for some soldiers, waiting and boredom have gradually eroded spirits. An estimated 9,000 troops from the 3rd Infantry Division – most deployed for at least six months and some for more than a year – have been waiting for several weeks, without a mission, to return to the United States, officers say.”
Shooting of US soldier marks escalation of resistance
“An American solider was shot in the neck and killed yesterday as he queued to buy a soft drink at Baghdad University. An Iraqi man came up to him and said “Hello mister”, drew a pistol from his pocket and fired.
Attacks on US soldiers are escalating in number and are now taking place in Baghdad and other cities where previously there has been little resistance to the occupation. There are also signs that many Iraqis approve of the killing of US soldiers.”