DID DOUGLAS FEITH COME UP WITH THIS?

You might recall that Tommy Franks is reported to have said that Douglas Feith, the head of the Pentagon's post-war operations in Iraq, was "the fucking stupidest guy on the face of the Earth."

Now we have a great example of mind-numbing stupidity, suitable for a Monty Python skit, not a tactic by an occupation army.

U.S. Aims To Lure Insurgents With 'Bait'
Snipers Describe Classified Program
By Josh White and Joshua Partlow
Washington Post Staff Writers
Monday, September 24, 2007; Page A01

A Pentagon group has encouraged some U.S. military snipers in Iraq to target suspected insurgents by scattering pieces of "bait," such as detonation cords, plastic explosives and ammunition, and then killing Iraqis who pick up the items, according to military court documents.

"Baiting is putting an object out there that we know they will use, with the intention of destroying the enemy," Capt. Matthew P. Didier, the leader of an elite sniper scout platoon attached to the 1st Battalion of the 501st Infantry Regiment, said in a sworn statement. "Basically, we would put an item out there and watch it. If someone found the item, picked it up and attempted to leave with the item, we would engage the individual as I saw this as a sign they would use the item against U.S. Forces."

Now I don't know that the Iraqis are into picking up litter but wouldn't this "plan" also target innocent people who just want to get dangerous or potentially dangerous items off the streets? AFP reports that an army official said

"This is not indiscriminate and there are rules of engagement," the official told AFP. "This is usually done in locations where people are looking to harm soldiers," he said.

Um, aren't those locations just about anywhere in Iraq? And what about those times when it isn't in such a location?


BarbinMD and OneCrankyDom have more.