Platoon defies orders in Iraq ...

A 17-member Army Reserve platoon with troops from Jackson and around the Southeast deployed to Iraq is under arrest for refusing a "suicide mission" to deliver fuel, the troops' relatives said Thursday.
The soldiers refused an order on Wednesday to go to Taji, Iraq � north of Baghdad � because their vehicles were considered "deadlined" or extremely unsafe, said Patricia McCook of Jackson, wife of Sgt. Larry O. McCook.

Sgt. McCook, a deputy at the Hinds County Detention Center, and the 16 other members of the 343rd Quartermaster Company from Rock Hill, S.C., were read their rights and moved from the military barracks into tents, Patricia McCook said her husband told her during a panicked phone call about 5 a.m. Thursday.

The platoon could be charged with the willful disobeying of orders, punishable by dishonorable discharge, forfeiture of pay and up to five years confinement, said military law expert Mark Stevens, an associate professor of justice studies at Wesleyan College in Rocky Mount, N.C.

No military officials were able to confirm or deny the detainment of the platoon Thursday.

www.clarionledger.com.../20 041015/NEWS01/410150366/1002

The situation mirrors other tales of troops being sent on missions without proper equipment.

But Nadine Stratford of Rock Hill, S.C., said her godson Colin Durham, 20, has been happy with his time in Iraq. She has not heard from him since the platoon was detained.

"When I talked to him about a month ago, he was fine," Stratford said. "He said it was like being at home."

...

That is only about three squads, not even a full platoon. If they are a transport unit, they are under manned. They require an over-watch detachment, of at least two more squads. That would add some minimum security and add perhaps enough time to react to attack or detour.

Of course none of us on these here comp uters know what is going on over there. For all we know those reservists are in a "secure" area and require no over-watch at all, however that is bad planning and under estimating the opponent.

It only takes one time for the terrorists to be right, our soldiers have to be right all the time.