What an Iraqi checkpoint is actually like

So especially after those Italians got blown away at a checkpoint, I've been researching a little bit what an actual checkpoint is like.

Great article, but disturbing, give it a read.



www.csmonitor.com...

Another problem is that the US troops tend to have two-stage checkpoints. First there's a knot of Iraqi security forces standing by a sign that says, in Arabic and English, "Stop or you will be shot." Most of the time, the Iraqis will casually wave you through.

Your driver, who slowed down for the checkpoint, will accelerate to resume his normal speed. What he doesn't realize is that there's another, American checkpoint several hundred yards past the Iraqi checkpoint, and he's speeding toward it. Sometimes, he may even think that being waved through the first checkpoint means he's exempt from the second one (especially if he's not familiar with American checkpoint routines).

I remember one terrifying day when my Iraqi driver did just that. We got to a checkpoint manned by Iraqi troops. Chatting and smoking, they waved us through without a glance.

Relieved, he stomped down on the gas pedal, and we zoomed up to about 50 miles per hour before I saw the second checkpoint up ahead. I screamed at him to stop, my translator screamed, and the American soldiers up ahead looked as if they were getting ready to start shooting.

After I got my driver to slow down and we cleared the second checkpoint, I made him stop the car. My voice shaking with fear, I explained to him that once he sees a checkpoint, whether it's behind him or ahead of him, he should drive as slowly as possible for at least five minutes.

He turned to me, his face twisted with the anguish of making me understand: "But Mrs. Annia," he said, "if you go slow, they notice you!"

Further evidence that there was and continues to be a terrible lack of planning by the higher-ups when it comes to Iraq.


jako

Lack of planning? Whats planning have to do with people understanding that they shouldnt speed into/away from checkpoints at 50mph?

I think a two stage checkpoint is intelligent on the Americans part. It give the Iraqi's a chance to police thier own people before any Americans get involved.

If I were a US soldier standing at a check point and saw a car speeding up after going through the pre check, id be nervous as heck. How do I know they arent in cahoots with the Iraqi soldiers? How do I know they didnt get checked thoroughly but still have a bomb?

My gun would be trained on each and every car with intensity.

Dont blame the US troops, blame the sorry SOB's who blow themselves up on the drop of a hat and use every sneaky tactic possible to do it. Truth is, there isnt one person reading these boards who wouldnt shoot a speeding car at a checkpoint after seeing countless buddies blown up and killed before the same way. Id be begging my commander to shoot and so would you.

I think we are all way to premature in our comments when it comes to stories like these. Walk a mile in thier shoes, you would understand...

Heed the warnings:
1) When coming to an American checkpoint, do not blow through it. Stop!
2) When coming to an American checkpoint, do not blow through it. Stop!
3) When coming to an American checkpoint, do not blow through it. Stop!

How many times has this happened?
How many times has it been reported on within ATS?
How many more times is the finger going to be pointed at the US?




seekerof

[edit on 7-3-2005 by Seekerof]

I've drove through checkpoints in Iraq, it's hard to tell what those guys want you to do, since everyone does it differently. You see a hand wave, but sometimes you can't tell if they mean stop, or go. Sometimes they want to check ID's, sometimes they just want to wave you through. And if they were firing? I'd assume that they weren't firing at me, but at some enemy I can't see, and I'd floor it to get out of the crossfire!

Sometimes you drive the wrong way down the road, because the checkpoints are so poorly marked. Then you get lost and try to find another coalition vehicle to ask for directions. If US soldiers have such a hard time, why should you expect it to be so easy for civilians? Of course, being in a HUMVEE, I had the luxury of not having to be so cautious when approaching trigger happy coalition troops.

Very interesting read the whole thing seems to be run like airport security. The main similarity that strikes me is the whole two layer checkpoint thing. First the locals (private security) check your ID then you walk up to the main checkpoint a few feet farther up where TSA does the same thing all over again. This leads to confusion when everone speaks the same language let alone when theres a language gap.

Despite what people are saying here there is a failure in the system somewhere. If there werent then innocent people wouldnt be getting shot for running checkpoints. Obviously there's some source of confusion and to say that its common sense to stop when shot at misses the issue mainly that people lack common sense. If they did then they wouldnt be confused by airport security either. The whole thing needs to be restructured some how because as usual management has dropped the ball on the issue. Its not the soldiers fault for carrying out stupid policy.

Yeah I'm not blaming the soldiers who man the checkpoints necessarily, I just think the whole idea could be cleaned up and clarified. That way they could do something about the level of nervousness on both sides.

It's the planners.

The warmongerers who did the planning and then send others to go do them and die if they're bad plans.