American GIs charging "rent" from Iraqi businesses.

[Tierra_y_Libertad]

"California Army National Guard troops sought unauthorized, off-the-books "rent" from Iraqi-owned businesses inside Baghdad's Green Zone to raise money for a "soldiers fund," military officials and sources within the troops' battalion said Friday.

The money was used to create a "soldiers fund," said one member of the battalion, who spoke on condition of anonymity. Such funds are used by troops for a variety of purposes, such as receiving small loans to pay a bill back home or buying commemorative "challenge coins" — often specially minted to foster morale inside a unit.

Kent said the fund created from the rent money was also used to buy T-shirts, patches and a safe.

Several soldiers have called the rental arrangement "extortion," but Army officials insist that the word is not an accurate description of the relationship between the soldiers and the vendors."

http://news.yahoo.com/s/latimests/20050806/ts_latimes/guardsmentookrentfromiraqibusinesses

American entrepeneurship. AKA the protection racket.

[Eric J in MN]

1. Link?

nt

[evermind]

2. Here

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/c/a/2005/08/06/MNG85E45VJ1.DTL&type=printable

[Tierra_y_Libertad]

3. Sorry, an oversight. Fixed, added link. n/t

[jrthin]

4. Brings new meaning to

"we own them." :mad:

[wishlist]

5. It's getting harder to be proud and supportive of troops when this goes on

Apparently the extortion racket these soldiers were involved in was the least of this battalion's transgressions that included abuse of detainees.

"At least three companies in the battalion, which consists of about 680 soldiers, have been affected by the investigation into its conduct in Iraq.

The battalion's Alpha Company, a 130-soldier unit based in Fullerton, has been the subject of the most serious portion of the investigation: that soldiers allegedly mistreated or abused Iraqi detainees in March.

Military sources have said that at least some of the mistreatment involved a Taser stun gun and was captured on videotape. Eleven soldiers have been charged in connection with the alleged abuse; the Army's Criminal Investigation Division will determine whether the soldiers will face courts-martial."

[Spock_is_Skeptical]

6. yes that does sound like extortion to me...

pretty sickening.

[bullwinkle428]

7. Sounds like a euphemism for "protection money"...

n/t

[Mayberry Machiavelli]

8. Sgt. Fanucci and the 'Black Hand'

Just "wetting their beak".

[HysteryDiagnosis]

11. But hey.... didn't the Saudis pay "protection money" to Osama back

in the day??

[CityZen-X]

9. Military Mafia?

I guess it is to be expected. When you have an immoral pResident, his immoral government, there immoral press, with there immoral war, how can we expect any different from soldiers doing devils work?

[HamdenRice]

10. Corruption was rampant in Vietnam, Korea and even the big one

It's pathetic, but this is what happens in long term wars. Almost every memoir about these wars and movie has included a love/hate portrait of the "supply officer" who is dealing on the black market.

Just another indication that this thing is becoming long term.