MGoH:

"Soldiers in an occupying army are acting largely in a policing capacity. If they aren't trained to adjust so as to act appropriately their training is defective."

Not true, and if they find themselves having to act in that role, certain measures are put in place to assist them:

- Imposition of Martial Law;
- The setting up of a curfew system;
- Compulsory registration of civilian population.

The situation cannot be maintained for long and every effort possible must be put into creating some form of civil administration, complete with a police force. As far as I am aware, I don't think any of the above measures have been enacted in Iraq, although efforts, are, and have been made, to set up civil authorities and local policing.

UK Forces are specifically trained to act in the role of "Aid to the civil power". US Forces are expressly forbidden from doing this under US Law.

Unfortunately, only bad news gets reported, the number of incidents are few and highly localised when you consider the size of the country.

With regard to your "House Siege", Kevin - That was a situation that could have gone to hell in high gear very rapidly, had it not been handled the way it was. I believe there are a few who contribute, who fully appreciate that, and others, who have not got the foggiest notion.