The “human shields” in Baghdad have apparently packed it in, after being told by Iraqi officials to actually act as human shields.

Abdul Hashimi, the head of the Friendship, Peace and Solidarity organization that is officially host to the protesters, told the shields to choose between nine so-called “strategic sites” by today or leave the country.

The Iraqi warning follows frustration among Saddam’s officials that about 65 of the volunteers had so far agreed to take up positions at the oil refineries, power plants and water-purification sites selected by their hosts.

It heightened fears among some peace activists that they could be stationed at non-civilian sites. Mr. Meynell and fellow protesters who moved into the power station in south Baghdad last weekend were dismayed to find that it stood next to an army base and the strategically crucial road south to Basra.

Many shields had earlier asked to be stationed at sites such as schools, hospitals or orphanages, but Iraqi officials said there was little point in guarding low-risk targets in any aerial assault.

These folks take the phrase “useful idiots” to a whole new, transcendant plateau.

[Update at 2:20 PM PST]

Everyone else has probably already linked to this, but Charlotte Edwards has the inside story.

And so ends the modern Childrens’ Crusade–not with a bang, but a whimper.