Jittery U.S. Soldiers Kill 6 Iraqis

Yahoo ^ | Aug 10th 2003 | SCHEHEREZADE FARAMARZI

[Eagle Eye]

Didn't the Iraqi wildmen sabotage those themselves? (and probably continue to do so?)

So the rumors say, and I believe it.

It is really sad, too. In trying to make the US look impotent, they are really hurting the people. Hopefully there will be some local Iraqi leadership that can do something about it.

Just imagine the new business opportunities there...

[Terriergal]

In trying to make the US look impotent, they are really hurting the people.

Bingo. Because they only care about the former, not the latter. And when the people suffer, they pretend they care about the latter.

[Terriergal]

yep.

[Terriergal]

How do you collect on them?

[Terriergal]

But the winner has to be frostbit, who actually suggests that it was Iraqis who shot the civilians, Iraqis in US uniforms

Oh gosh that's just SOOOOO outlandish. Who ever heard of Iraqi soldiers murdering their own civvies?

/sarcasm

[Terriergal]

Terriergal suggests it was the civilians own fault for getting shot,

Did I say that? It is an unfortunate reality, and people have to be aware of that when they decide to rush a checkpoint. In that yes, it was foolish of them.

Go away.

[Terriergal]

You seem to be talking out of both sides of your mouth in this post. They are in impossible situations yet because they shot civilians that means they are undsiciplined. Have you seen the elephant?

[dwd1]

Perish the thought!!! I am shocked (and in awe) that you would even suggest such a thing...

It is a well known fact that Iraqi Soldiers only use lethal force as a last resort and prefer to employ "warm fuzzies" in confrontations with civilians and in more threatening circumstances, harsh language (darn, dang, hold your 'taters...That type of thing)... Lethal force would be used only as a last resort or if you refused to participate in the state sponsored line dance (the electric slide is mandatory for high school graduation)...

[Terriergal]

Sounds reasonable. I can see why if the people refused to line dance and used such horrid language, Allah forbid. (cough cough cough) Therefore it *must* have been our guys' fault!

[dwd1]

There was 1.7 billion in frozen assets but Bush had to make the decision to allocate that money only for reconstruction.... The only problem with trying to enforce judgements is the possibility that US companies run the risk of having their assets seized by the governments that are sued in retaliation... It may be that only a moral victory can be achieved. There are governments that have sponsored terrorism that appear ready to provide financial compensation to have economic sanctions lifted (Libya) but I am still taking a "Show me the money!!" attitude on that one.

Sovereign immunity is a two edged sword...

[Terriergal]

yep.

[dwd1]

I was stationed in Germany and Italy during my military service so I do not know if the following is true or not but it seems to be on point...

No disrespect to anyone from Greece intended...

There was a story that I heard about a GI getting into an accident near Hellinikon... Though he was not at fault because his driving was not the approximate cause of the accident...He was at fault however in the eyes of the other other party and several locals because he was there. In other words, if American servicemen were not in Greece, the accident would never have happened.

That attitude seems to be rampant in Iraq...If we were not there... I hear from old friends that say that they feel we took them out of the frying pan and tossed them into the fire.... There is also an attitude that they resent our servicemen's presence because as a very proud people (cradle of civilization and all....) they do not like being indebted... It would be like having to see the banker that helped approved the loan for your house... You feel indebted but after a while, you start to resent his presence because he serves as a reminder of what you could not do for yourself....

I guess it is an updated and more hostile version of that "Overpaid, oversexed, and over here!!!" thinking....

[Terriergal]

as a very proud people (cradle of civilization and all....) they do not like being indebted...

Get over it, I say. Too much pride can be detrimental.

They're so proud they don't like to be indebted, they'd rather be oppressed? In addition to being proud they sound a bit schizoid.

he serves as a reminder of what you could not do for yourself....

An inability to accept reality is a big sign of mental illness, isn't it?

[Terriergal]

Good tagline.

[dwd1]

I am sure that you are aware that men go through the "Nile" stages of life...

From Juvenile
to Denial
to Senile...

I am not sure where they stand over there but I think ICN pharmaceuticals in going to clean up on the Zoloft, Vicadin, and Prozac sales...

[clamboat]

You seem to be talking out of both sides of your mouth in this post. They are in impossible situations yet because they shot civilians that means they are undsiciplined. Have you seen the elephant?

I don't see my position as contradictory at all (big surprise, huh?).

The troops are in an impossible condition - precisely because they are undiciplined (in some cases) and jittery, yet they have been tasked with a role that they were not trained for. However, the fact that they have been put into a bad position does not excuse the poor judgement when it comes to taking other lives. I don't know what the answer is short of getting the hell out of Baghdad.

[Eva]

Most of the reports of low morale are bogus and even some of the reports of attacks on US soldiers have been bogus. The NYT had to print a retraction of the story that they printed and distributed for the Sunday edition because the whole story turned out to be a fabrication.

You Canadians really should be a little more discriminating about your news sources.

[RIGHT IN SEATTLE]

[homeschool mama]

Why post this picture with that particular tag line?