Iraqis raped Lynch during her captivity, book reveals

NY Daily News ^

[saquin]

BY PAUL D. COLFORD AND CORKY SIEMASZKO New York Daily News

NEW YORK - (KRT) - Jessica Lynch was brutally raped by her Iraqi captors.

That is the shocking revelation in "I Am a Soldier, Too," the much-anticipated authorized biography of the former POW. A copy of the book was obtained by The New York Daily News on Wednesday.

Best selling author Rick Bragg tells Lynch's story for her, often using her own words. Thankfully, she has no memory of the rape.

"Jessi lost three hours," Bragg wrote. "She lost them in the snapping bones, in the crash of the Humvee, in the torment her enemies inflicted on her after she was pulled from it."

The scars on Lynch's battered body and the medical records indicate she was anally raped, and "fill in the blanks of what Jessi lived through on the morning of March 23, 2003," Bragg wrote.

"The records do not tell whether her captors assaulted her almost lifeless, broken body after she was lifted from the wreckage, or if they assaulted her and then broke her bones into splinters until she was almost dead."

The 207-page saga published by Knopf hits bookstores Tuesday, which is Veterans Day.

In it, America's most famous G.I. - for the first time since her dramatic rescue on April 1 - dispels some of the mystery surrounding the blistering battle that resulted in her capture, her treatment by the Iraqis in a hellish hospital, and the searing pain that is her constant companion.

A 20-year-old from the hollers of West Virginia, Lynch knew what could happen to her if she fell into Iraqi hands. A female pilot captured in the Persian Gulf War had been raped.

"Everyone knew what Saddam's soldiers did to women captives," Bragg wrote. "In (Lynch's) worst nightmares, she stood alone in that desert as the trucks of her own army pulled away."

The nightmare became real in the dusty and dangerous city of Nassiriyah, when Lynch's unit got separated from its convoy and was ambushed by Iraqi fighters.

Bragg, a former New York Times reporter who quit after admitting he had a legman do some of his reporting, gives a cinematic account of the desperate firefight that mortally wounded Lynch's Army buddy, Lori Piestewa, and 10 others in the convoy.

But while early Pentagon reports suggested the young Army private heroically resisted capture, Lynch told Bragg she never fired a shot, because her M-16 jammed. "I didn't kill nobody," she said.

Lynch also denied in the book claims by Iraqi lawyer Mohammed Odeh Al-Rehaief, who said he saw one of former Iraqi strongman Saddam Hussein's black-clad Fedayeen slap her as she lay in her hospital bed.

"Unless they hit me while I was asleep - and why do that?" she said.

Lynch described to Bragg how Iraqi doctors were branded "traitors" by Saddam's henchmen for helping her and how they tried to treat her wounds in a shattered hospital where painkillers were scarce. She said one nurse tried to ease her agony by singing to her.

"It was a pretty song," she said. "And I would sleep."

Lynch also confirmed reports in the book that Iraqi doctors tried to sneak her to safety in an ambulance but turned back when wary U.S. soldiers opened fire on them.

But eight days after she was captured, Lynch found herself face to face with a savior.

"Jessica Lynch," he said, "we're United States soldiers and we're here to protect you and take you home."

"I'm an American soldier, too," Lynch replied.

Lynch's painful recovery from an ordeal that left her barely able to walk, unable to use her right hand or control her bowels is vividly described. So, too, is Lynch's discomfort with the spotlight - and with being called a hero.

"I'm just a survivor," she said in the book. "When I think about it, it keeps me awake at night."

---

© 2003, New York Daily News.

[#3Fan]

Jessie failed to take care of her vehicle during this mission.

Failed to take care of her vehicle? Is this another thing you guys made up out of thin air?

[#3Fan]

I feel for Jessie for what she suffered after she was captured, but this does not mean I'm going to give her a pass based on her performance on the battlefield. I'm concerned about doing what's right to put the best unit on the field to accomplish the mission, not feeding the adventurous fantasies of women. I don't blame Jessie for being put in the situation, but we need to take note of what happened here and make the necessary changes henceforth.

She did no worse than the men in that Humvee, they were all incapacitated. It's legitimate to look at a battle in which female soldiers were involved to see what the natural instincts were, but looking at Jessica's situation proves nothing since she and her fellow soldiers in the Humvee were knocked out or dead. Look at Shoshana, she's the only one that would be significant, since she was the only one able to fight.

[jaykay]

It's on GMA right now.

[Siamese Princess]

Consider that the people we are fighting believe that it is alright to capture infidels and keep them as slaves (sex slaves and labor slaves).

The Muslim religion sanctions the rape of female captives taken in war. Mohammed was a rapist (among other things). I also recall reading somewhere that Lawrence of Arabia was raped while being held captive by the Turks.

[jaykay]

On GMA: Lynch treated brutally during captivity...

[jaykay]

The Religeon Of Peace, peacefully murdering, enslaving and raping everyone and everything in it's path.

[R. Scott]

Jessie failed to take care of her vehicle during this mission.

How so? Do you men that she failed to prevent it being harmed in an ambush?

[JesseHousman]

The scars on Lynch's battered body and the medical records indicate she was anally raped...

It's a good idea to always keep women out of combat zones, but especially when the enemy is islam!

These foul sickies are so used to sleeping with their camels (all the girls have been taken by sheiks) that they don't know how to act when they see one.

Any religion that promotes killing innocents and yourself at the same time in order to meet girls is satanically inspired.

[#3Fan]

I figured she was abused while captive but I didn't think it was this bad, if these stories hold up. I expected some of the other POWs got far worse.

[JesseHousman]

I'm just a survivor," she said in the book. "When I think about it, it keeps me awake at night."

Jessica can thank a government that would allow women to be placed in an infantryman's position on the battlefield for her insomnia.

"I'm an American soldier, too," Lynch replied.

I'll bet she said that. Any nation that puts women in combat roles isn't worth defending!

This is an insane policy that not only needs to be revisited, but abolished forever.

[JesseHousman]

You can't deal with reality, can you?

How's Ethel, Fred?

Still in Iraq?

[Destructor]

I've seen many rants here on Free Republic against Pvt. Lynch. I have one question for all of you arm chair warriors that don't think Jessica Lynch is a hero: What have YOU done for your country?

[JesseHousman]

Jessica Lynch is an American, a Soldier and a HERO!

She's an American who is an unfortunate victim of her government's PC policies.

No woman has any business on the front lines. Muslims are depraved, degenerate sickos!

[PhilipFreneau]

More females 'sailors' get discharged early because of pregnancies than you can shake a stick at.

LOL! I haven't heard that expression in a long time. Reminds me of a joke I heard many, many years ago.

Two fellows were quail hunting. One had brought along a hunting dog that the owner described as, "the best quail dog in the world". Not too long into the hunt the dog stopped and tapped his paw on the ground twice. "There's two quail in that bush", the owner explained. Soon two quail flew out of the bush and were shot. Later, the dog tapped his paw on the ground fives times. "There's five quail in that bush", the owner explained. Sure enough, five quail flew out of the bush, three of which were shot. Later, the dog stopped suddenly near a large bush, picked up a long piece of wood in his mouth, and frantically began to shake his head back and forth. Puzzled, the other hunter asked, "What's he saying now?" The owner replied, "He says there are more quail in that bush than you can shake a stick at".

[Pan_Yans Wife]

It is cases like Lynch's that make me vow never to allow my daughter to join the military. I know that seems sexist, but as her mother I believe that the military will not protect her... it is MY job to protect her from the nightmares that she in her innocence could never imagine. I will raise my daughter so that she knows I will NEVER agree to her serving in the military. End of discussion.

[Publius6961]

"Everyone knew what Saddam's soldiers did to women captives," Bragg wrote. "In (Lynch's) worst nightmares, she stood alone in that desert as the trucks of her own army pulled away."

I am compiling a collection of passionate statements of condemnation from the usual suspects we see in FR who mindlessly scream:

Geneva Conventions!
International Law!
Rules of war!

And other crap.
I have a blank piece of paper here.

Help me out. Wake up the sandmaggot lovers and apologists.

[Happy2BMe]

"Everyone knew what Saddam's soldiers did to women captives," Bragg wrote. "In (Lynch's) worst nightmares, she stood alone in that desert as the trucks of her own army pulled away."

Any female I know, love, and respect, I immediately instruct them of the dangers of going into the military (especially in front-line combat roles).

Let this be a sober reminder.

Women should not be considered for combat roles in our Armed Forces - PERIOD!

[Happy2BMe]

"Civilized societies protect their women."

Not when they are run by the likes of Bill Clinton (who demoralized and humiliated our military for eight long years).

[Ginger Grant]

I just don't understand why she wouldn't see (and thank) Al-Rehaief when he went to her town to see her recently.

Jessica Lynch served her country bravely, was captured, raped, beaten brutalized and will live a life a constant pain.

In your compassion you complain that she wouldn't see her rescuer, when he arrived unannounced on a publicity tour while Jessi was in physical therapy. The Iraqi has said many times in interviews that they will meet privately and he holds no ill will against Jessi being unable to meet him, yet freepers still bitch and moan about it.

Too bad so many here refuse to give a damn about what this poor girl is going through.

She barely able to walk, unable to use her right hand or control her bowels, but let's make sure we harp that she was not able to meet an unplanned visitor on a media tour to get a juicy photo-opt.

[William Terrell]

IF we had enough young men to fill the ranks then it would be one story...

As of 2000 there were 138,000,000 men. There were 107,000,000 both under 18 and 65 and over. We could say that half of that group are male leaving 53,000,000. Subtract 53,000,000 from 138,000,000, leaving 85,000,000.

Let's further reduce that by 1/3 to get an estimate of how many men are of age to join the armed forces. 85,000,000 - 28,000,000 = 57,000,000.

Now let'a say that half (ridiculous, but we'll be conservative) are otherwise unfit for service. That leaves 28,000,000 fully qualified men.

How many men are in the armed forces now?

(#3Fan, I pinged you because you based statements about women in the military on the same premise in another thread.)