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Iraqis Drag Four Corpses Through Streets
AP ^ | March 31, 2004 | SAMEER N. YACOUB

Posted on 03/31/2004 7:04:44 AM PST by Charles Henrickson

FALLUJAH, Iraq - Jubilant residents dragged the charred corpses of four foreigners — one a woman, at least one an American — through the streets Wednesday and hanged them from the bridge spanning the Euphrates River. Five American soldiers died in a roadside bombing nearby.

The four foreigners were killed in a rebel ambush of their SUVs in Fallujah, a Sunni Triangle city about 35 miles west of Baghdad and scene of some of the worst violence on both sides of the conflict since the beginning of the American occupation a year ago.

It was reminiscent of the 1993 scene in Somalia, when a mob dragged the corpse of a U.S. soldier through the streets of Mogadishu, eventually leading to the American withdrawal from the African nation.

In one of the bloodiest days for the U.S. military this year, five 1st Infantry Division soldiers died when their military vehicle ran over a bomb in a separate incident 12 miles to the northwest, among the reed-lined roads running through some of Iraq's richest farmland.

Residents said the bomb attack occurred in Malahma, 12 miles northwest of Fallujah, where anti-U.S. insurgents are active. U.S. Marines operate in the area, but it was unclear whether the slain troops were Marines.

Chanting "Fallujah is the graveyard of Americans," residents cheered after the grisly assault on two four-wheel-drive civilian vehicles, which left both in flames. Others chanted, "We sacrifice our blood and souls for Islam."

Associated Press Television News pictures showed one man beating a charred corpse with a metal pole. Others tied a yellow rope to a body, hooked it to a car and dragged it down the main street of town. Two blackened and mangled corpses were hung from a green iron bridge across the Euphrates.

"The people of Fallujah hanged some of the bodies on the old bridge like slaughtered sheep," resident Abdul Aziz Mohammed said. Some of the corpses were dismembered, he said.

Beneath the bodies, a man held a printed sign with a skull and crossbones and the phrase "Fallujah is the cemetery for Americans."

APTN showed the charred remains of three slain men. Some were wearing flak jackets, said resident Safa Mohammedi.

One resident displayed what appeared to be dog tags taken from one body. Residents also said there were weapons in the targeted cars. APTN showed one American passport near a body and a U.S. Department of Defense identification card belonging to another man.

U.S. military officials in Washington said the situation was still confused but they did not think the victims were American soldiers and believed the SUVs were not American military vehicles.

Witnesses said the two vehicles were attacked with small arms fire and rocket propelled grenades.

Hours after the attack, the city was quiet. No U.S. troops or Iraqi police were seen in the area.

Fallujah is in the so-called Sunni Triangle, where support for Saddam Hussein was strong and rebels often carry out attacks against American forces.

In nearby Ramadi, insurgents threw a grenade at a government building and Iraqi security forces returned fire Wednesday, witnesses said. It was not clear if there were casualties.

Also in Ramadi, a roadside bomb exploded near a U.S. convoy, witnesses said. U.S. officials in Baghdad could not confirm the attack.

On Tuesday in Ramadi, one U.S. soldier was killed and another wounded in a roadside bombing, said Brig. Gen. Mark Kimmitt.

Northeast of Baghdad, in the city of Baqouba on Wednesday, a suicide bomber blew up explosives in his car when he was near a convoy of government vehicles, wounding 14 Iraqis and killing himself, officials said.

The attacked convoy is normally used to transport the Diala provincial governor, Abdullah al-Joubori, but he was elsewhere at the time, said police Col. Ali Hossein.

On Tuesday, a suicide bombing outside the house of a police chief in Hillah, about 60 miles south of Baghdad, killed the attacker and wounded seven others.

A bomb exploded late Tuesday in a movie theater that had closed for the night. Two bystanders were wounded by flying glass, said its owner, Ghani Mohammed.

The latest violence came two days after Carina Perelli, the head of a U.N. electoral team, said better security is vital if Iraq wants to hold elections by a Jan. 31 deadline. The polls are scheduled to follow a June 30 transfer of sovereignty to an Iraqi government.

Top U.S. administrator L. Paul Bremer said Tuesday he had appointed 21 anti-corruption inspectors general to government departments to try to prevent fraud. More will be named in coming days, he said.

The inspectors will work with two other newly formed, independent agencies. Together, they will "form an integrated approach intended to combat corruption at every level of government across the country," Bremer said.


TOPICS: Breaking News; Foreign Affairs; News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: atrocities; fallujah; iraq; islam; jihad; photoop; religionofpeace; religionofpieces; rentamobs; soroswagthedog; stagedprotest
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To: Eagle Eye
OK, you're there. Based on what you've seen, what do you think we should do to retaliate for this attack?
321 posted on 03/31/2004 11:11:56 AM PST by CatoRenasci (Ceterum Censeo [Gallia][Germania][Arabia] Esse Delendam --- Select One or More as needed)
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To: EternalHope
Since the U.S. is their strongest foe, they hate us the most. I do not see this changing in less than a generation, and perhaps it NEVER will.

Look what we did with Japan
322 posted on 03/31/2004 11:12:38 AM PST by Fred22
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To: Eagle Eye; LoudRepublicangirl
Prayers and thanks for offering to function as a FR foreign bureau! Thanks, man!
323 posted on 03/31/2004 11:16:38 AM PST by txhurl
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To: Charles Henrickson
I saw it and sent it out...bomb the place!
324 posted on 03/31/2004 11:17:40 AM PST by pitinkie
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To: Fred22
Look what we did with Japan.

We forced the Emperor to go on national radio and declare he was not God. Even that was not enough to completely destroy Emperor worship, but it came close.

So how are we going to do that with the Muslims?

(I know, I know... but there is no way we are going to nuke Mecca.)

325 posted on 03/31/2004 11:17:54 AM PST by EternalHope (Boycott everything French forever. Including their vassal nations.)
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To: Charles Henrickson
"Fallujah, Iraq...

You'll never find

a more wretched hive

of scum and villainy"
326 posted on 03/31/2004 11:28:43 AM PST by muleskinner
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To: Polybius
Here is how I would handled this Sunni Triangle snake pit: 1. Set up a cordon sanitaire around Fallujah. Nobody goes in. The residents only go out, once, through check points to be sorted into "totally harmeless" or "in need of imprisonment" 2. Wait as long as it takes to have nobody left in the city except the Bathist die-hards. 3. Wage mechanical urban warfare on the city and the holdouts with heavy emphasis on air power and artillery and practically no emphasis on infantry. 4. Sustain the attack until there is not a stray dog left alive to roam the streets.

Your strategy is perfect, it is EXACTLY what I have been saying for a long time. BUT first, we would have to get the press out of there, otherwise there would be whining about "human-rights" abuses.

327 posted on 03/31/2004 11:30:54 AM PST by ATCNavyRetiree
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To: thoughtomator
yup, time to start stringing them up, just as Custer did during the Civil War...Send a message. Keep it up, time for the MOAB.
328 posted on 03/31/2004 11:32:31 AM PST by Jon Alvarez
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To: Eagle Eye
I'll keep you in my prayers. Freepers got me though the last year with all their prayers when my son was over there, they are what got him home safe and in one piece and kept my sanity in check.
329 posted on 03/31/2004 11:36:00 AM PST by boxerblues (OKay blow the town of Falluja off the face of the earth)
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To: Charles Henrickson
Unfortunately most of the pictures posted here will disappear when the links expire. These links should last longer:

http://www.reuters.com/newsGalaxyPhotoPresentation.jhtml?type=topNews&storyID=4715444&index=0

http://www.smh.com.au/articles/2004/04/01/1080544573309.html

http://www.islam-online.net/English/News/2004-03/31/article02.shtml

330 posted on 03/31/2004 11:39:06 AM PST by Tailgunner Joe
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To: Charles Henrickson
That's O.K....you could never tell it was a human.

Besides, whoever that was, they are now in a better place.

God bless this person, whoever it was.

NOW, time to DO something in response to this atrocity...if not the strategy posted by Polybius, then commence psyops...put out the word, all coalition bullets have been impregnated with pig-fat. And start a major offensive on this hell-hole called the Sunni Triangle.

331 posted on 03/31/2004 11:40:05 AM PST by ATCNavyRetiree
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To: Eagle Eye
I went from Hillah, to Najaf, to Karbala and back to Hillah today and everything seemed o.k. It was neat traveling the pilgrimage route up to Karbala from Najaf.

My impression was most people were glad to see a US HumVee convoy, likely figuring we were there for protection of the pilgrims. I didn't know about the suicide bomb in Hillah but we went thru towards sunset and the people were sorta extra nice, so now it figures. My guess that was probably a Shiite on Sunni attack. I did notice the Iraqi police had abandoned most of their posts on the way back which kinda unnerved us. But all was well. I'm sure the SAWs helped out there though. Down here I'd guess 80% or so are glad we're here.

332 posted on 03/31/2004 11:42:45 AM PST by Justa (Politically Correct is morally wrong.)
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To: null and void
Fallujah Delenda Est
333 posted on 03/31/2004 11:42:53 AM PST by vanmorrison
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To: arbee4bush
Thanks, Ive never been accused of being calm or rational. lol

If so, I probably learned that here from many on this very thread.

See Diddly Squats post 294? I agree this is a minority and was probably a rent a mob and even foreigners.

After the Palestianins trick the media with these kinds of things, how do we even know whats real anymore at 1st glance?

The images and story certainly have great propaganda value for the enemy.

Real or not.

BTW, Im glad your son came home safe! :)

334 posted on 03/31/2004 11:49:19 AM PST by No Blue States
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To: No Blue States
"BTW, Im glad your son came home safe! :)"

Sorry, that was meant for you Blueboxers.

335 posted on 03/31/2004 11:51:07 AM PST by No Blue States
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To: txflake
"Oh, no. Indians mutilated each other long, long before the white man showed up."

Right, and stole each others land and assets for eons.

The misconception of an Indaintopia before the blue eyed devil set sail for the new world gets old.

336 posted on 03/31/2004 11:57:39 AM PST by No Blue States
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To: CatoRenasci
Bring back the 82nd. They'd be so pissed off that they'd find a way to deal with this stuff once and for all. Well, at least until the next generation of extremists and terrorists comes of age.

Actually, we had less of it with them here than with the current 'heros'.
337 posted on 03/31/2004 12:00:28 PM PST by Eagle Eye ( Saddam-Who's your Bagh-Daddy now?)
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To: boxerblues
I am so glad he came home safe. Sorry to get your nickname wrong above.

Thanks to your son for representing our Country and Freedom.

Lets hope we can restore order enough to hand over Iraq in June to their own goverment.

.

338 posted on 03/31/2004 12:02:05 PM PST by No Blue States
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To: boxerblues
Prayers are my meat and potatoes!

I welcome them.
339 posted on 03/31/2004 12:03:40 PM PST by Eagle Eye ( Saddam-Who's your Bagh-Daddy now?)
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To: Charles Henrickson
Sounds like time for a few well placed missles. "Opps! How did those go off?"
340 posted on 03/31/2004 12:06:00 PM PST by MEGoody (Kerry - isn't that a girl's name? (Conan O'Brian))
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