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7 Marines Killed in Western Iraq
Washington Post ^ | 8/2/05 | Ellen Knickmeyer and Fred Barbash

Posted on 08/02/2005 12:22:15 PM PDT by saquin

BAGHDAD, Aug. 2 -- The military announced Tuesday that six U.S. Marines were killed in action near the city of Haditha in western Iraq Monday.

A seventh died when a suicide car-bomb exploded during combat operations near Hit, south of Haditha, the military said.

The deaths brought to 17 the number of military personnel who have died in the past week, many of them in the same region.

About 60 have been killed during the past month, according to wire service counts.

The announcement Tuesday gave few details of the latest deaths. The military said in its statement that the Marines were killed by small arms fire. Five died in the initial attack, but one Marine was initially missing. His body was found later a few kilometers away, according to the official account.

(Excerpt) Read more at washingtonpost.com ...


TOPICS: News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: fallen; iraq; marines; oif; westernfront
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I don't like the sound of that. How did one Marine's body end up miles away?
1 posted on 08/02/2005 12:22:22 PM PDT by saquin
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To: saquin

I thought everything was getting better...


2 posted on 08/02/2005 12:24:26 PM PDT by stuartcr (Everything happens as God wants it to.....otherwise, things would be different.)
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To: saquin

Exactly. Who took him miles away? Sounds like either he was captured before or some scumbag found his body and carried it off for a bounty or such.


3 posted on 08/02/2005 12:28:28 PM PDT by mtbopfuyn (Legality does not dictate morality... Lavin)
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To: saquin

Use more air power as indicated at the end of the article. Is it worth using ground forces...?


4 posted on 08/02/2005 12:28:55 PM PDT by La Enchiladita (Remembering our Heroes today and every day:)
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To: saquin

I heard on the radio that the 6 were part of a sniper team and that their weapons were taken and bodies stripped of military gear. Obvious concern that these precision weapons will be used against our troops now.

mc


5 posted on 08/02/2005 12:30:46 PM PDT by mcshot (Boldly going nowhere with a smile and appreciation for life.)
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To: La Enchiladita

Drop MOABS wrapped in pig skin


6 posted on 08/02/2005 12:34:41 PM PDT by DogBarkTree
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To: mcshot

Knocking off a six man sniper team is not the sign of an insurgency in its "last throes," contrary to the optimistic statements of our VP. (This is in addition to the four man sniper team that was killed about a month ago.)


7 posted on 08/02/2005 12:36:03 PM PDT by arbusto99
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To: arbusto99
Knocking off a six man sniper team

I didn't see that in the story. Are 6 man teams of Marines generally sniper teams, or did you hear that somewhere else.

8 posted on 08/02/2005 12:46:07 PM PDT by Bahbah
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To: Bahbah

I was replying to post 5 above.


9 posted on 08/02/2005 12:50:05 PM PDT by arbusto99
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To: Bahbah
Our local CBS radio news report referred to it as a six man sniper which I figured was closed to 3 2 man teams. The radio report also expressed concern that our "precision rifles" would be used against us. The report said their position was compromised by locals.
mc
10 posted on 08/02/2005 1:02:54 PM PDT by mcshot (Boldly going nowhere with a smile and appreciation for life.)
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To: mcshot

6 Marines From Brook Park Reserve Unit Killed In Iraq 29 minutes ago



Six Marines from a northeast Ohio division were killed in Iraq Monday, NewsChannel5 reported.

The Marines were part of the Third Battalion 25th Marine Regiment. That is a reserve unit out of Brook Park. It is located on West 150th Street.

Lt. Col. Kevin Rush said that the Marines were part of a sniper unit who were killed in action near Haditha, 140 miles northwest of Baghdad.

According to the Public Affairs Office at Camp Fallujah, They were engaged by insurgents and killed by small-arms fire. Five Marines were killed in the initial attack; one was unaccounted for and his body later found and safely recovered a few kilometers away.

"It is a sad and somber day. We want to extend our sympathies and condolences to the families. Our thoughts and prayers are with them," Rush said.

Five of the victims are from northeast Ohio. One is from out of the area, Rush said.

Video: Marines From Northeast Ohio Killed

Names of the deceased are being withheld pending notification of next of kin.

Family members did say that Sgt. Nathaniel Rock, 26, of Toronto, Ohio, was one of the Marines killed.

Rock joined the Marine Corps after graduating from Toronto High School in 1997.

He was a part-time police officer in Martins Ferry and had been serving in Iraq since March.

Rush said the unit was part of an infantry battalion that conducts missions to disrupt insurgencies and take an offensive stand against terrorists.

There will be an investigation into how they were killed.

"Everybody is holding up strong," he said.

The unit also has companies in Columbus, Akron, Moundsville, W.Va. and Buffalo, N.Y.

A special team will be brought in from New Orleans to offer counseling for families of Marines who are still in Iraq.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/kitv/20050802/lo_wews/2858451&printer=1;_ylt=AuBQcSdKumV2kQN_8jtWlNdBxyYC;_ylu=X3oDMTA3MXN1bHE0BHNlYwN0bWE-


11 posted on 08/02/2005 1:05:16 PM PDT by boxerblues
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To: arbusto99

Got it. Thanks.


12 posted on 08/02/2005 1:26:21 PM PDT by Bahbah
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To: arbusto99
"Knocking off a six man sniper team is not the sign of an insurgency in its "last throes," contrary to the optimistic statements of our VP."

Unless you have additional details on this story, you may want to withhold judgement on what may have happened here. A single lucky morter round can do a lot of damage, but doesn't mean anything other than someone got lucky.

13 posted on 08/02/2005 1:27:22 PM PDT by Rokke
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To: Rokke

You're certainly right, and we don't know the details. I'm just frustrated by this. (However, it appears from the article that they were killed by small arms fire, not a lucky mortar round or some other fluke.)


14 posted on 08/02/2005 1:32:01 PM PDT by arbusto99
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To: Rokke; arbusto99; mcshot; Bahbah; boxerblues

NBC News just had a report about this with more info. They said it was 2 3-man sniper teams. The two teams were on a rooftop when they were suddenly ambushed by an unknown number of assailants. They said other Marines nearby heard a quick burst of gunfire and that it seemed the two teams were ambushed so quickly they didn't have a chance to return fire. The little reenactment graphic they showed indicated the two teams surrounded and ambushed from other rooftops behind them. 5 were killed instantly. The 6th either was able to briefly escape or was captured and his body was found (killed by gunshot) about a mile away.

Speculation is that it was an "inside job" and that they were compromised by Iraqi military infiltrated by insurgents.


15 posted on 08/02/2005 3:52:27 PM PDT by saquin
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To: Rokke

VP says insurgency in last throes, then SecDef says it could go on for ten years or more. Maybe someone should introduce those two.


16 posted on 08/02/2005 3:56:13 PM PDT by jaykay (Pray to mecca or they'll choppa your necka.)
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To: saquin

"Speculation is that it was an "inside job" and that they were compromised by Iraqi military infiltrated by insurgents."

That right there, the iraqis that are on 'our side' killing are own will go on for infinity over there.


17 posted on 08/02/2005 3:59:22 PM PDT by G32
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To: La Enchiladita

No, it's not. Too many of our military have been killed and maimed. They are, instead, needed here to protect our borders from the undesirables invading this country.
<


18 posted on 08/02/2005 4:02:07 PM PDT by Dante3
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To: arbusto99

NBC is reporting that the Marines suspect they were betrayed by members of the Iraqi military.


19 posted on 08/02/2005 4:23:18 PM PDT by va4me
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To: AntiGuv; Ragtime Cowgirl

Flag, Iraq war news.


20 posted on 08/02/2005 4:42:48 PM PDT by BlackVeil
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