Here's a picture of it happening. It looks really bad, but he got out and was doused with a fire extinguiser and is OK.
Of course, the sorry-a** photographer just stood there and took pictures.
Posted on 09/19/2005 11:29:52 PM PDT by propertius
A mob set a British Warrior armoured vehicle ablaze in Basra yesterday, forcing its gunner to leap from the turret, in the worst riots to sweep Iraq's second city in two years.
The soldiers who escaped from the burning Warrior were said to be in a stable condition in hospital
Three soldiers suffered burns and other injuries and the Warrior was badly damaged by a hail of petrol bombs.
The violence in the British-controlled sector cast doubt on Whitehall's plans for an early withdrawal from the south of Iraq.
It broke out after two members of the Special Air Service in Arab clothes were arrested in the city by a militia loyal to the Iraqi government.
Two injured SAS troopers were arrested in Basra while patrolling under-cover in Arab clothes
British troops and vehicles then surrounded Basra's central jail where the soldiers were being held.
There were chants of "Murderers out" as one armoured vehicle manoeuvred into position near a perimeter. The rioters, many of them children, then attacked the vehicle.
British forces entered the prison and freed the two SAS men. Three people were injured during the operation and a wall of the prison was damaged. However, the Ministry of Defence denied a report that tanks had deliberately broken down the wall to release the men.
This summer, soldiers were able to patrol the city in relative safety. But security has deteriorated so badly that the Army has switched from lightly-armed Land Rovers to the more robust Warriors.
Television footage showed the Warrior engulfed in flames. Then the turret hatch opened and a soldier, his clothes and helmet on fire, scrambled out under a hail of missiles.
He and the other injured soldiers, believed to be members of the Coldstream Guards, were treated at the military hospital in Shaibah logistics base. Their condition was stable last night.
Witnesses said the Warrior was towed away after troops fired in the air to disperse the rioters. The interior ministry said that at least two protesters were shot dead.
Photographs of the captured SAS troopers showed them with blood-splattered clothing and one with his head bandaged. The MoD asked newspapers to blank out their faces to prevent identification.
They are thought to have been on a close observation patrol when they were stopped at a checkpoint. They apparently identified themselves but shots were fired when the police tried to arrest them.
"A policeman approached them, then one of these guys fired at him," said a Basra official, Mohammed al-Abadi. "The police managed to capture them but they refused to say what their mission was and suggested that we ask their commander."
Although British troops and Iraqi security forces supposedly work together, in Basra the relationship has soured. Soldiers have been told not to stop if challenged while working under-cover, as insurgents often masquerade as police officers.
Despite the violence on the streets, many Iraqis in Basra said they supported the British military presence.
"Locals are angry with what is happening today," said Haider Samad.
The unrest makes it likely that Tony Blair's plans for a substantial cut in troop numbers by early spring will be shelved. Defence sources told The Daily Telegraph that the Army would remain in at least brigade strength of about 8,000 until the end of next year. This means that plans to move regiments to help fight the resurgent Taliban and heroin producers in Afghanistan will be revised.
The Shias are in the ascendancy in Iraq and stand to gain politically if the new constitution is accepted in a referendum in mid-October. Intelligence sources have suggested that the violence could be the start of a concerted campaign to oust the American-led coalition.
Yesterday's clashes followed a weekend of unrest after troops arrested six members of the Mahdi army, the militia loyal to the rebel Shia cleric Moqtada al-Sadr. Those held included Sheik Ahmad Majid al-Fartusi, the Basra commander of the group, and his aide, Sajjat al-Basri. On Sunday the Mahdi army said it would retaliate on Monday if its leadership was not released. The rioting suggested that it had carried out its threat.
Brig John Lorrimer, the commander of 12th Mechanised Brigade in Basra, said he was aware that those held were prominent citizens, adding: "We have acted against these people as individuals, not as members of any organisation."
"The same is true of Iraqis. They are wild and ungovernable by anyone other than a brutal dictator. People get the government they deserve, and Iraqi's deserve someone exactly like Saddam Hussein."
Rubbish.
Tell me, oh great monday morning armchair quarterback, just precisely WHO is the brutal dictator currently governing the peaceful Kurds in the North and Shia in the South?
Name him. Explain WHO is brutally governing the Kurds and Shia in Iraq today.
I'll be waiting...breathlessly.
Yes, the first thing I thought of when seeing the headline and the Basra location was Steven Vincent's last columns. It seems the British are just 'doing time' instead of really trying to get them with the program down there.
If there is much more of this attitude, we will pull defeat from the jaws of victory. All the elections in the world won't matter if these guys have the real power.
Come on, we didn't sacrifice blood and treasure to set up a new Taliban in Iraq!
Correct, and that is what makes them such a despicable enemy. As has been try since the Korean War, we are required by our political left, who have intimidated the rest to go along, we must fight with both hands tied. We have to kill in the kindest way possible and only after checking IDs having done a background check on those we kill.
It is obvious who the left wants to win in all these wars. Time for us to stand up, The Sheriff in Arizona has proved we don't have to give in to the left.
Stanley Kubrik is not PC. :-)
"Come on, we didn't sacrifice blood and treasure to set up a new Taliban in Iraq!"
The politician with nine lives, Mr Chalabi, could be of help here. That's right the CIA blew him off.
But... he's back!
At least they can't call him a US puppet now.
Here's a picture of it happening. It looks really bad, but he got out and was doused with a fire extinguiser and is OK.
Of course, the sorry-a** photographer just stood there and took pictures.
"The Iraqis are helping us with intel and they are fighting..
The Brits think their kinder gentler approach is superior..and things have gotten out of hand in Basra.."
Proportional casualty ratios between the two armies and the two cities says the British approach is better. Rather a fuss kicked up over a riot and than commemorating the 2000th luckless soldier to buy it on the streets of Baghdad.
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