Posted on 11/27/2005 7:54:28 AM PST by johnmecainrino
Two Congressmen injured after vehicle flips in Iraq
A military vehicle carrying U.S. politicians overturned on the way to the Baghdad airport on Saturday and injured two members of Congress, said U.S. Rep. Jim Marshall.
Rep. Tim Murphy, R-Pennsylvania, was airlifted to a military hospital in Germany for an MRI on his neck, Marshall told the Macon Telegraph. Rep. Ike Skelton, D-Missouri, was sent to a Baghdad hospital, he said.
Marshall, a Georgia Democrat, said he was not hurt.
The congressional delegation was riding in a box-like vehicle that troops called the "ice cream truck" that streaked through the middle of the road to deter oncoming motorists, Marshall said.
But shortly after dark, an oncoming truck refused to yield.
"Then all of a sudden brakes get slammed on. Then we hit something and go off the side of the road and tip over," Marshall said.
Marshall said as the vehicle toppled over, he held onto Skelton, who has limited use of his arms due to a bout with childhood polio.
"Everybody sort of fell over to the side. There's no cushion to it. It's all solid metal with bolts sticking out," Marshall told the newspaper. "I feel like a fool. I didn't put my seat belt on."
The accident reminded Marshall of his first trip to Iraq with Skelton, when Marshall voiced concerns on the dangers of the high-speed driving strategy aimed at getting dignitaries safely through treacherous territory.
"It's so odd to me that I said, 'Shoot, this is more dangerous than the terrorists,' and dang if we don't flip over," Marshall said.
The delegation had traveled to Afghanistan for Thanksgiving with the troops and then on to Baghdad to meet with troops. It was Marshall's sixth visit to the war zone.
Calls to Skelton and Murphy on Sunday morning were not immediately returned.
LOL! I'd LOVE to know the REAL origin of that nickname.
(Not the sanitized version they'll have to come up with for public relations.)
Next time stay home. Never did like these dog and pony shows.
But shortly after dark, an oncoming truck refused to yield.
"Then all of a sudden brakes get slammed on. Then we hit something and go off the side of the road and tip over,"
Well, boys, that's one of the hazards of playing a game of chicken.
Driving through a war zone in a metal box at high speeds to avoid roadside bombs and insurgent attacks. Without wearing a seat belt. Foolish. Yep.
I'm curious why driving into the lane of oncoming traffic is the safest way to get to the airport.
How many of our troops are used to make these jaunts by politicians possible?
Way too many. One I am worried about is Ike Skelton, who is very frail. Murtha should be thankful he was "withdrawn" to Germany.
Give visiting politicians there own car, a map, and a couple of M-16s. If they can't make it from Points A to B alive, they shouldn't be in Congress making our laws.
For those of you who might not have noticed, this inadvertently speaks volumes. The airport road had previously been considered the most dangerous stretch of street in Iraq with VIPs usually being choppered to and fro. I recently read elsewhere that the Army and the ISF had cleaned up that situation. "Ice Cream truck" or no, the fact that our visiting congresscritters were allowed to be driven that route is a significant development.
Marshall is a good guy for a Democrat. I believe he is the last of the southern Democrats, in the mold of Sam Nunn.
Tim Murphy is my congressman, so I hope he is ok. I'm surprised I haven't heard anything about it in the local news.
Georgia has really been pushing the Click It or Ticket program this holiday season.
Then again, when I flew Marshall to Bagram Afghanistan in Christmas 2003, he didn't sit down and buckle his seat belt until short final. We nearly put him on his butt a couple of times with our steep, turning approach. You have to lose about 15,000 feet in about 20 miles.
Golly Gee... Sure hope the "Ice Cream truck" is all right.
Yes I know the family and they are great people. Get well Mr. Skelton.
Quagmire!
Bush's fault!
Well, I for one, do not mind seeing Congressmen visiting.
It helps to keep the Officers honest. I was at a base where a ranking General was to come and visit. The base officer had everyone get rid of everything and turn the quarters into a basic training environment. Pictures of wives, children had to go. Guitars, radios, books had to go. Civilian dress had to go. All because a General was coming. He came and found out. The base commander was replaced.
It helps to keep an eye out. Not all officers have the interest or welfare of the troops in mind.
i don't think he'd swim as well as he did the last time he pulled this trick.
Well, at least they lived through it. Given that the media lump together combat and non-combat deaths to get their figures, if they'd been killed the "number of Americans who have died since George Bush invaded Iraq" would probably have been increased by three.
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