Posted on 06/27/2006 4:32:49 PM PDT by SandRat
WASHINGTON, June 27, 2006 – The U.S. military is conducting an aggressive investigation to find those responsible for the deaths this month of three U.S. soldiers - one of whom died in an initial attack on the checkpoint the soldiers were manning, and two of whom were found dead four days later not far from the checkpoint, a top general in Iraq said today.
The attack occurred June 16 at a traffic control checkpoint about 30 kilometers southwest of Baghdad. Army Spc. David J. Babineau, 25, was killed in the attack, and Army Pfc. Kristian Menchaca and Army Pfc. Thomas Tucker went missing.
After days of search operations involving about 8,000 coalition and Iraqi security forces, Menchaca and Tucker's remains were recovered June 20 alongside a road near the village of Mufaraji, northwest of Youssifiyah, 12 miles south of Baghdad, Army Maj. Gen. James D. Thurman, commander of Multinational Division Baghdad, said in a news conference from Iraq.
"Our thoughts and prayers go out to the families and loved ones of these great soldiers," Thurman said. "We will remember their sacrifice; their commitment and contribution will never be forgotten. These soldiers represent the human dimension of war."
The recovery efforts to find the two soldiers began immediately after the attack and lasted until June 20, when the two soldiers' remains were discovered, Thurman said. U.S. Army and Marine units, Iraqi army units and Iraqi Special Forces conducted 25 combat operations and 11 air assaults, he said.
"This was a true combined and joint effort that we put forth to go find our missing soldiers," Thurman said. "We pulled out the stops to go find these two soldiers."
U.S. and Iraqi forces analyzed evidence found at the site of the attack and several other sites and used tips from local Iraqis to guide them to the soldiers' bodies, Thurman said. The site containing the soldiers' remains had to be cleared before the remains were recovered, because it contained improvised explosive devices, he said.
Thurman has directed a formal investigation into the events surrounding the deaths of Menchaca and Tucker, but he said he believes al Qaeda was involved.
"These events demonstrate what a ruthless and brutal enemy we face and the tough nature of this fight that we're in today, as the terrorists continue to try to disrupt the formation of this government," he said. "We will continue to target these elements and we will bring them to justice, because they're operating outside the rule of law, and that will not stand."
U.S. and Iraqi forces detained 36 people during the recovery operations, 20 of whom are directly or indirectly linked to the attack, Thurman said. Of those detained, 13 people continue to provide valuable intelligence to U.S. and Iraqi forces and are still being questioned, he said. The operations also yielded more than 300 documents, CDs and videotapes, which are being included in the investigation, he said.
"We'll continue to target the personnel responsible for and linked to this attack," he said. "We'll be very relentless in finding out who did this act."
Thurman lauded the Iraqi forces for their quick response, and the Iraqi citizens for coming forward with information. He stressed that U.S. and Iraqi forces will continue to work to prevent further violence in and around Baghdad.
The Hunt Continues for COLD-BLOODED KILLERS!
Anyone look in Murtha's office yet? Bet they are on his staff.
They have blood on their hands.
That's what I was hoping to hear. Someone has to pay for this atrocity and then they will stop. God Bless our soldiers and get those bastards.
"Democutandrunrats"....good one!
Nothing would make me feel better than to hear that Iraqis tracked down these monsters. Capture would be my preference, but a whoopsie that let them find out the truth about the 72 virgins sooner wouldn't bother me.
I would love to have their killers tied up before me. oh yeah, did I mention the blow torch in my hand?
I look for news about this. I'm so sick of "abu Ghraib"! (I have NO idea to spell it and I don't care!) That subject was in my "I don't give a da*n" category anyway, but now I think of how much press was given to that subject as compared to the beatings, torture and brutal murder of two of our finest! Have the democrats and the msm no shame? They just drool with compassion for the "poor wittle prisoners" in abu ghraib who had to suffer with panties on their heads and other such HORRIBLE humilitations! On NO! How AWEFUL!!!
The democraps, and the msm, had better keep their mouths shut about abu ghraib. I don't want to hear about it again. If they don't feel the righteous anger that the rest of us do about the brutal murder of our boys, then they are even more of a worthless lot than I thought! I hope these boys' fellow soldiers find the scum and make them suffer as much. I don't want to hear about it, I just want it to happen.
They can 'have at' the killers with my blessing. Oh, and the poster who said he had a blow torch definitely has the right idea!
(trying to calm down right now) >:-(
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