US military admits killing "non-combatant" in Iraq

Reuters on Yahoo ^ | 6/28/06

[NormsRevenge]

BAGHDAD (Reuters) - The U.S. military, in the spotlight over murder charges against its troops accused of killing Iraqis, said it had killed a "non-combatant" during a raid in which an al Qaeda militant was detained on Wednesday.

A statement said U.S.-led forces killed the civilian near the violence-racked city of Baquba, 65 km (40 miles) northeast of Baghdad, as troops were securing the house of the alleged militant.

"While securing the initial target, Coalition forces noticed an individual acting suspiciously at a nearby house. They assessed him as an imminent threat, engaged and killed him. He was later determined to be a non-combatant," it said.

The statement was unusual in drawing attention to the incident. For three years since the U.S. invasion, Iraqis have often complained of civilians being killed by U.S. troops and said those complaints were rarely investigated thoroughly.

U.S. commanders have ordered a tightening up of procedures to avoid civilian injuries in recent months. The new Iraqi government, following U.S. investigations into the deaths of 24 people at Haditha, has demanded U.S. troops be accountable.

The statement said: "Multiple women and children were present at the raid sites. None were harmed and all were returned to their homes once the troops ensured the area was secure."

The statement did not say whether an investigation had been opened, but said: "Coalition forces take every precaution to mitigate risks to civilians while in pursuit of terrorists, and deeply regret any injury or death to non-combatants."

Twelve Americans have been charged with murder this month. Another was charged with voluntary manslaughter on Sunday.

U.S. defense officials say it is a coincidence that so many murder charges have been brought this month when only a handful had been brought in the three previous years of war.

[bybybill]

Why is this a story and not the thousands of non combatants murdered by the terrorists?

[AmeriBrit]

Coalition forces noticed an individual acting suspiciously at a nearby house. They assessed him as an imminent threat, engaged and killed him.

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That's one of the perils of war.

Sorry, I just checked my sympathy jar and it was empty.

[sageb1]

"While securing the initial target, Coalition forces noticed an individual acting suspiciously at a nearby house. They assessed him as an imminent threat, engaged and killed him. He was later determined to be a non-combatant," it said."

Warning: Not wise to behave in a suspicious manner during a war. It might get you killed.

[NormsRevenge]

Good question..

Here are some other non-combatants we don't hear much about.

Kevin Dooley, of the U.S. Regime Crimes Liaison Office (RCLO), stands next to a shallow mass grave of skeletons in a remote desert south of Baghdad in Iraq Saturday, June 3, 2006. Saddam Hussein and six members of his former regime will face a second trial, beginning Aug. 21, in connection with the 1980s Anfal campaign that killed an estimated 100,000 Kurds and saw thousands of their villages razed, the Iraqi High Tribunal announced Tuesday June 27, 2006. (AP Photo/Erik de Castro, Pool)

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Residents receive treatment inside a hospital after they were wounded by a car bomb attack near a crowd of labourers gathering to look for work in Baquba, 65 km (40 miles) northeast of Baghdad June 28, 2006. The attack killed three workers and 12 wounded others, including children and old men, police and hospital sources said. REUTERS/Helmiy al-Azawi (IRAQ)

[mojo114]

This is war, isn't it? Good lord we have too many annalists annalyzing the annalized.

[Calpernia]

>>>>The U.S. military, in the spotlight over murder charges against its troops accused of killing Iraqis, said it had killed a "non-combatant" during a raid in which an al Qaeda militant was detained on Wednesday.

Should we have served tea and pastries instead?

[garyhope]

So? Too bad. Who cares? I don't. We have a ways to go before we catch up to more than 3000 victims.

In a war zone, don't hang around bad guys. Don't act funny.

Bang, Zoom, to the moon, Akhmed.

[HereInTheHeartland]

"They assessed him as an imminent threat, engaged and killed him. He was later determined to be a non-combatant," it said."

Good. Better safe than sorry. If it was my son over there, I wouldn't want him killed because they let some suspicious blow our guys up.
Always to bad when innocents die, that's why the Iraqis need to get fully behind our efforts to help them. Then our folks can come home.

[true_blue_texican]

I'm begining to think that we don't have enough "Press" casualties in this war. They're not doing their part. They are "under-represented" in the casualty tolls.

[Waco]

Meanwhile OBL brags about killing thousands of no-combatents on 9/11. The NYT is soooo happy about this, they could just shiite!

[sagar]

"In a war zone, don't hang around bad guys. Don't act funny.

Bang, Zoom, to the moon, Akhmed."

Well, the capital of Iraq IS the war zone. The non combatants have nowhere to go. If the idea is to KILL EM ALL, then no need to send troops in the harms way(arial bombing would do fine, thank you) and spend hundreds of billions trying to set up a government. Why even bother? Just carpet bomb entire cities and towns -- war won in 2 days! But, unfortunately for you, Bush's plan is NOT to kill them, but to make their country better(hence the billions of your money as aide) hoping to make them less prone to Islamic terrorism and more receptive towards democracy.

[Mad_Tom_Rackham]

Did you know that our troops are now resisting returning fire because they will have to complete a multiple-page report for each firearm discharge when they return to base -- just like our domestic police officers have to do, and not a coincidence IMO. Instead, our guys hunker down and take the hits, hoping they won't be killed or maimed. I thought the Viet Nam ROE's were crazy, where in-theater air cover had to be approved from Washington. These ROE's make those look completely sane by comparison.

I now find myself agreeing with the Democrats, but for different reasons. It's time to get the hell out of there.

[GSlob]

"Warning: Not wise to behave in a suspicious manner during a war. It might get you killed."
True. But then, a natural reaction would be to get frightened and to attempt hiding - and that would fit into 'suspicious manner' moniker. Everyone would be better off if it did not happen, but that's about all one could say.

[ZULU]

So?

Unfortunate, but this happens in war - like all those brave American soldiers blown up by cowardly "insurgents" supplied by Tehran and Damascus.

Did we issue a press release everytime a civilian was inadvertently killed in WW2?

[Calpernia]

That is right. From this point on, all units should have a Psychiatrist embedded with them so a Code Green can be called and have the threat assessed as Enemy, Medical or Psychiatrict.

Then the Marines will know whether they should shoot, commit, medicate or all employ a group hug and sing.

[garylmoore]

They assessed him as an imminent threat, engaged and killed him.

Guess he shouldn't have been mingling with the bad guys.

[sagar]

"That is right. From this point on, all units should have a Psychiatrist embedded with them so a Code Green can be called and have the threat assessed as Enemy, Medical or Psychiatrict.

Then the Marines will know whether they should shoot, commit, medicate or all employ a group hug and sing."

Who said about singing kumbaya? My point is that this war isn't about killing "Ackmed" like some of you are calling it. Why spend billions of $$$ on reconstruction if that were the case? Just blow the entire place and get it over with in 2 days.

[Calpernia]

You got something against kumbaya?