Posted on 01/26/2007 7:41:43 AM PST by Ernest_at_the_Beach
BAGHDAD, Iraq (AP) - Contrary to U.S. military statements, four U.S. soldiers did not die repelling a sneak attack at the governor's office in the Shiite holy city of Karbala last week. New information obtained by The Associated Press shows they were abducted and found dead or dying as far as 25 miles away.
The brazen assault 50 miles south of Baghdad was launched Jan. 20 by a group of nine to 12 militants. They traveled in black GMC Suburban vehicles - the type used by U.S. government convoys, had American weapons, wore new U.S. military combat fatigues and spoke English.
In a written statement, the U.S. command reported at the time that five soldiers were killed while "repelling the attack." Two senior U.S. military officials as well as Iraqi officials now say three of them were found dead and one mortally wounded in locations as far as 25 miles east of the governor's office.
The U.S. officials said they could not be sure if the soldiers were killed as the attackers drove them to the place where they abandoned the Suburbans or afterward. Iraqi officials said the men were killed just before the vehicles were abandoned.
The daring commando team also took an unclassified U.S. computer with them as they fled with the four soldiers and left behind an American M-4 automatic rifle, senior U.S. military officials said.
For more than a week, the U.S. military in Baghdad declined comment on reports that began emerging from Iraqi government and military officials which suggested a major breakdown in security surrounding U.S. forces in Karbala.
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In high school, we had to watch Ohio State Highway Patrol films of auto accidents. That sure made me buckle up and pay attention.
Perhaps the military should require all service members and civilian contractors to periodically watch Ogrish video of what these animals do to captives.
Iranians are not Arabs, their language Farsi is Indo Europeans and anthropologically, many are Aryan so, many could pass as Americans in appearance. Especially with a little makeup and hair dye.
If life was a strategy based video game, where President Bush could set Public Opinion at "Favorable" and Congressional Support at "High", then that might mean something.
He can't. He's got an America public that's already growing tired of war. Congress is halfway ready to mutiny as it is. The military is stretched thin, and Iraq is dangling by a thread. We'd have scant diplomatic support, and the economic backlash from closing the Strait of Hormuz would be staggering.
What threat do you really think he has over Iran? A few weeks of Bosnia-like bombing? What's that going to do, exactly, aside from make the Iranians rally around the flag, and let them turn Iraq into an ungovernable mess? There's no guarentee that bombing will do anything to Iran's nuclear program, without troops on the ground. And there's plenty of evidence that Iran can hit back, in Iraq and in the U.S.
I'm not trying to rain on everyone's parade here, but things aren't as simply as we'd like. We're not on solid footing, and everyone knows it. While I agree that Iran's nuclear program is the greatest threat to American security around, I don't see how President Bush can feasibly do anything about it.
Aside from saying, f*&k it, damn the consequences, damn the lousy odds, I'm going anyway, that is. Is he that guy? I'm not seeing it. Am I wrong?
Read the upcoming book, "Combat Self-Defense" by David D. "Bo" Bolgiano. Speaks directly to your statements about how we've made our troops hesitate before acting. I'm a JAG and it's partially an indictment of a bunch of my fellow JAGs - not all, by any means - who are more concerned with protecting the commander than the boots on the ground. I think it may be available on Amazon by now, or check out LWWBooks@aol.com or write him at airbornerobocop@aol.com. No, I don't get a cut.
Colonel, USAFR
One of the SUV's found had a license plate reportedly stolen from an Iraqi M.P. - Abdul Falah al-Sudani, a member of the Shiite Muslim Dawa party. The plate was stolen off his BMW in the heavily fortified Green Zone. Just gets curiouser and curiouser. Prayers for your son and his fellow soldiers, God bless them all.
Not a thing, I've been out of the loop for a bit. From what I can gather, it's a better orchastrated version of what happened a few months ago, when those two PFCs were kidnapped and killed. Both AQI and the Iranians are quite media savvy. They understand that one kidnapped U.S. soldier is worth 100 dead ones. For crying out loud, who understands the power of having American hostages more than the Iranians. It's just a matter of time before they pull it off.
This goes all the way to the top. If the commanders have to be concerned with protecting themselves, the president is obviously not standing behind them.
Iran’s intelligence service “occupies” key Iraq city [Karbala]
While I agree, I also think that you shouldn't escalate a fight you aren't prepared to finish. Are we prepared to finish?
Mine too.
?
The Greeks (from several city-states) were attacking Troy ( on the southern Turkey coast) so technically, it was the ancestors of the Turks - not related to Persia except under Persian conquest later - who might have been duped by the cultural ancestors of the Western (US) forces.
Yes.
Epeus, a skilled boxer, is credited with building the Trojan (of Troy) horse with the help of Athena, as told in the Odyssey.
In Vergil's Aeneid, Laocoon warns the Trojans against the treachery of Odysseus which he sees behind the horse-gift of the Greeks. Laocoon says: 'Beware of Greeks bearing gifts.'
In the Epitome of Apollodorus, credit is given Odysseus for conceiving the idea and Epeus for building.
Didn't the Nazis do this or attempt to do this during WWII?
Infliltrating enemy lines by pretending to be on their side is a tactic as old as warfare itself.
Hopefully he will turn his back on Washington and get the job done. I have a lot of faith in Gen Petraeus
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