U.S. seizes Iraqi "military staging area" hospital

Reuters ^ | 25 Mar 2003

[Guardian_John]

DOHA, March 26 (Reuters) - The United States said on Tuesday that Marines seized more than 200 weapons, stockpiles of ammunition and over 3,000 chemical suits with masks at an Iraqi hospital which was being used as a "military staging area".

Central Command in Qatar said in a statement that Marines operating in the southern city of Nassiriya -- scene of the fiercest fighting so far in the six-day-old war -- captured about 170 Iraqi soldiers at the hospital. They were not armed.

There was no means of independently confirming the statement.

Central Command said forces of the 2nd Battalion 8th Marines had been fired at from the building on Monday even though it was marked as a hospital by a flag with a red crescent.

"Prior to going in, the Marines used loudspeakers outside of the hospital to encourage the doctors and patients....to evacuate," the statement said. "No civilians were in the hospital at the time it was seized."

A T-55 tank was found in the compound and those inside "were not armed and were wearing a mixture of mostly civilian clothing with parts of military uniforms".

The statement said it was believed that the soldiers captured were being bussed into the city and were drawing weapons from the hospital to fight in the city.

"Misuse of a protected symbol, such as a Red Cross emblem or the equivalent Red Crescent, is a violation of the Geneva Convention and may subject persons to prosecution as war criminals," it added.

The report looked likely to bolster U.S. claims that Iraq has chemical weapons, and comes amid heavy criticism from Washington of Iraqi troops' "despicable" violation of the rules of war for using tactics such as fighting in civilian clothes

[EternalVigilance]

Yeah, I have a hunch that the best place to look for Iraqi war-making tools is likely to be schools, hospitals, homes and mosques.

[ConservativeByChoice]

Hmmm. They seized more than 200 weapons after the unarmed Iraqi soldiers fired at the marines.

Reuters...

[Ernest_at_the_Beach]

This sounds like the one Foxnews Sheppard Smith was talking about this morning!

OFFICIAL BUMP(TOPIC)LIST

[ikka]

those inside "were not armed and were wearing a mixture of mostly civilian clothing with parts of military uniforms".

They can therefore be shot on sight without worrying about the Geneva Convention, since they are not dressed as enemy combatants.

[Rockiesrider]

Looks like our PC society is handcuffing our troops a little. Our soldiers are going through a blooding phase, which is to be expected. It happened to all of us in line companies in Vietnam. Soon our combat soldiers will be hardened and wiser to the ways of combat, where everyone not in a US uniform will be treated as a hostile until proven otherwise. If your healthy, male and look in your twenties, your a combatant until we know better. If your Iraqi and in our uniform your dead. Semper Fi grunts ..get some!

[Toskrin]

Yep, first two paragraphs of this story are gobbledygook. Reuter's is owned by Arabs.

[slimer]

schools, hospitals, homes and mosques....day care centers, restaurants, theaters, shoe shine kits, barber shops, tailors, drug stores, milk factories......

[ImpBill]

"Central Command in Qatar said in a statement that Marines operating in the southern city of Nassiriya -- scene of the fiercest fighting so far in the six-day-old war -- captured about 170 Iraqi soldiers at the hospital. They were not armed.

There was no means of independently confirming the statement."

Hmmmmmmmmmmmmm, let's see who does Reuters need confirmation from? Al Jezerra?

[EternalVigilance]

Well, you certainly made my list more comprehensive... ;-)

[k2blader]

Bump!

[EternalVigilance]

My personal favorite quote of the day, by RogueIsland:

Reuters Headline: "British Troops Knock Out 20 Iraqi Peace Tanks."

[D Rider]

3000 chemical suits and masks? Why do they need them? Was there a dry cleaners next to the hospital or something?

[MizSterious]

"Why do they need them? "

Allergy season, maybe? ;)

[notpoliticallycorewrecked]

Those desert sandstorms can sure kick up allergy problems.

[D Rider]

Your probably right.

I am particularly allergic to grass pollen and anthrax, myself.

[RaiderRose]

(beware of heavy sarcasm)

My favorite part "3,000 chemical suits."

What do they need chemical suits for?

They don't HAVE chemicals.

I suppose they were concerned WE would use chemicals on them?????

[Blood of Tyrants]

Exactly. Fighting while in something other than a uniform simply means that you are a mercenary.