Dead US soldier hung on public display

The Age ^ | 4/1/2003 | AFP

[sjersey]

US Marines moved into the southern Iraqi town of Shatrah today to recover the body of a dead comrade which had been hanged in the town square, officers said.

Hundreds of troops were dispatched on the operation after intelligence reports indicated the body of a dead American, who was killed in a firefight last week, had been paraded through the streets and hanged in public.

"We would like to retrieve the body of the marine but it is not our sole purpose," said Lieutenant-Colonel Pete Owen, of the First Marine Expeditionary Force.

Military sources said another part of the operation was to arm local militias to fight against members of the ruling Baath party loyal to Iraqi President Saddam Hussein.

Shatrah is some 40 km north of Nasiriyah, where Iraqi forces have been harassing US supply lines and putting up tough resistance for more than a week.

[jwalsh07]

Looks like the bad guys have been listening to that prick from Columbia.

[Ligeia]

US Marines enter Shatrah in search of fallen comrade

I believe this to be the update:

Mar 31, 2003

Death of captured Marine confirmed

BY REX BOWMAN
TIMES-DISPATCH STAFF WRITER

WITH THE 1ST MARINE DIVISION, IRAQ - A U.S. Marine captured and supposedly strung up in the middle of the town of Shatrah is dead, military officials in Iraq confirmed yesterday.

Officials also said initial reports were wrong: The Marine was not strung up, though his body was left in view of townsfolk.

The Marine was captured Friday during an attack on a 200-vehicle convoy that was passing through Shatrah on Route 7, on its way north.

"What we can confirm is that some villagers tried to help him - they didn't know if he was alive or dead - and they may even have tried to get him to a hospital," said Maj. Dave Holahan, executive officer of the 1st Battalion, 4th Marine Regiment.

"But the Republican Guard, or death squads, took him away from the villagers and dumped him on the street. They didn't string him up, as previously stated, they just dumped him in the street."

Military officials are withholding the Marine's name until his family can be notified of his death.

The Marine was part of an air-wing support squadron making its way north late at night when it was hit by rocket-propelled grenades and machine-gun fire.

The attack turned over a 7-ton truck, and when members of the convoy repelled the attack and got back on the road, they noticed the Marine was missing.

The attack is an example of the kind of war Marines are fighting as they drive toward Baghdad.

They have yet to face large units of the Iraqi army but are instead being harassed by small-scale attacks in many of the towns they pass through.

Officials said the attacks are being carried out by local militia being forced to fight by local representatives of the Republican Guard.

"The villagers are torn," Holahan said.

"They're glad we're here, but as long as the death squads are around, they can't do anything or say anything. That's why we have to stay in the south and kick some ass."

Source

[Billthedrill]

Boy, did they piss off the wrong people.

[Hanging Chad]

If a person was going to try to think of a way to piss-off a bunch of marines;
I think this action just very well might do it.
Now, what do they think they will get from a bunch of pissed-off marines?
May god comfort the family of this brave dead soldier.

[ruready4eternity]

Howlin there are no RULEs, the U.S is playing by the DAMN UN playbook who turned their back on us, and Iraq is getting a way with it, either way, this may be the last war the U.S gets away not going the Un way. Becuase the next nation thats gonna get whacked, that may be an all out WAR.
Get out of the UN they are destroying the U.S and thats their intent. TO play by their rules and laws.

[panaxanax]

Religion of peace in action.

[mylife]

sure is the same town...Maybe this is why we got the parade.
We ridded the town of the animals that do this kinda stuff, to intimidate our troops as well as the townfolks.

[sweetliberty]

"America gives Iraqi POWs care. Do they do the same? No. They electrocuted, tortured, and murdered American POWs.

That is what separates us from them. We are human. They are demons.

[F.J. Mitchell]

Every atrosity these sonovabitches commit, is like an admission that they are too depraved to be allowed to continue wasting oxygen by breathing.

[tutstar]

that would be fine with me

[4.1O dana super trac pak]

It's MINIGUN time.

[Dog]

Yes it is...

[conservativeammom]

Outrageous is not a strong enough word for this dispicable act, but words fail me at the moment..

[don-o]

Stupid is as stupid does.

Have no doubt, brothers and sisters. Our men in the field get great motivation from such as this to kill more Sand People.

[sweetliberty]

"Looks like the bad guys have been listening to that prick from Columbia"

Speaking of lowlife "American" scum...Peter Arnett's contrition lasted all of 10 hours or so.

THIS WAR IS NOT WORKING (Arnett Already Writing in The Mirror!!!!)

[aruanan]

"We would like to retrieve the body of the marine but it is not our sole purpose," said Lieutenant-Colonel Pete Owen, of the First Marine Expeditionary Force.

Our sole purpose is to locate and emasculate everyone involved.

[Dog]

Looks like the townsfolk tried to save the Marine....but the fedyeen took him away...

[txradioguy]

"Howlin there are no RULEs, the U.S is playing by the DAMN UN playbook who turned their back on us, and Iraq is getting a way with it,"


So if you're saying that we should just toss out Rules of Engagement and forget not being careful to shoot ONLY the bad guys, wouldn't that make us just as horrible as the regime we're trying to liberate the people from? SOunds a little counter productive to what we're trying to accomplish over there doesn't it?

[Polybius]

"We would like to retrieve the body of the marine but it is not our sole purpose," said Lieutenant-Colonel Pete Owen, of the First Marine Expeditionary Force.

The other purpose should be to kill every Fedayeen thug they can get their hands on.

[Kenno]

Has anyone considered the fact that this may have been directly caused by the remarks of that Columbia professor? That, perhaps, Saddam thought, "A million Mogadishus? Sounds good to me!"