US military not aware of coalition attacks on human shields

Yahoo News ^ | April 1, 2003 | Yahoo

[Sally II]

US military not aware of coalition attacks on human shields

AS-SALIYAH (AFP) - A senior US commander in the war on Iraq (news - web sites) said here he was unable to confirm reports that a US warplane attacked a bus in weswtern Iraq carrying international volunteers acting as human shields.

"I am not aware of any reports of human shields, I cannot confirm that and have no information at all," Brigadier General Vincent Brooks told reporters here Tuesday at US Central Command's forward planning base.

Earlier Tuesday Iraqi Information Minister Mohammed Said al-Sahhaf said in Baghdad that several people were wounded when a US warplane attacked two Iraqi buses carrying international volunteers, some of them American, who had been operating as human shields.

He said the attack took place Monday in the western town of Rutba between Baghdad and neighbouring Jordan.

[Sally II]

Looks like none of the human shields were killed, just injured. The world really would be a much better place if more of these peacenicks took their convictions to Iraq.

[The PeteMan]

If they were bombed, was that not what they were going there for in the first place?

Just helped them speed it up as media seems to be so impatient

[demlosers]

Did the shield work?

[Sally II]

I love what one person said on the Yahoo message boards: Stupid should hurt.

[demnomo]

Hah! They were probably part of that bus contingent of suicide bombers that supposedly left Jordan to "die for Iraq." Too bad we only wounded them...if these reports are true.

If they were "human shields," they are obviously defective. Iraq should return them at once and ask for better made products.

WAR IS HELL.

[battousai]

If these supposed attacks did occur I would expect a lot more than a few injuries. Looking at pics of other vehicles that have met allied fire I doubt too many people survived in them.

Either these were those some "4000" volunteer jihadists from Jordan, Syria etc.. or it never happened... except in the minds of the lame stream media of course. Since anything that the Iraqi's say is God's own truth to them.

[Robe]

Premature Shielding ?

[cake_crumb]

Looks like the buses were hightailing it to Jordan, if I understand the garbled report right. Iraqi forces probably did it, and the rest is Iraqi propaganda, inspired by by that slimeball Arnett.

[AmericanInTokyo]

I trust the US military and their spokespeople on this much more than I trust that Iraqi spokesman before the cameras in Baghdad each a.m.

My guess how this was played out?

Theorizing here, the Iraqi forces located a carload of human shields in Iraq, Americans or other Westerners, and they then either mortared it, or they came up to it and strafed it with machine gun fire, executing them. They fled the scene and now blame it on the Americans.

ANY Western 'human shield' in totalitarian/terrorist Iraq at this point must begin to feel very vulnerable, if in fact they have come to their senses. One can only suspect if they got away from their government handlers long enough, they picked up the same hushed whispers of terror by the average Iraqi that pastor Ken Joseph picked up and which caused him to get out while he could.

For it is still my prediction before this thing is over, they will either execute the human shields and say the Americans did it (with graphic footage of the bodies) or they will place them at military targets where they will be blown to bits. Same goes for their treatment of leftist affiliated journalists, so called 'indies' like May Ying Welch, whose lives are at risk by the Iraqi secret police/Republican guards/Hussein Fedayhin

[demnomo]

Did the shield work?

Nope.

The evil, civilian-using Iraqis have changed the rules of engagement regarding this stuff. Of course, I have sympathy for yesterday's tragedy with the van full of women & kids who were shot after not stopping. As for this type of incident. TOUGH. I have zip sympathy and believe that our military should make no distinctions between "human shields" and/or "suicide bombers" who ride buses towards Baghdad.

WAR IS HELL.

[big gray tabby]

This was a carload of Saddam's family bolting under cover of useful idiots. A target-rich opportunity.

[n1f2ns]

Injured... not killed? If we even did attack these buses (stressing the 'if'), and no one was killed; what does that say about the effectiveness of our strikes? What if those were Saddam's Soldiers? I personally am glad these human sheilds were attacked, im only disappointed that they weren't killed. Those Americans in that group are committing treason, puinshable by death; we must bring them death.

[Publius6961]

Is it safe to assume that all truck and bus traffic into Iraq is destroyed on sight?

If not, why not?

[monday]

"Those Americans in that group are committing treason"

They are committing stupidity. Not sure if that is treasonous? Of course stupidity often carrys the death penalty. It isn't handed out by the courts though. Perhaps they will win Darwin awards like that lady in Israel did a couple of weeks ago?

[cake_crumb]

"Premature Shielding ?"

OOOO...THAT'S inspiring. This must be a case of

Premature Shieldulation

[Robe]

I had the thought, I just couldn't articulate it as you have soooooo finely done

[Britton J Wingfield]

3rd option: Human shields will be lynched by newly liberated Iraqis.

[cake_crumb]

"I had the thought, I just couldn't articulate it as you have soooooo finely done."

Unfortunately, I can only do this stuff when running on four hours sleep, a candybar and two pots of coffee for brunch and my brain cells haven't haven't cooled down from last night...or rather, this morning. Or something.