POW Jessica was tortured

New York Daily News ^ | 4/03/02 | MAKI BECKER

[kattracks]

Tip from Iraqi led to hospital room

Jessica was being tortured.

That was the urgent word from an Iraqi man who alerted U.S. troops where to find Pfc. Jessica Lynch - and her injuries seem to bear out the allegation.

Lynch, who was flown to a military hospital in Germany yesterday, had her legs broken, one arm broken and at least one bullet wound, officials said.

The 19-year-old West Virginia private was able to call her parents yesterday for the first time since her rescue Tuesday. She was in good spirits but very hungry, her parents told CNN.

The rescue of Lynch, who was driving a water truck when she went missing after a March 23 ambush in Nassiriya, had added urgency when one of two tips to Americans said she was in danger.

One tip came when an English-speaking Iraqi man approached NBC reporter Kerry Sanders to tell him about the soldier being held captive.

"Please make sure the people in charge know that she's being tortured," he told Sanders.

Belying her country-girl smile and petite 5-foot-5 frame, Lynch put up a Rambo-worthy fight when her unit, the Army's 507th Ordnance Maintenance Co., came under attack, according to a new report.

Lynch opened fire on the Iraqi assailants, picking them off one by one until she ran out of ammunition, according to today's Washington Post.

She continued shooting - even after she was shot and stabbed and her unit members were killed all around her.

"She was fighting to the death," a U.S. official told The Post. "She did not want to be taken alive."

Yesterday, when Lynch was plucked from Saddam Hospital, Special Forces troops found a soldier in pain.

Her broken bones are a sure sign of torture, said Amy Waters Yarsinske, an ex-Navy intelligence officer and an expert on POW treatment.

"It's awfully hard to break both legs and an arm in a truck accident," Yarsinske said.

Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein's thugs are known to use steel bars to bash their prisoners' limbs, she said.

"In the first gulf action, they tried breaking their [captured U.S. airmen's] legs with steel bars," Yarsinske said.

Another clue that Lynch and other POWs were being tortured came Friday, when Marines raided a hospital near Nassiriya where other members of Lynch's unit were videotaped and later shown on Iraqi TV. Marines found at least one shredded woman's uniform spattered with blood and the name patch torn off. In addition to Lynch, two other female soldiers went missing after the ambush.

In one hospital room, Marines discovered a car battery next to a bed - a possible electrical shock torture chamber.

During the last Persian Gulf War, Iraqis attached wires to one American POW's jaw and shocked him, Yarsinske said.

An Iraqi pharmacist who works at Saddam Hospital told Britain's Sky TV he treated Lynch's leg injuries. He added: "Every day I saw her crying about wanting to go home."

The pharmacist, who gave his name only as Imad, said Lynch knew U.S. troops were on the other side of the Euphrates River, and "kept wondering if the American Army were coming to save her."

Lynch's hometown of Palestine, W.Va., continued its celebration of her recovery yesterday.

Her brother, Gregory Jr., who is also in the Army, told CNN his sister sounded "disoriented" when she phoned home. "Her voice was crackly and low. She sounded like she was sick."

West Virginia Gov. Bob Wise stopped by the Lynch's home yesterday and told her parents that their daughter, who had joined the Army to pay for college so she could become a kindergarten teacher, would not have to worry about tuition.

"There will be a full scholarship for her whenever she wants to go for college," he promised.

With News Wire Services

[patj]

May God bless the one that notified the reporter about her.

Thank goodness this is one reporter that wanted to get involved and didn't want to remain "neutral" to protect his "objectivity".

[Air Force Born]

NBC will probably not hesitate to fire him hor "loss of objectivity."

[Air Force Born]

hor=for

[from occupied ga]

I can't help but wonder why we allow these young girls to be sent to the front lines like this

Because maybe they volunteer for it, and it's their choice to be in the army.

[Alouette]

Who gets to play her in the movie? It has to be an actress who is not an anti-war puke. Does any such creature exist?

[E Rocc]

Now...are we starting to see what needs to be done about is-slime?

Actually we are seeing what needs to be done about this particular breed of totalitarian fascists. The people who tipped us off were almost certainly Muslims, as are the Shiites who are welcoming our troops as liberators.

There'd better be some serious war crimes trials....and no UN/Hague barbarastreisand either. We did the work, we should run them.

-Eric

[dennisw]

I hope scum like Dershowitz who suggested we use torture read this article. Just say no to torture. That is, my friend, why we are better than you.

We should not use torture except in extraordinary circumstances. And contrary to your holier_than_thou, there are some

[magslinger]

On sevemth heaven there was a conservative actress. I don't remember her name but she played a girlfriend to one of the boys.

[philman_36]

If she was violated, how do we who believe in the sanctity of all life deal with a pregnancy which may result?
Well, no one else seems to want to offer an opinion or comment, but I'll give mine.
I'm very pro-life myself. I believe that every life is sacred, yet there are instances, such as this, where I would, grudgingly, be tolerant of an abortion. Rape is a pretty good qualifier.
I think of the possibility of the child having to go through life with their mother constantly bringing her anger over the incident to bear on the the child. Most of the time it would probably be an unconcious act. A great many variances to go from off of that too. The mental state...such a tricky thing between different folks and unusual situations.
Anyway, I'd advocate or advise, if she were to turn up pregnant (and the military should've given her birth control pills if she was going anywhere near a combat zone because of situations just like this), placing the child up for adoption by the military. It happened during war and she is "their property" (vets know what I mean..."don't get sunburnt"...) Adoption is too seldom used as a primary choice.
I guess, ultimately, in the end, it's her choice and her decision and my opinions and choices are only mine to make, just like hers are. I personally wouldn't hold it against her in a case like this. It isn't like she would be using the abortion as a form of birth control, which is what all too many women see abortion as.
JMHO

[sweetliberty]

"If she was violated, how do we who believe in the sanctity of all life deal with a pregnancy which may result?"

I was thinking about that myself yesterday.

[sweetliberty]

"On sevemth heaven there was a conservative actress. I don't remember her name but she played a girlfriend to one of the boys."

I know which one you're talking about. I can't think of her name either, but I always thought she looked too "mature", even in her role on the program. I believe the girl who plays Lucy is conservative as well...Beverly something.

[InvisibleChurch]

and then you have THIS guy...

Marine Corps reservist Stephen Funk, center, reads a statement before turning himself in at his reserve unit in San Jose, Calif., Tuesday April 1, 2003. Behind Funk is his sister Caitlin Funk, left, and his mother, Gloria Pacis, right. The 20-year-old Marine reservist, called to active duty, refuses to serve in the Iraqi conflict, claiming conscientous objector status. (AP Photo/Eric Risberg)

[nicmarlo]

Thank goodness this is one reporter that wanted to get involved and didn't want to remain "neutral" to protect his "objectivity".

Thank God it was Dan Blather out there....he'd have helped the enemy keep torturing Jessica.

[nicmarlo]

Oops. Make that: THANK GOD IT WAS NOT DAN BLATHER OUT THERE.....

[Right_in_Virginia]

Where's the international condemnation? Why isn't the international community DEMANDING that Iraq allow Red Cross workers to visit our POWs?

Hey, Kofi...don't you have something to say about this?

[Wonder Warthog]

"Who gets to play her in the movie? It has to be an actress who is not an anti-war puke. Does any such creature exist?"

Well, she's a country-western singer who acts occasionally--how about Reba McIntyre?? I haven't seen anything about her politics, but I don't get the impression she is a "Blixie Chick".

[libbylu]

dershowitz advocated torture of suspected terrorists with "court approval", a document from a judge with enough evidence. there is surely no parallel with that and torture of a soldier in the battle field by iraqis. WHY would it even cross your mind that the coalition is torturing iraqis?
i have read torture isn't particularly effective. Saddams torture is torture for fun. i guess i don't understand why you are moralizing in such general terms unless you want us to think you are wonderful because you don't like torture. who does?

[snopercod]

We need this feisty young lass to appear before the Senate and tell her story.

It would be so great to see Daschle and the other traitors there melt down into their seats...

Aside: FR is slow as molasses this AM... anyone else experiencing that? Am I logged on?

[Alouette]

how about Reba McIntyre??

Reba is hot, but she is over 50.

[Lanza]

Maybe this would be a situation for that so called "morning after" pill. Maybe the military should stock up for female rape victims. A soldier may be pro life as well, and that pill would certainly be less traumatic than an abortion at 6 or 7 weeks.