Jessica took awful beating

New York Daily News ^ | 4/05/03 | OWEN MORITZ

[kattracks]

Pfc. Jessica Lynch was beaten more severely than first reports indicated, doctors said yesterday.

Besides two broken legs and a broken arm, the 19-year-old Army truck driver suffered fractures to her right foot, right ankle and a disk in her spine, and had a gash on her head.

Lynch underwent spinal surgery Thursday to repair the fractured disk that had been pressing painfully on a nerve, doctors at Landstuhl Regional Medical Center in Germany reported yesterday.

"The prognosis for her recovery is excellent," said Col. David Rubenstein, the medical center commander.

Officials have refused to say why so many of Lynch's bones were broken, but it's likely she was tortured. An Iraqi man who told the Americans where to find her urged the troops to hurry, saying she was being tortured. He later described a scene where the helpless woman was being slapped by a black-clad member of Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein's thuggish Fedayeen.

Despite her ordeal, Lynch was in good spirits, asking for turkey, a pair of glasses and a newspaper from her hometown of Palestine, W.Va.

"Her emotional state is extremely good - she's jovial, she's talking with staff," Rubenstein said. He said she was particularly cheered by the pink casts she requested.

She will need "extensive rehabilitative services," he continued, but was expected to recover completely.

She's "a daughter any parent would be proud of," he added.

A friend from her unit is with her and has spoken by telephone with her family, Rubenstein said.

The military also accommodated a request from Lynch, who was being fed intravenously, for solid foods. From her list of favorites, cooks in the hospital kitchen delivered an order of turkey, apple sauce and steamed carrots.

The private has no television in her hospital room, on Rubenstein's orders. And Lynch's father back in the U.S. confirmed that doctors have asked him not to discuss her ordeal with her.

"We will answer her questions when she asks them," Rubenstein said.

Nine of 11 bodies discovered in the raid that freed Lynch are believed to be those of American soldiers. Those bodies were transported yesterday to Dover, Del.

With News Wire Services

[ArneFufkin]

And discipline? She ordered a side of carrots, even though she hates them, for first dinner in almost a week. Because they are GOOD FOR HER! ;^)

She's an awesome ... and damn lucky ... young soldier.

[CheneyChick]

He said she was particularly cheered by the pink casts she requested.

[Iwo Jima]

I want to know the basic facts (spare me the grisly details) about how ALL of our POWs were treated. It's important to know not just for the here and now, but for the future. What are we asking our young men and women to risk in future wars against this type of enemy?

I heard that Pfc Lynch and others like her received FOUR HOURS of survival training. Lynch's brother, who enlisted the same day that she did but went through full survival training, taught her what he had learned. If true, that has got to change. If this episode has taught us nothing else, it has taught us that there is no "behind the lines" and that this type of enemy will target support personnel rather than go head to head with front line warriors. These people need full survival training as much as anyone.

[Democratshavenobrains]

But....but....the DUmbasses say that she was getting excellant care by the Iraqi health system.

[MissBaby]

The only good part of this is that we will find out who did it.  And when we do that person will be skinned alive and hung by his family jewels to rot.

Those are not  jewels if he gets his jollies beating women.

[Ciexyz]

God bless her, she's a brave fighter and a credit to her corps.

[ArneFufkin]

The dirty little secret, Luis, is that a man wouldn't have been alive and even if he was, that noble Iraqi wouldn't have accepted the threat to the lives of he and his family , walking many open miles to give away the location and status of a MALE American POW.

It was in a manly service to the well-being of an abused young woman that this brave and honorable man accepted his risks. An American male would have been too dangerous to risk the life of HIS WIFE and children to save. There's no doubt about that calculation. Again, the woman is always THE golden gem to preserve.

That speaks volumes of what men will risk to protect and nurture women. That's not good in a firefight.

[disclaimer]

Any single woman, in that context, is irreplacable. Every single man is dispensible. That's just the way it is.

Bull.

Mind explaining why that would be? With such a small birthrate women don't seem to be taking on their 'irreplacable' role here in the USA. Half or more could be sent to the front before we'd notice a change in population growth. You're argument is BS. I'm tired of women having a special status in this country - they, for the most part, don't deserve such treatment.

[Mr. Mulliner]

Agree, Arne. Very articulate answer. I also have the utmost respect for the women of our military and the price that they pay, but the battlefield is not the place to put the gender that is so important to the future of our race.

[Friend of thunder]

I hope they "neutralized" that black-clad Fedayeen colonel during the raid...with extreme prejudice.

I hope – and may God forgive me – that the “neutralization” was done slowly and deliberately. I am sure, however, that our troops acted more professionally, than I would have been inclined to.

A, likely unnecessary, reminder to all praying people: pray for Pfc Lynch, her family, all the other POWs, their families, all our troops, and their families.

[ArneFufkin]

I report, you decide.

I CAHHHNOT change the laws of successful evolutionary societal gender role adaptations, Captain.

[GretchenEE]

God heard the prayers of Jessica's home town inhabitants and moved on the Iraqi man to risk his and his family's lives to pluck her out of the devil's den. God bless them all, and her rescuers, with the richest blessings of heaven.

[ArneFufkin]

"I'm tired of women having a special status in this country - they, for the most part, don't deserve such treatment."

I'm going out to watch a band tonight. I'm going to give that exact pickup line a try.

[Ciexyz]

The Iraqi doctor who warned the Americans about Jessica, I hope he's well-rewarded and protected by our side.

[Da_Shrimp]

And ... please ... I am not casting insult on the skills, courage and derring do of ANY of the British warriors.

Don't worry, I know you're not!

Regarding your KIA query, I think the current figure is around 5.

You have a point about the BBC and their distorted views, but I think that in the case of Basra, our approach had to be adapted when the civilian population did'nt rise up as expected.

The main problem with Basra is that, unlike Baghdad, there was a popular uprising in the city towards the end of Gulf War I, encouraged by Coalition forces. After the Coalition elected not to persue the war, the rebellion was mercilessly crushed. Our troops are aware of this and that has coloured their approach, IMHO. The people there are known to dislike Saddam, but they need to learn to trust us this time, hence the football (soccer) match.

Sorry you felt insulted by the British officer.. but then you get buffoons in all walks of life!

[redheadtoo]

Officials have refused to say why so many of Lynch's bones were broken, but it's likely she was tortured.

Rush mentioned on his show yesterday that the Iraqi's have a history of torturing female prisoners by hanging them naked, and upside down by the ankles. Such treatment would easily explain her back injury and the broken ankle.

Breaking bones is a common practice in torture. I used to work with a man who had been tortured by the Viet Cong. They had a special device designed to break knuckles. They broke all the knuckles on both of his hands. Like Jessica he was rescued by Special Forces. The Navy Seal who pulled him out of his cage told not to worry any more because there was no one left alive to hurt him.

[nmh]

The role of men IS to protect men incapable of protecting themselves, women and children. A female has NO business playing "protector". It's abominable. Jessica should NOT have been over there. This situation only proves that females ARE viewed differently. There is a DIFFERENT kind of emotional outpouring for her because females ARE the weaker sex.

Having said that, I wish her no ill will. I wish her a speedy recovery but I do NOT endorse females in COMBAT positions for ANY reason. Hopefully some females MAY rethink their role in the military and accept the reality that they should NOT be in combat positions.

[DaughterOfAnIwoJimaVet]

I'm going to give that exact pickup line a try.

ROTFL

[Centurion2000]

Your quote is close ... but not quite corect.

Ezekiel 25
13 Therefore thus saith the Lord GOD; I will also stretch out mine hand upon Edom, and will cut off man and beast from it; and I will make it desolate from Teman; and they of Dedan shall fall by the sword.
14 And I will lay my vengeance upon Edom by the hand of my people Israel: and they shall do in Edom according to mine anger and according to my fury; and they shall know my vengeance, saith the Lord GOD.
15 Thus saith the Lord GOD; Because the Philistines have dealt by revenge, and have taken vengeance with a despiteful heart, to destroy it for the old hatred;
16 Therefore thus saith the Lord GOD; Behold, I will stretch out mine hand upon the Philistines, and I will cut off the Cherethims, and destroy the remnant of the sea coast.
17 And I will execute great vengeance upon them with furious rebukes; and they shall know that I am the LORD, when I shall lay my vengeance upon them.

[katnip]

"The dead included the first American woman soldier killed in the Iraq war, Pfc. Lori Ann Piestewa, 23, of Tuba City, Ariz. Piestewa, a Hopi who was one of the few American Indian women in the military, was the mother of a 4-year-old boy and a 3-year-old girl."

Mommies should not be sent to war.

This is the saddest thing I have ever read.