US bombs own convoy in N Iraq

BBC News ^ | Sunday, 6 April, 2003, 08:37 GMT 09:37 UK | BBC News World (John Simpson)

[malamute]

US forces have bombed a convoy of American special forces and Kurdish civilians in northern Iraq, the BBC's world affairs editor John Simpson says.

John Simpson, who himself suffered minor injuries in the attack, said he could see a lot of bodies.

He described the attack as a "bad own goal" by the Americans.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/2921743.stm

[ArneFufkin]

It wasn't an American pilot. We drop 250lb and 500lb bombs. There would be no reporter on the scene.

[not_apathetic_anymore]

It sure seems like we hear about friendly fire a lot. I wonder if it's happening more often than in past wars (if so why) or if it's just getting reported more.

I know we can never be perfect with targeting, but it seems like there would be some way to make its occurrence a rare thing.

Prayers for the casualties and for the one pulling the trigger.

[ArneFufkin]

Do you believe a reporter who identified an American plane just because he saw it I'm sure, and then was fated enought to stand 10-12 feet from the spot where a bomb, dropped from that American warplane, landed? A reporter who is NOT channeling this story through some afterworld Seance or TV medium? Bulloney. I say it was Islamist scumbags with big Russian artillery who came just inside the Iranian border.

[ArneFufkin]

I'd like to teach the world to sing.

[Prince Charles]

Sky News says 12 dead... but that number will most likely rise.

[ArneFufkin]

Take a hike.

[Samurai_Jack]

This investigation will be brutal.

But here are some of the questions that come to mind:

- I hope these Special Forces guys arent thinking they would be able to travel through north western iraq with impugnity?
- Dont they know that there are terrorists travelling by caravan from Iran?
- Arent they calling for authorization to travel this route?
- Didnt the pilot know that there would be a convoy?
- Isnt this the same kinna thing that happened in afghanistan with the canadians?
- Are our pilots too tired?
- Are these people communicating?

[ArneFufkin]

He said the bomb was dropped from a U.S. plane 10 to 12 feet (about four metres) from where he was standing.

Imagine a 250 lb bomb exploding 10 feet from you. This freindly fire charge is a FRAUD!!!

[Blackyce]

Anybody else feel bad for unconsciously only counting American dead? Its not that I dont feel sad about the others, its just that I always want it to be as few Americans as possible. I feel kind of guilty since these other people are fighting with us. In any case, its unlikely that 10-12 US special forces troops were killed, they were traveling in too small of numbers and were part of a convoy of mostly Kurdish soldiers and civilians.

[Tommyjo]

"I say it was Islamist scumbags with big Russian artillery who came just inside the Iranian border."

And who just happened to fire ONE shell to target and wipe out a moving convoy. Use some commonsense man. Blue on Blue incidents are tragic enough.

[MARTIAL MONK]

As bad as this sounds it is minimal compared to past wars. One statistic that sticks in my mind (was it from Lew Walt?) is that 25% of U.S. casualties in WWII and Korea were from accidents and friendly fire. That's a bunch. It took a lot of headknocking and a lot of unnecessary deaths to get the Generals to coordinate communications between services.

In the past incidents like this took hundreds or even thousands of lives per incident. In many cases it was kept quiet so as not to disturb homefront morale. Improving communication has significantly reduced the problem.

[Blackyce]

'); //-->

THIS STORY HAS BEEN FORMATTED FOR EASY PRINTING

---

Pentagon: Three Americans killed, five wounded in alleged ''friendly fire'' attack in Northern Iraq

By Associated Press, 4/6/2003 06:08

CAMP AS SAYLIYAH, Qatar (AP) A U.S. warplane bombed a convoy carrying U.S. Special Forces and Kurdish fighters in northern Iraq on Sunday, killing three Americans and wounding five others, U.S. Central Command said.

''Three U.S. service members were killed and five wounded in a possible friendly fire incident involving an F-15E Strike Eagle and coalition ground forces,'' the U.S. Central Command said in a statement.

It gave no details on Kurdish casualties or the location of the apparent friendly-fire attack.

John Simpson, a British Broadcasting Corp. correspondent who was with the troops, said he counted at least 10 bodies amid the burning vehicles.

''An American plane dropped the bomb right beside us. I saw it land about 10 feet away,'' Simpson told BBC television. He did not disclose his location.

Associated Press Television Network showed pictures of the bombing, near the town of Makhmur, in Kurdish territory about halfway between the Iraqi cities of Mosul and Kirkuk.

Simpson, the BBC's World Affairs Editor, said the convoy contained between eight and 10 cars, two of which carried U.S. Special Forces troops.

The BBC said Simps had been wounded in the leg by shrapnel. His translator was seriously injured, and so was a senior Kurdish political figure, he said.

''This is just a scene from hell here,'' Simpson said. ''All the vehicles are on fire, there are bodies burning all around me, bits of bodies all around. ... The Americans saw this convoy and they bombed it. They hit their own people.''

http://www.boston.com/dailynews/096/world/Pentagon_Three_Americans_kille:.shtml

[kattracks]

US investigates "friendly fire" reports in N.Iraq


AS SAYLIYA CAMP, Qatar, April 6 (Reuters) - The U.S. military said on Sunday it was investigating reports that U.S.-led forces bombed their own special forces and Kurds southeast of the northern Iraqi city of Mosul.

"Central Command officials are investigating reports that coalition aircraft may have engaged special operations and friendly Kurdish ground forces," the U.S. military said in a statement issued at war headquarters in Qatar.

It said the incident had occured on Sunday morning, about 30 miles (48 km) southeast of the northern city of Mosul, but said it did not have any information on possible casualties.

"Coalition aircraft were conducting close air support missions at the time, and were in coordination with ground forces. The circumstances contributing to the incident are under investigation," the statement said.

A BBC correspondent who said he had witnessed the incident said at least 10 people, including U.S. special forces and a senior Kurdish figure, had been killed when a U.S. plane dropped a bomb on their convoy.



04/06/03 07:14 ET

[laz17]

Is the pilot a muslim? After what happened with Akbar, the question needs to be asked.

[demosthenes the elder]

oh... crap.

[StriperSniper]

dropped the bomb right beside us. I saw it land about 10 feet away,'' Simpson told BBC television.

How many people are alive that can say that, he is very lucky.

(I know it was pretty unlucky to be there in the first place :-)

[not_apathetic_anymore]

thanks for the perspective on what its been in the past. I also got to thinking that since the total number of deaths is much lower than in other wars (WWII, Vietnam, etc) that the percentage of friendly fire may well be higher. I guess that says something good about how we've learned to protect our troops in general.

[Archangelsk]

Go pills.

[Archangelsk]

- Are our pilots too tired?

Our pilots are taking go pills to sustain them through combat operations. At a certain point it induces paranoia. The same thing happened in Afghanistan when a couple of F16 drivers mistook a Canadian outfit - identified as training by ATC - for Taliban/al-Qaeda and fired them up.