Russian Accuses U.S. of Firing on Convoy

The Guardian (UK) ^ | April 7, 2003 | Associated Press

[Ingtar]

If the firing lasted 30-40 minutes, and the US did the firing at the convoy intentionally, there would have been no survivors.

[bmwcyle]

Chinese Embassies, Russians in trucks, they are just in the way of progress.

[RANGERAIRBORNE]

My thought, exactly. Even when we bomb FREINDLY convoys by mistake, we do a lot more damage than this.

[JeeperFreeper]

That's what I thought as well. If Americans had been planning on killing the Russians, they would be dead.

[try phecta tom]

If they are so smart why did they wait till two days before the fall of bagdad to leave? Hedging their bets?

[Johnny Gage]

Russia's ambassador to Iraq on Monday accused American troops of firing on his convoy outside Baghdad

The Russian "Ambassador" was quoted later saying:
"How can vee be expected to deleever our meessles, rifles and ammunition to Saddam's Army if the Amerikans are shooting at us like that."

[freelight]

They were crowding the plate--this was the brushback pitch.

[CheneyChick]

I thought they told people to leave weeks ago.... This is a war zone, for goodness sakes.

[shadowman99]

A better question than why did we fire on a convoy would be "why are these Russians in Iraq?"

[Fides et Ratio]

Sounds like a scene from the movie "The Hunt for Red October":

"Captain, they're shooting at us!!!"
"Relax, Yevgenei. If they were really shooting at us, we'd be dead."

[Semper Vigilantis]

A Russian "diplomatic" convoy leaving Baghdad just before the fall. Smuggling out the old regime, perhaps?

[mad puppy]

Yakovenko did not comment on Russian media reports that bullet holes in the vehicle and a bullet removed from an injured diplomat matched the caliber of bullets from an American M-16 rifle.

According to a web site I just looked at:

The M-16 shoots a 5.56mm bullet.

The old AK-47 shoots a 7.62mm bullet.

The new AK-74 shoots a 5.45mm bullet.

A gun-savvy Doctor might be able to tell a used 5.56mm bullet from a 7.62mm bullet, but 5.56 from 5.45? I've no doubt that the US (we) may have shot up that convoy, but I'd be even less surprised to find out that the Russians had updated the weapons of the Iraqi forces.

[Michael.SF.]

They were crowding the plate--this was the brushback pitch.

Very good point. and that is coming from someone who knows about crowding the plate:

Minnie Minoso

[ambrose]

My bet is they were using the cover of a diplomatic convoy to sneak out Ba'athist thugs...

[homeschool mama]

**If the firing lasted 30-40 minutes, and the US did the firing at the convoy intentionally, there would have been no survivors. **

Exactly.

[Michael.SF.]

What business do the Russkies have staying in Baghdad this long? Trying to sell a few more cheap/dysfunctional GPS jamming units

Maybe Saddam had filed a warranty claim on the GPS units and they had just deliverd the replacement units:

"Refund? Vat is dis? Read yor Varranty. Defective units vill be replaced at no additional charge only!

[1 x 7 Twist...]

The Iraqi's said they would shoot deserters...

[HenryLeeII]

Gee, there's a war on and we have A-10's flying around destroying anything that moves, and this idiot is upset when his convoy near Baghdad is attacked?!?! Anyway, his country has violated U.N. sanctions by supplying Kornet missiles and other weaponry to Hussein's regime, so why shouldn't he be considered a legitimate target?