IRAQ: U.S. Soldier Killed by Iraqi Sniper Fire

Las Vegas Sun ^ | June 17, 2003 at 0:27:17 PDT | ASSOCIATED PRESS

[Ernest_at_the_Beach]

BAGHDAD, Iraq (AP) -

A U.S. soldier on patrol in northern Baghdad was killed by a single shot from a sniper, the military said Tuesday.

The gunman escaped from the area as the soldier collapsed on the ground. He was evacuated to a first aid station but died shortly afterward, said Maj. Sean Gibson, a U.S. military spokesman.

The identity of the soldier, from the 1st Armored Division, was withheld pending notification of relatives.

The shooting came on the second day of a major operation across central and northern Iraq to seek out illegal weapons stores and hunt for ringleaders of the anti-American resistance.

Gibson said the soldier was shot in the chest, even though he was protected by body armor. The others on the patrol did not see the gunman, but it was not clear if they returned fire.

About 50 American soldiers have died in Iraq since major combat was declared over on May 1.

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[Ernest_at_the_Beach]

OFFICIAL BUMP(TOPIC)LIST

[optik_b]

These stories must be gut-wrenching for families of those still over there. I fear a new trend in sniper activity against our troops on patrol.

I'm surprised Al Qaeda has not used more snipers like the Beltway sniper in American cities.

[wretchard]

Iraq is the main theater of operations by Islamists against the US. This is their max effort. They will ramp it up. So will the America, and the advantage is with us. Why? Because we can capture assets, interrogate them and follow up on the intel. They have no similar capability; not on that scale. Coldly speaking, the headline was worth more to the Islamists than the soldier they killed. The sniping has a political objective: to create the impression of a quagmire.

[Tokhtamish]

You notice that no one is holding any victory parades. Not a good sign.

[Rudder]

About 50 American soldiers have died in Iraq since major combat was declared over on May 1.

This is truly discouraging news.

[FierceDraka]

My Answer:

Vicious reprisals against the mullahs inciting these attacks, as well as their families.

It's not pretty, but neither is the sight of American soldiers coming home in body bags. I stand firm in my conviction that Islam reduces the mind of man to that of a very dangerous animal, and must be dealt with as such.

Politically correct? No. Nice? Not really. Honest? Absolutely.

[Coop]

You notice that no one is holding any victory parades. Not a good sign.

What in the world does this mean?

[Captain Kirk]

Impression of a quagmire! The pro-war rationalizations are amazing. If this isn't a quagmire, I don't know what is.

[Captain Kirk]

The "honest" policy is to get us out of this quagmire. Yes, Virginia, it is a "quagmire yet."

[Ernest_at_the_Beach]

You are surprised since you thought the war was over?

[Ernest_at_the_Beach]

The war has just started!

Where have you been?

[Captain Kirk]

No...the war has not just started. It is the quagmire which now has become obvious even to a few Rumsfeldites.

[Ernest_at_the_Beach]

The quagmire is in your mind!

[angcat]

I wish they would all come home now!

[Captain Kirk]

So the American soldiers who have been killed in the last month are really alive? Is that what you mean?

[Ernest_at_the_Beach]

Right on!

[Tokhtamish]

It obviously means that public satisfaction with the results is deflating rapidly.

Yes it is a quagmire. Twenty two years ago, the very same neoconservatives who persuaded Bush that America can reengineer Iraqi political culture persuaded Begin that the Lebanese would be so overjoyed and grateful to Israel for destroying Fatahland that they would welcome Israeli troops with flowers and become Israel's loyal ally. Then as now gratitude has the political shelf life of strawberries. It wasn't long before the Israelis had to scurry out of Lebanon having accomplished nothing but to replace the PLO with Hezbollah and in the face of an Arab weapon more formidable than Nasser's tanks and Migs ever were; the suicide bomber.

To imagine that the Iraqis wish to be occupied by any foreign army is ridiculous. What nation would ? To expect their love is ridiculous self-flattery. And to believe that we can reengineer their political culture when we cannot even control the streets of Baghdad is lunacy. Talk about American troops being there for years (as if the American people are going to put up with losing 3-5 Americans a week indefinitely.) is insane.

[Coop]

It obviously means that public satisfaction with the results is deflating rapidly. Yes it is a quagmire.

It's obviously a childish comment based on completely unrealistic expectations.

Golly gee, we'll just go take over a country in two weeks, and duh, there won't be any resistance at all. Yup! Yup!

[Coop]

If this isn't a quagmire, I don't know what is.

You're absolutely frickin' clueless. LOL!