Ambush Kills 3 from Division That Killed Saddam Sons

- Reuters ^ | Jul 24, 2003 | Andrew Marshall

[corlorde]

BAGHDAD- Three U.S. soldiers died in northern Iraq Thursday in the second fatal attack on troops from the 101st Airborne Division since they tracked down and killed Saddam Hussein's feared sons Uday and Qusay.

Washington had hoped the deaths of the brothers, killed on Tuesday when 200 soldiers stormed their hideout in Mosul, would end a guerrilla war that has claimed 44 U.S. lives since President Bush declared major combat over on May 1.

But with attacks continuing and many Iraqis still worried the hated former ruling family may rise again, the Pentagon prepared to publish grisly mortuary photos to try to convince them Uday and Qusay really are dead.

The U.S. military said the three soldiers from the 101st died when their vehicles were ambushed close to Qayara, south of Mosul, by gunmen who also fired rocket-propelled grenades.

Wednesday, one soldier from the division was killed and seven were wounded when two vehicles hit a mine on the outskirts of the city, and in a separate ambush, a soldier from the 3rd Armored Cavalry Regiment was killed west of Baghdad.

Five U.S. soldiers have now been killed since the deaths of Uday, 39, and Qusay, 37, Saddam's heir apparent. In all, 11 have died in the past week alone.

U.S. officials had warned of the risk of revenge attacks, and al-Jazeera television aired footage of masked men with rifles and grenade launchers vowing vengeance. "We will make them regret what they did to Uday and Qusay," one said.

But Lt. Gen. Ricardo Sanchez, commander of ground forces in Iraq, said the killing of the brothers would demoralize guerrillas and help tighten the noose around Saddam, who has a $25 million price on his head.

In Baghdad, two Iraqis were killed when U.S. troops opened fire on a car that ignored instructions to stop, local witnesses said. The car burst into flames leaving a charred wreck. Two bodies were taken to hospital, residents said.

[corlorde]

I'm trying to find out what battalion. I was in the 1/327.

[boxerblues]

The 326 En BN/887th EN CO had been in the city recently. Some memeber of the 326th were in the fight with the Hussein boys

[CindyDawg]

Forget about photos. We need to play by their rules. Every time one of our soldiers attacked we need to hit them really hard. Let these cheerleaders know that their support may cost them.

[boxerblues]

they are not going to believe a photo anyway...hang the bodies by their feet in the center of town


sorry I'm a tad edgy this morning

[Diogenesis]

"Let these cheerleaders know that their support may cost them."

And then some.

[mystery-ak]

I agree, hang them in downtown Baghdad.

[boxerblues]

even then it might be to nice for them!

[Diogenesis]

Their heads should be on pikes before being mixed with pig-fat.

[IncPen]

Washington had hoped the deaths of the brothers, killed on Tuesday...

George Washington is dead.

Who is this reporter referring to?

[boxerblues]

Its a Rueters story, what do you expect ...

[mystery-ak]

I like the cartoon...LOL

[shhrubbery!]

they are not going to believe a photo anyway...hang the bodies by their feet in the center of town

I'd second that, but if their bodies aren't too recognizable (except by dental comparison), then I don't know if even that would work to convince Iraqis.

John Loftus on WABC radio last night said his sources told him the bodies were "charred."

But other reports seem to indicate the bodies are recognizable. Perhaps only to those who knew them ... intimately?

[Pontiac]

Every time one of our soldiers attacked we need to hit them really hard.

This is a bit difficult to do unless you know who they are and where to find them.

These guys are using typical guerilla warfare tactics.

Unless one of their own turns them in you are going to have a hard time fining them.

[boxerblues]

I dont know what it would take to convince the Iraqi's that these dirtbag brothers are dead, but we need to prove it to them somehow.

[Lijahsbubbe]

Wahington didn't really think the deaths of Uday and Qusay would end the gorilla war, did they?

[pickemuphere]

they are not going to believe a photo anyway...hang the bodies by their feet in the center of town

I hope the administration doesn't honestly believe these people continue to fight because they fear Saddam is alive somewhere. They are killing us because they hate us; because we "invaded" their country; because we are the Great Satan.

[randog]

But other reports seem to indicate the bodies are recognizable.

I've heard that the faces are recognizable and that one of them had plates and pins in one leg and those items could be visibly seen on one of the corpses, i.e. the leg was shot up and the metal was showing.

[boxerblues]

From what I hear from my son and a few others in Iraq, the majority of Iraqis are glad that the Americans are there. They dont what us to stay any longer than is necessary, but they do fear Saddum and his merry band of hinchmen will return

[doberville]

Heads on pikes gets my vote.

[Revenge Of Daffy-Duck]

"Washington had hoped the deaths of the brothers, killed on Tuesday when 200 soldiers stormed their hideout in Mosul, would end a guerrilla war....."

Hmmm, That's not what Paul Brimmer said on TV after the deaths were announced. He said ( to paraphrase ) that our troops would be on the look out for retaliation from Baathist dead-enders. Only a wilful misreading of Gen. Sanchez's words could be used to "prove" that the
US expected all resistance to end immeadiately.

This writer deserves a nomination for the Jayson Blair-Janet Cook Award!