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Jittery U.S. Soldiers Kill 6 Iraqis
Yahoo ^ | Aug 10th 2003 | SCHEHEREZADE FARAMARZI

Posted on 08/10/2003 8:37:25 PM PDT by CanadianFella

BAGHDAD, Iraq - The night air hung like a hot wet blanket over the north Baghdad suburb of Slaykh. At 9 p.m., an electrical transformer blew up, plunging the neighborhood into darkness.

American soldiers, apparently fearing a bomb attack, went on alert. Within 45 minutes, six Iraqis trying to get home before the 11 p.m. curfew were shot and killed by U.S. forces.

Anwaar Kawaz, 36, lost her husband and three of four children. "We kept shouting, 'We're a family! Don't shoot!' But no one listened. They kept shooting," she told The Associated Press. She's expecting another child this month.

When asked about Friday's shootings, Lt. Col. Guy Shields, coalition military spokesman, said, "Our checkpoints are usually marked and our soldiers are trained and disciplined. I will check on that. That is serious."

Confronted by daily guerrilla attacks that have claimed 56 American lives since May 1, U.S. troops are on edge. Iraqis complain that many innocent people have died at surprise U.S. checkpoints thrown up on dark streets shortly before the curfew. Drivers hurrying home say they don't see the soldiers or hear their orders to stop.

The Kawaz family left the home of Anwaar's parents on Bilal Habashi Street at 9:15 p.m. for the 10-minute drive home. They had traveled only a half-mile when they reached the intersection where they said the American bullets took their terrible toll.

A few yards in front of them, two soldiers standing near two Humvees were shooting at the family's white Volkswagen, she said. Two other soldiers near a Humvee to the right of the car also fired, she said.

Witnesses told the AP one of the soldiers fell to the ground screaming in pain, apparently a victim of friendly fire.

"They killed us. There was no signal. Nothing at all. We didn't see anything but armored cars," Anwaar said Sunday, two days after the confrontation.

"Our headlights were on. He (her husband) didn't have time to put his foot on the brake. They kept shooting. He was shot in the forehead. I was still sitting next to him. I got out of the car to get help. I was shouting, 'Help me! Help me!' No one came."

Witnesses said her husband, Adel Kawaz, survived for at least an hour, still sitting in the car after being hit in the head and back.

Ibrahim Arslan, whose house is on the corner where the Kawaz car came under fire, said Kawaz cried out for help.

Arslan said he and a neighbor tried to remove the wounded Kawaz from the car, but the door was jammed. Then they fled when automatic rifle fire again split the air.

"The next day we heard he had died," Arslan said.

Ali Taha, who lives across the street, said Haydar Kawaz, 18, was sitting up in the back of the car with a bullet wound in his head. His sister, 17-year-old Olaa, slumped dead into his arms.

When the shooting stopped and the American soldiers were gone, Taha said, he and other neighbors ventured out about 11 p.m. and took the bodies of the brother and sister from the car, placed them on the pavement and covered them with a sheet.

The Americans had taken the bodies of Adel, the husband, and another child, 8-year-old Mirvet. Two days later, the family still did not know where the bodies were taken.

A fourth child, a 13-year-old Hadeel, survived.

"I was sitting in the middle, between my brother Haydar and sister Olaa," Hadeel said, her head bandaged.

"I felt blood coming down my head. I tried to drag myself out of the car. An American pulled me out. I kept telling them that my father and my brother were in the car. There was a translator with them.

"My father was shouting, 'We are still alive!' but no went to help him.

"The Americans told me to go with them but I was afraid they would hurt me. I didn't trust them. So I ran to my grandparents' house," Hadeel said. She told the story sitting in her grandparents' home, crying quietly, surrounded by family.

Lt. Sean McLaughlin, stationed at a base near Slaykh, could only express sympathy, although he said his unit was not involved.

"No one feels worse than us. We want to build a safe Iraq (news - web sites) for the Iraqis. It's a difficult situation here," McLaughlin said.

A few blocks from where the car was shot up, 19-year-old Sayf Ali was shot and killed as he drove home with a cousin and a friend. He, too, didn't see the American checkpoint, survivors in the car said. Soldiers opened fire on the blue Opel station wagon, which kept moving after Ali was shot. The cousin and the friend jumped out. Soldiers kept firing until the car caught fire incinerating Ali's body, according to one of the witnesses, Arslan.

About the same time nearby, Ali Salman, 31, was driving home, also unaware of the unannounced American checkpoints. He apparently didn't see the soldiers either and was killed.

Ghaleb Laftah, 24, who was sitting in the back of Salman's Honda, and Wisam Sabri, sitting in the front passenger seat, were wounded.

"There was no light. We didn't see the Americans," said Laftah, limping from a leg injury as he walked to Salman's wake that was being held under a tent on Bilal Habashi Street.

"We didn't hurt anyone. We didn't break the law," Laftah said, speaking with difficulty because of four broken teeth from the shooting.

"My son, ... the Americans killed him," said Salman's father, Hikmat, who broke down in sobs. "He was on his way home and was caught up in the shooting. He was afraid, got out of the car and they still shot him. He was frightened, then he died. I only have one (son)," he said.

Family members were also holding a wake for Sayf Ali. The men sat under a tent outside the house and the women were indoors, according to Iraqi tradition.

Sabah Azawmi, an uncle and a Sunni Muslim, said his tribe would seek revenge on the Americans.

"They set fire to the car while he was inside," said Azawmi.

"They are terrified of the Iraqis. If they weren't afraid, they wouldn't behave this way," he said.

But Hikmat Salman, Ali Salman's father and a Shiite Muslim, said he was not interested in revenge. He said he would leave that to God.

The Kawaz family, also Shiites, also said they would leave revenge to God.

"I wish Saddam (Hussein) would return and kill all Americans," Anwaar Kawaz said. Under Saddam, "we used to go out at one in the morning. We went out at 9 now and they killed us.

"I want to drink Bush's blood. They are all criminals," she said, beating her chest.


TOPICS: Crime/Corruption; Foreign Affairs; Government; Miscellaneous; News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: civiliancasualties; iraq
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To: CanadianFella
This is a bunch of propaganda crap. The writer on more than one occasion writes with certainty about what the dead was thinking. HUH?? For example, one didn't see a checkpoint & was killed. How do they know he didn't see it? It appears that he was alone. I don't believe a word of this. The very end of the article gives the whole thing away when one says they wish Saddam would come back and the statement about drinking Bush's blood. Don't believe this. Our soldiers wouldn't drive off & leave dead or injured kids in a car.
61 posted on 08/10/2003 10:02:56 PM PDT by nightowl
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To: clamboat
The reality is someone screwed up, badly, and now commanders on the ground are going to scurry around to make sure there are no repercussions.

-------------------------

The reality is, we are attempting to occupy a country in which every fifth person is a fanatic terrorist of some type and we can't determine who is who until it is too late. Let's get the hell out, barracade the entire area off, and let them kill each other.

62 posted on 08/10/2003 10:03:19 PM PDT by RLK
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To: CanadianFella
And lest some think I don;t support our troops, they would be wrong. I totally support our troops who are well trained and disciplined. They are in an impossible situations, asked to act with restraint like police when they are trained for combat, not civilian administration.

Unfortunatly it takes only a handful of poorly disciplined troops like this to undo countless hours of labor and goodwill built up by other troops and civilians who are repairing electric grids, operating refineries, restoring water lines, and fixing schools.

63 posted on 08/10/2003 10:03:23 PM PDT by clamboat
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To: dwd1
The exit strategy is already pretty clear:

a) get a minimum amount of the economy & utilities functioning;

b)get the political process moving with the Iraqi council;

c)train a new Iraqi police force and army to take care of security;

d)withdraw most troops and leave 1 or 2 divisions in 'over-the-horizon' locations to get them out of the Iraqi's faces but let the bad guys know we're not going to let them come back.

Seems pretty simple and good (but not easy to implement). But we've already started.

64 posted on 08/10/2003 10:04:52 PM PDT by pierrem15
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To: RLK
Let's get the hell out, barracade the entire area off, and let them kill each other.

We tried that. It didn't work too well on 9/11, did it? What do think will hapen when, not if these savages acquire nukes, which will happen if we don't change the situation?

65 posted on 08/10/2003 10:06:59 PM PDT by pierrem15
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To: clamboat
We all concede the point that this may have been the fault of some young kid who is scared and did not show proper restraint. I hope that you will also be on this forum showing as much indignation when some kid that does his duty and is, oh, shall we say, waiting in line, and gets killed by someone in civilian clothing. Also, if you are going to twist my words, try to at least properly interpret my words. You seem to have no explanation concerning how someone half a mile away could have caused such a reaction from our military personnel unless they were driving in what could be perceived as aggressive. I am sure that in your vast military experience, you have confronted similar situations. May I ask how you resolved the situation? Also, please remember that you and I are able to have this discussion because those young men and women are putting their lives in harm's way. I don't like when innocent people get hurt any more than you do, but those young men and women are over there because the President sent them....If you have a problem with the way they are doing their job, you may speak with your elected officials or you may enlist and react in the appropriate fashion. Will we be hearing from you from Baghdad or Tikrit or are we going to hear from you on Fox News?
66 posted on 08/10/2003 10:11:06 PM PDT by dwd1 (M. h. D. (Master of Hate and Discontent))
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To: pierrem15
Very good assessment in my opinion. We don't know if the soldier screwed up...but the hidden bit of information we do know is that one soldier was hit by presumably 'friendly fire'. I understand the dynamics of combat and that FF is common (and in some ways not as common as you would expect in the chaos of a fire fight). But FF killed a soldier at a checkpoint? Did he walk out to the car and then they opened fire? Doesn't make sense - as described at least. The author appears to have bias, but none of us really know what happened. (It is also possible that our guys screwed up - consider the pressure they are under. Well, the pressure they are under if all the quagmire and drinking blood stories are actually true...lol.)

Gum

67 posted on 08/10/2003 10:13:33 PM PDT by ChewedGum ( http://king-of-fools.blogspot.com)
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To: pierrem15
Let's get the hell out, barracade the entire area off, and let them kill each other. We tried that. It didn't work too well on 9/11, did it?

------------------------

That's because instead of barracading them in with each other we brought them over here. Got it yet?

68 posted on 08/10/2003 10:17:00 PM PDT by RLK
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To: CanadianFella
Quess they should have stopped at the check point.Oh well
69 posted on 08/10/2003 10:19:59 PM PDT by novacation
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To: pierrem15
Outline is good but the details need some work.

I just want to see the lottery of death end...

Hope that it goes away in the next two or three years....
70 posted on 08/10/2003 10:31:28 PM PDT by dwd1 (M. h. D. (Master of Hate and Discontent))
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To: CanadianFella
F#%k you faggie fella!!!!!


71 posted on 08/10/2003 10:37:53 PM PDT by RIGHT IN SEATTLE
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To: dwd1
See my #59.

In a year or so when businesses begin investing in Iraq, there will be the promise of jobs, consumer products, and prosperity.

Not long after, you'll go to the market and find Heinz ketchup, Kroger products, and Florida orange juice as well as Indian veggies and Aussie beef and mutton.

The opportunities in Iraq will be astounding in just a short time and I predict that there will be American franchise restuarants on many, many corners.

72 posted on 08/10/2003 10:42:29 PM PDT by Eagle Eye (There ought to be a law against excessive legislation.)
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To: dwd1
On that note..

Could I please have some prayers for my friend "Popeye," whose son was killed in Somalia?

I have coffe with him often..

He's so haunted..please pray..

Thanks..

Ms.B
73 posted on 08/10/2003 11:42:43 PM PDT by MS.BEHAVIN ("Great spirits have always encountered violent opposition from mediocre minds".Re-elect G.W.Bush)
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To: RLK
While I also think that the President has done a lousy job of securing the borders, the type of barricade you seem to have in mind is not possible, unless you're talking about bombing them back to the stone age and erecting a permanent blockade and Iron Curtain to keep any tech out and the savages in, it won't work. And the latter is not possible for reasons that are obvious.

Bush is right that the terrorists are much more of a threat only with state-sponsorship and assistance, so we have to change the political situation for our own safety. Does that mean that Bagdhad will look like Philadelphia in 1776 anytime soon? No. It just requires that a modicum of representative government be established.

74 posted on 08/10/2003 11:52:35 PM PDT by pierrem15
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To: MS.BEHAVIN
Tell him he is in our prayers, and that his son's sacrifice is remembered and honored by all those who truly love our country.
75 posted on 08/10/2003 11:55:39 PM PDT by pierrem15
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To: jeepit
We were losing 150 men a week in Viet Nam on average. This is not another Viet Nam nor is it likely to be one given no major power or even minor power is going to be supplying a guerilla movement in Iraq as North Viet Nam was supplied by China and the Soviet Union. Having said that- this incident is not the first "panic" fire incident that has resulted in Iraqi civilian deaths and it doesn't make for good press.
76 posted on 08/10/2003 11:56:00 PM PDT by Burkeman1 ((If you see ten troubles comin down the road, Nine will run into the ditch before they reach you.))
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To: CanadianFella
"A few yards in front of them, two soldiers standing near two Humvees were shooting at the family's white Volkswagen, she said. Two other soldiers near a Humvee to the right of the car also fired, she said.

Witnesses told the AP one of the soldiers fell to the ground screaming in pain, apparently a victim of friendly fire.

"They killed us. There was no signal. Nothing at all. We didn't see anything but armored cars," Anwaar said Sunday, two days after the confrontation.

"Our headlights were on."

Let me see, their headlights were on and they did not see or hear anything until they were a few yards away?, but then they could see soldiers in front of them and at their side? I think this story is bunk and needs to be taken with a grain of salt.
77 posted on 08/10/2003 11:59:20 PM PDT by mjaneangels@aolcom
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To: RIGHT IN SEATTLE; Brad's Gramma; ODC-GIRL; azGOPgal; Fawnn
I....just don't like this photo

Period.

It spooks me.

Ms.B
78 posted on 08/11/2003 12:01:24 AM PDT by MS.BEHAVIN ("Great spirits have always encountered violent opposition from mediocre minds".Re-elect G.W.Bush)
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To: pierrem15
Thank you so very much..

Okay with you if I print it out for him?

It does him a world of good to see some of the replies..

Ms.B
79 posted on 08/11/2003 12:04:59 AM PDT by MS.BEHAVIN ("Great spirits have always encountered violent opposition from mediocre minds".Re-elect G.W.Bush)
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To: MS.BEHAVIN
Don't look at it.......

Change the channel....

Turn down the volume....

Go to bed.......

You are up way too late!

80 posted on 08/11/2003 12:05:41 AM PDT by RIGHT IN SEATTLE
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