7 U.S. Soldiers killed in Iraq (April 4th)

1 posted on 04/04/2004 2:06:10 PM PDT by Gringo1

7 soldiers dead, 24 of them injured. Firefight in Baghdad with Shiites. Israeli media reporting.

2 posted on 04/04/2004 2:10:11 PM PDT by yonif ("If I Forget Thee, O Jerusalem, Let My Right Hand Wither" - Psalms 137:5)

BAGHDAD, Iraq (AP) -- Seven U.S. soldiers were killed Sunday in fighting with Shiite militiamen in the Baghdad neighborhood of Sadr City, the U.S. military said.

At least 24 other American troops were wounded, the military said in a written statement.

Elsewhere Sunday, supporters of an anti-U.S. Shiite Muslim cleric waged violent demonstrations in four Iraqi cities, punctuated by a gun battle at the Spanish garrison near this Shiite holy city that killed at least 20 people, including two coalition soldiers - an American and a Salvadoran.

The U.S. military also reported two Marines were killed in a separate "enemy action" in Anbar province.

Protesters also clashed with Italian and British forces in other cities in a broad, violent challenge to the U.S.-led coalition, raising questions about its ability to stabilize Iraq ahead of a scheduled June 30 handover of power to Iraqis.

With less than three months left before then, the U.S. occupation administrator appointed an Iraqi defense minister and chief of national intelligence.

"These organizations will give Iraqis the means to defend their country against terrorists and insurgents," L. Paul Bremer said at a press conference.

About three miles outside Najaf, supporters of anti-American cleric Muqtada al-Sadr opened fire on the Spanish garrison during a street protest that drew about 5,000 people. The protesters were angry over the arrest of the cleric's aide, said the Spanish Defense Ministry in Madrid.

The attackers opened fire at about noon, said Cmdr. Carlos Herradon, a spokesman for the Spanish headquarters in nearby Diwaniyah.

The Spanish and Salvadoran soldiers inside the garrison fired back, and assailants later regrouped in three clusters outside the base as the shooting continued for several hours.

Two soldiers - a Salvadoran and an American - died and nine other soldiers were wounded, the Spanish defense ministry said. No other details were available.

More than 200 people were wounded, said Falah Mohammed, director of the Najaf health department. El Salvador's defense minister said several Salvadoran soldiers were wounded.

The death toll of at least 20 included two Iraqi soldiers who were inside the Spanish base, witnesses said.

Spain has 1,300 troops stationed in Iraq, and the Central American contingent is of a similar size. The Salvadorans are under Spanish command as part of an international brigade that includes troops from Central America.

Multiple train bombings in Madrid last month that killed 191 people have been blamed on al-Qaida-linked terrorists, who said they were punishing Spain for its alliance with the United States in Iraq and Afghanistan.

Spain's new government, elected just days after the March 11 train bombings, has promised to make good on its pre-election promise to withdraw all Spanish troops from Iraq unless command for peacekeeping is turned over to the United Nations.

In El Salvador, the defense minister said the attack will not alter his country's role in reconstruction efforts.

Copyright 2004 Associated Press. All rights reserved.

3 posted on 04/04/2004 2:11:39 PM PDT by Alas Babylon!

Sorry, this thread was pulled a minute ago. I posted on another that this is separate from the 7 injured soldiers reported in the north.

4 posted on 04/04/2004 2:12:27 PM PDT by Royal Guardsman (A fool and his money are soon a part of Congress)

To: Royal Guardsman

That was my fault. I thought it was the same report that yonif posted earlier.

5 posted on 04/04/2004 2:15:48 PM PDT by Admin Moderator

To: Admin Moderator

6 posted on 04/04/2004 2:16:25 PM PDT by Royal Guardsman (A fool and his money are soon a part of Congress)

The Iranians are making their play thru their agents!

7 posted on 04/04/2004 2:16:38 PM PDT by Ernest_at_the_Beach (The terrorists and their supporters declared war on the United States - and war is what they got!!!!)

I have advocated from the start, a complete disarming of the Iraqi populace in preparation for a lasting peace there. A number of people opposed this saying it was impossible. Folks, peace is impossible without it. Hasn't that become clear enough?

City by city, sector by sector, foot by foot, the Iraqi land must be freed of arms and explosives.

In the interum, isn't there a way to use satellite technology to study who planted explosive devices, and where they escaped to? At night we have infrared tech. We have satellites that can see through cloud cover. When snipers attack our troops, watch where they go upon retreat. Then mount a force and eliminate them.

If it takes more troops on the ground, then we need to make it extemely clear that we're going to bring in those troops until the attacks stop. If they want us to leave, the attacks must stop. Then we eradicate all those who take action to oppose us, including loud mouthed Clerics.

8 posted on 04/04/2004 2:17:22 PM PDT by DoughtyOne

Lugar is calling for more troops.

9 posted on 04/04/2004 2:19:33 PM PDT by Ernest_at_the_Beach (The terrorists and their supporters declared war on the United States - and war is what they got!!!!)

Maybe you and Sarah Brady can appeal to the Iraqi's "common sense" and maybe they will "do it for the children".

I think this would be like trying to rid Texas of Guns and Cattle.

10 posted on 04/04/2004 2:20:05 PM PDT by Gringo1 (El Riesgo Siempre Vive!)

First and foremost the idelology of militant Islam must be weeded out. But this is going to be very hard, considering Iraq is in a sea of such ideology. Another problem is political correctness. Taking action against those practicing militant Islam is not seen viable by the US, because it fears it willl look like a war against Islam. There are two more things the US need to do, as discussed by a former military official on Fox News. It needs to stop relaying on technology and do stuff the old fashioned way, and get better intelligence. Finally, an IDF officer in the early period of the war in Iraq said that the US needs to stop worrying about how it is looked on TV around the world, and do what is necessary both for getting the terrorists and protecting its troops.

11 posted on 04/04/2004 2:20:24 PM PDT by yonif ("If I Forget Thee, O Jerusalem, Let My Right Hand Wither" - Psalms 137:5)

To: Alas Babylon!

Bump. Prayers for their loved ones.

12 posted on 04/04/2004 2:20:32 PM PDT by jerseygirl

To: DoughtyOne; Dog; Cap Huff; Ragtime Cowgirl; Dog Gone; NormsRevenge

We shouldn't be surprised by this.

14 posted on 04/04/2004 2:21:56 PM PDT by Ernest_at_the_Beach (The terrorists and their supporters declared war on the United States - and war is what they got!!!!)

Pryers for their souls, and their friends and families. And prayers that the wounded be healed quickly and completely.

15 posted on 04/04/2004 2:22:28 PM PDT by BlessedBeGod ('I went to Vietnam, yada yada yada, I want to be President...")

To: Ernest_at_the_Beach

Things could heat up fast in the south. This Al-Sadr Cleric claims a million brainwashed mooooslims as followers.

16 posted on 04/04/2004 2:23:13 PM PDT by Rams82

To: Ernest_at_the_Beach

Prayers all around.

BTW, it is crucial to our enemies in Iraq and elsewhere that GWB be defeated. They are praying for GWB to be defeated and will do anything to make it happen.

17 posted on 04/04/2004 2:24:51 PM PDT by umgud (speaking strictly as an infidel,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,)

I think we should formally reopen hostilites and wage unrestricted warfare against this cleric and his followers with Airstrikes,Artillery, and all the trimmings.

18 posted on 04/04/2004 2:27:31 PM PDT by Gringo1 (El Riesgo Siempre Vive!)

This Al-Sadr Cleric claims a million brainwashed mooooslims as followers.

Time to disappear Al-Sadr. No, don't kill him, don't make a martyr of him. Just remove him and his leadership to a nice remote U.S. base and don't say a word about what happened.

19 posted on 04/04/2004 2:28:02 PM PDT by Numbers Guy

To: Ernest_at_the_Beach

I wonder...

Has anyone given consideration to the strategy of stepping back, and allowing the radical lunatics in Sunni/Shia/Kurd warring factions to "have at it" with one another for a few months --- without attempting to pull them apart?

Shouldn't we consider allowing a mini-Civil War within Iraq and let the crazies kill one another until they have been bled white and willing to try OUR PLAN?

It seems there are too many Iraqis with unsatisfied bloodlust -- and SOMEONE will have to kill them, sooner or later..

Better now, than later.....better Muslim lunatic killing Muslim lunatic than Americans.

Semper Fi

20 posted on 04/04/2004 2:28:30 PM PDT by river rat (You may turn the other cheek -- but I prefer to look into my enemy's vacant dead eyes.)

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