Booby-Trapped Bodies of 2 GIs Recovered(Bodies mutilated)

The Washington Times ^ | Jun 20, 7:46 PM EDT | KIM GAMEL

[kellynla]

BAGHDAD, Iraq (AP) -- The U.S. military recovered the bodies Tuesday of two missing soldiers from an area it said was rigged with explosives. An Iraqi official said the Americans were tortured and killed in a "barbaric" way.

An insurgent group claimed the new leader of al-Qaida in Iraq executed the men personally, but it offered no evidence. The U.S. military did not confirm whether the soldiers died from wounds suffered in an attack Friday or were kidnapped and later killed.

The discovery of the bodies dealt a new setback to U.S. efforts to seize the momentum against al-Qaida in Iraq after killing its leader, Abu Musab al-Zarqawi, in a June 7 airstrike. Violence was unabated Tuesday, with at least 18 people killed in attacks nationwide, including a suicide bombing of a home for the elderly in the southern city of Basra.

Coalition forces spotted the American soldiers' bodies late Monday, three days after the men disappeared following an attack on their checkpoint south of the capital, the military said. But troops delayed retrieving the remains until an explosives team cleared the area after an Iraqi civilian warned them to be alert for explosive devices.

"Coalition forces had to carefully maneuver their way through numerous improvised explosive devices leading up to and around the site," the military said in a statement. "Insurgents attempting to inflict additional casualties had placed IEDs around the bodies."

Maj. Gen. William Caldwell said the bodies were found together in the vicinity of an electrical plant, which would be just a few miles from where the initial attack took place near the town of Youssifiyah in the volatile Sunni Triangle south of Baghdad.

[singfreedom]

When I first heard they were "tortured" and murdered, that was my fear as well: their heads were not recovered.

[singfreedom]

I wondered about that as well. When two humvees run off and leave one behind, that didn't sound like sound tactics to me. Granted, I'm not a soldier, nor have I ever been, but my husband was (long enough to retire) and he couldn't figure out their actions either, in light, especially, of the terrorists call for revenge. He figured the same thing you did.

Also, why did it take a "fast strike" team 15 minutes to show up? That sounds like an awfully long time when people are being attacked!

[brazzaville]

Good evening.
"... the platoon split up."

I've read that there were three Hummers. If each held the same number as the one the poor dead troopers were in, it was a squad and the squad leader is blaming himself as much as the Army is blaming him.

Michael Frazier

[Mo1]

The discovery of the bodies dealt a new setback to U.S. efforts to seize the momentum against al-Qaida in Iraq after killing its leader, Abu Musab al-Zarqawi, in a June 7 airstrike

The hell it set us back

This new Al-q will be dead as a door nail just like Zarqawi

[bnelson44]

Yes, the squad leader is probably going through a self inflicted hell right now.

[skepsel]

More like 30 million could be mobilized, rough rule of thumb is that a nation can mobilize 10% of the population for an extended period w/out destroying the economy.

[Prodn2000]

The ANIMALS that captured our heroes did unspeakable things to them. When you can't even test dental records, that's when you know these are sick bastards. One was from near my hometown. This has to end now.

[proud_yank]

Thanks for the ping, actually I was going to say the same thing!

[brazzaville]

Good evening.
"They were defending their homeland."

Yeah, they defended it in Manchuria and Southern China, in Burma and throughout the Pacific. Oh, and don't forget Hawaii.

They seemed to defend their nation in the same way, with bayonets and swords, while the age and gender of the enemy didn't seem to matter to them.

They would have defended it against Australia if our troops and the Aussies hadn't stopped them. Michael Frazier

[rawcatslyentist]

>"In WWII the Democrats and liberals were on our side!"

IN WWII we were allied with COMMUNIST RUSSIA!

Seems like the enemedia still "IS" ^{TM BIlly Jeff}

[bnelson44]

any suggestions?

[isaac32]

The heart of man is deceitfully wicked and desperately sick. If circumstances were different and our country were occupied with a foreign military force I could see myself doing some very ugly things to captured enemy combatants.

[singfreedom]

Is the Murtha turd up for election this year? I would sure like to contribute to the campaign of anyone running against him. He needs to be gone from the public arena.

[Prodn2000]

Let the Iraqi army deal with them. If we are going to be governed by the Geneva Conventions and other civilized war statutes, then let them do what needs to be done.

[singfreedom]

ANSWER was involved in the "illegal alien demonstrations", too. Anywhere there is an opportunity for some "commie" agitating, you can bet they will be there!!

[madison10]

What I was saying is that evil barbarism has been around for eons...different groups have used it for their purposes when they thought it was warranted. The Church committed its share of horrors, so did a King of England, or two. Doesn't make the torture acceptable no matter the time or place. Just reveals the evil that has always lurked in the hearts of humankind and what we are up against.

You wouldn't happen to be from Madison, WI would you. It fits.

Nope, Madison is the street just south of mine. I'm no Liberal. LOL

[panthermom]

It's not simply war. Our guys are crucified and sent to prison for putting panties on the heads of these scumbags. Just recently one was found guilty because his dog barked to close to a terrorist. We should unleash on these savages. THE SILENCE FROM THE HUMAN RIGHTS CROWD IS DEAFENING.

[skepsel]

All the turds in the House are up for re-election this year!

[rahbert]

Its not what he said to the press, but what he does.

Lets see the action...

[bnelson44]

In other words: pull out