***Operation Iraqi Freedom - Situation Room - Day 20 - LIVE THREAD***

Multiple ^ | April 8, 2003 | Various

[hmmmmm]

My thoughts on Chater too! So we wouldn't hear the sound of it coming in but we've been hearing the tanks firing for quite a few hours now. Wouldn't that have been heard? I'll have to listen more carefully the next time they show that tape.

[MEG33]

Draw a bullseye on it and I think it'll sell.

[Tree of Liberty]

Fox - Greg Kelly reports that tanks from 2nd Brigade were receiving direct and indirect fire from Palestine Hotel area. Spotter saw binoculars and RPG's at the Palestine. Shot toward the top at an observation deck.

[SirAllen]

Well, now confirmed we fired on hotel.

[TruBluKentuckian]

I stand corrected... Greg Kelly says a US tank DID fire on the hotel.

[A_Niceguy_in_CA]

David Chater, the Sky News reporter stated clearly in his live interview that the Western Jouralists at the Palestine are STILL under the control of the Hussein Government. Anything he and other Western Reporters are now saying must contine to be questioned as to real facts, especially since their Iraqi Minders are desparate and armed.

[Tree of Liberty]

RoE allows for us to return fire and fire at observation posts.

[BossLady]

I think that would be a good idea with some of these people...seems like they are just in the way.

Interesting that several REUTERS news people were injured.......

[hmmmmm]

Looks like Chater was right afterall. Greg Kelly is reporting that it was our tank. I really hate that Chater is right this time.

[MEG33]

Those compassionate Iraqis are using hotel as cover.

[Tree of Liberty]

Fox - Family of Jessica Lynch to hold news conference in Germany shortly

[Aaron0617]

Don't interrupt Greg and this tank story for another Jessica Lynch newsconference.

[Beck_isright]

One other thing. If you don't think the Iraqis are using that hotel for spotting, you're nuts. The hotel is fair game. If you're there like an idiot lemming reporter, the expression "T.S." comes to mind.

V

[Tree of Liberty]

He was right about that one point, but he's still an ass for saying that we're specifically targeting Western journalists.

Fox - Lynch family conference on now.

[hmmmmm]

If it was 1 of our tanks, it still has to be some sort of set-up.

[hmmmmm]

Absolutely he is and it still doesn't mean that it wasn't a set-up either.

[piasa]

FOX 's Greg Kelly... says the tankers thought they saw RPGs coming from hotel and when they looked they saw what appeared to be spotters on the top... one tank sent a round into the hotel at the spot in question.

Hotel is on list of forbidden sites BUT if a tank is fired upon, they can fire back.

****

Given the Iraqis already demonstrated tactics by using pregnant women as cover for bombing checkpoints, and the fact that Iraq does not have a free press and all reporters are kept under minder's thumbs, it is reasonable to assume that Iraq will use reporters as cover. It would be stupid not to assume it.