US troops take heavy casualties west of Baghdad: witnesses

[NNN0LHI]

http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/afp/20030929/wl_mideast_afp/iraq_unrest&cid=1514&ncid=1473

KHALDIYAH, Iraq (AFP) - US troops took heavy casualties after two convoys were attacked with bombs and rocket-propelled grenades (RPGs) as a firefight erupted in a flashpoint area west of Baghdad, witnesses said.

US military officials said they had no immediate reports of the attacks which witnesses said occurred at around 9:00 am to 10:00 am (0500 to 0600 GMT) outside the town of Khaldiyah and in the nearby community of Fallujah.

Witnesses in Khaldiyah, 80 kilometers (50 miles) west of Baghdad, said several US soldiers were killed.

But there was no official confirmation of any deaths in the attack and an ensuing firefight which was continuing into the afternoon.

more

[JNelson6563]

1. Danny Coulter will probably say

a few suffered prickly heat and chafing.

We've essentially got our troops in a shooting gallery. Rummy thinks things are going swimmingly.

Oy!

Julie

[0007]

2. .....and several US soldiers were killed!

Wonder how this will be spun. Don't tell me, I know.

[dbt]

3. Hey, Rummy!

Tell me again how this ain't a quagmire? And how it's not like Viet Nam (which you missed entirely)?

:freak:
dbt

[saigon68]

7. IRAQ-NAM = quagmire

More bullshit cover-up.

Eventually the truth will get out. I E-Mail these reports to everyone I know.

A lot of ex-flag waving GI's are getting very upset at the censorship.

[Maine-i-acs]

4. Thanks GW...

After all, our Fearless Leader did say "Bring 'em on". He didn't say "Put down your RPGs."

I wonder, if he was still in the Guard, how Poppy & co. would get him out of being there.

He's not too old, as we have some 50-something Guardsmen serving there. One nice grandfather from my home state was killed there. He was around GW's age but without the high-falutin' connections.

[spinbaby]

5. You notice the coverage of these things?

The military isn't telling us about firefights--they officially don't know anything. We don't hear about firefights from the press--the press is no longer embedded, they're huddled in a hotel in Badhdad. We hear about action from local witnesses who can get the word out.

[catmandu57]

6. So far no casualty count

there is a report of heavy fighting, but this is something that's going to take a while to get the numbers on. This will go well with the new Time cover, mission "not" accomplished.
According to yahoo they're using tanks, helicopters, and even jets, with women and children fleeing. Kind of sounds like what we expected the battle of Baghdad to be like.

[Ashcroft Kutcher]

8. MSNBC/Reuters

reporting 1 soldier killed.

[NNN0LHI]

9. Here is the Reuters link

http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/nm/20030929/ts_nm/iraq_usa_soldier_dc&cid=564&ncid=1480

[Devils Advocate NZ]

15. That is a different incident...

The original article says an attack happened in:

"Khaldiyah, 80 kilometers (50 miles) west of Baghdad"

Whereas this article says an attack happened in:

"Habbaniya, about 40 miles from the capital."

Perhaps these a two different yet coordinated attacks in the same general area?

[sangh0]

27. That's right

There were two attacks, probably coordinated, in the same general area.

[Brucey]

10. The weird thing is how no one seems to care about Iraqi casualties.

It appears that US troops just shoot at anyone suspicious. Innocent Iraqis killed because they didn't stop for a roadblock, civilians killed by helicopter fire because they were in the way, etc. The American sheeple and journalists just yawn. The US military has become butchers with absolutely no regard for laws, rights, or human life. Why doesn't anyone talk about the immorality of this Bushmess?

[Sticky]

11. AlJazeera: US forces shoot dead Iraqi child

Soldiers opened fire at hundreds of stone-throwing demonstrators in Hawija, west of the mainly Kurdish city Kirkuk on Monday, said a hospital director

http://english.aljazeera.net/Articles/News/ArabWorld/Iraqi+official+survives+assassination.htm

[Brucey]

12. Thanks for the link.

[ramapo]

16. Even weirder, little care about US casualities

US KIAs are buried in little blurbs inside the paper. The wounded are barely mentioned. No thought is given to those with serious injury and how their lives are possibly ruined, all for *s misadventure.

Where's the outrage?

[saigon68]

17. THE PUBLIC IS SEDATED WITH SPORTS

The average person cares not--- until its their kid who is dead. With a total media blackout no one cares.

[tinnypriv]

24. Bremer: "I have no idea what Iraqi casualties are"

Seriously. He said that in a BBC interview aired last night.

[tabasco]

13. The enemy is just following orders

The President of the United States of America told them "Bring 'em on." They're bringing it on, while our brave president plays golf.

[JohnyCanuck]

14. Just saw Pat "Hurricane Tamer" Robertson

on the tube while channel surfing. Pat allowed as how was a bit disappointed in Shrub because Shrubby seemed to be getting cold feet and was backing off going after the other terrorists in Iran and Syria because of the problems in Iraq. Pat reassured the audience that actually things were going quite well in Iraq and great progress was being made.

[dArKeR]

18. U.S. soldier killed by guerrillas - Mirror

A U.S. soldier has been killed and another wounded after guerrillas attacked a military convoy in a restive area west of Baghdad, a U.S. military spokesman says.

Lieutenant Colonel George Krivo told reporters in Baghdad the morning attack took place on Monday in the town of Habbaniya, about 70 kms (43 miles) from Baghdad -- an area where U.S. forces come under almost daily attack from guerrillas opposed to the U.S.-led occupation of Iraq.

Eighty-one U.S. soldiers have been killed in attacks since President George W. Bush declared major combat in Iraq over on May 1 following the war that ousted Saddam Hussein, according to official U.S. figures.

"There was an engagement this morning. It was an IED (improvised explosive device) attack on a convoy," Krivo told a news briefing. "There was a coalition soldier injured and one coalition soldier killed in action."

http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/24by7panews/page.cfm?objectid=13461136&method=full&siteid=50143

[snippy]

19. "Bring 'em On " Bush gets his wish. Again.

Added on edit: The media often reports how many troops have been killed since the Carrier Costume Party. I would like to know how many have been killed since Whistle Ass said "bring 'em on."

[tlcandie]

20. A couple of things popped out at me in the Aljazeera article ...

Reminds me of Palestine/Israel with added SADAAM PORTRAIT

<snip>
The casualties occured when protesters, carrying portraits of ousted Iraqi President Saddam Hussein, took to the streets of Hawija and began pelting occupation soldiers with stones.
<snip>

Why would this military spokeswoman not giver her name?

<snip>
A military spokeswoman, who would not give her name, said the convoy was attacked about 9:15 am (0515 GMT) by an "improvised explosive device" in the town of Habbaniyah, near to where the Americans have a large base.
<snip>

I don't recall hearing reports of daily ongoing assassination attempts?

<snip>
As lawlessness continues to grip the country, an Iraqi official working on drafting a new constitution for the occupied country escaped an assassination attempt, but his bodyguard was killed.
<snip>

EDIT: bold face type

[saigon68]

21. an Iraqi official working on drafting a new constitution

"The Official" needs a body guard. They all need new bodyguards. What a way to run the country.

I still wonder how Sadaam could roam the streets ---and hundreds were carrying machine guns, women, old men and children all heavily armed. Apparently he wasn't afraid?

[AnnabelLee]

22. That information is here

http://lunaville.org/warcasualties/Summary.aspx

Scroll down; it's in the box under "Notes" on the left side.

[snippy]

23. Thank you. I wish the media would report this.

[saigon68]

26. How many in this incident?

Any news?

[roguevalley]

25. oh crap.

I hate this stuff.