U.S. army says dead soldiers not linked to Iraqi rape

[Barrett808]

U.S. army says dead soldiers not linked to Iraqi rape
By Alastair Macdonald

BAGHDAD (Reuters) - The U.S. military in Iraq said on Monday that three soldiers killed by kidnappers in June do not appear to have had any involvement in the rape and murder of a 14-year-old Iraqi girl and her family in the same area.

In an unusual move prompted by concern among the dead men's families over media reporting of the two events, the military said: "The criminal investigation into the crimes committed against the Iraqi family in Mahmudiya is still ongoing.

"Thus far, however, no evidence has been discovered implicating Babineau, Tucker or Menchaca in any criminal involvement with the Mahmudiya incident."

Specialist David Babineau and Privates First Class Thomas Tucker and Kristian Menchaca were killed in June near Mahmudiya, near Baghdad. U.S. officers said a member of the unit, during counselling, gave information that led to murder and rape charges against five other men from the 502nd Infantry Regiment.

(more)

http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20060904/ts_nm/iraq_rape_dc

[IndianaGreen]

1. Babineau, Tucker and Menchaca were in the same platoon as the rapists

Their killers chose members of the same unit to mete out their punishment. One could say that the rapists not only killed an Iraqi family, but they are also responsible for the deaths of their comrades.

[gratuitous]

3. A logical inference to draw

Will our media breathe a word of it? Or will this seem to be just another act of senseless, random violence against our star-spangled, freckle-faced boys in uniform, unrelated to anything else going on in Iraq?

[Supersedeas]

11. *sigh*

[gratuitous]

12. On further consideration . . .

Thinking it over, and giving the corrupt Bush administration its proper due for polishing turds, they will probably now say that while it may be that some of our star-spangled fightin' men did these awful, awful things, if it hadn't been for the librul media publicizing their war crimes, no one in Iraq would have ever thought to take revenge against the occupying army.

Whew, that was close! The Bush administration was almost on the hook for the consequences of its ill-considered and ill-planned actions for a second there.

[tularetom]

2. Perhaps not but that doesn't mean they weren't killed in retaliation

[IndianaGreen]

4. They were killed in retaliation

They wore the same uniform and unit patch as the rapists did. They were all in the same platoon! The reason they were tortured was perhaps to get them to say who did it. I doubt that they even knew, since the rapists made a pact among themselves to hide the truth from everyone, including their comrades.

[Kagemusha]

5. "No evidence has been discovered." Reassuring.

Yeah, right...

[Disturbed]

6. Revenge killings?

Two of the soldiers that were captured has their testicals cut off and stuffed into their mouths. That repulsive act sure does indicate that their killers were sending a message to the US Troops and The Busholini Regime, imo.

[peacebird]

9. I had not heard those details before - I DO believe it WAS revenge, yes

I agree with you - it's just I was unaware that two soldiers were mutilated in such a graphic fashion....

My guess is *that* message was NOT missed by the units fellow soldiers.

sigh.....

[Hav]

7. .

What a great war it is. Every American should connect these tragedies with "Stay the course".

[superconnected]

8. constantly privates. Isn't that the lowest rank they go?

Is most of the army privates or is that just new people?
How long are they privates?

[theanarch]

10. sorry i can't provide a link, but...

...it was reported (probably in the European media) that the kidnappers did issue a statement claiming responsibility, and that they did it to revenge the rape/murders...once again, the M$M is doing its utmost to spin/slant coverage in the most favorable-to-the-Pentagon terms possible...embedded? or just 'in bed' with?