While Media Attention is Focused on the Katrina Aftermath...

[Hatalles]

U.S.: Air strikes kill seven insurgents

http://www.cnn.com/2005/WORLD/meast/08/30/iraq.main/index.html

And to top it all off, check the sub-heading:

"Police report dozens of civilians also killed"

It's very interesting how CNN chose to frame this story.

BAGHDAD, Iraq (CNN) -- Air strikes have flattened insurgent safe houses used by militants linked to al Qaeda in western Iraq, the U.S. Marines told CNN Tuesday.

The air attacks near the Syrian border killed at least seven militants, the 2nd Marine Expeditionary Force said.

A top operative called Abu Islam was among the dead, the force said.

Police in Baghdad reported that 56 civilians were killed in the strikes.

They said police contacts in the region told them 40 civilians died in one house and 16 in another. Two children survived, they added.

A U.S. military spokesman said he had no specifics yet on the strike.

Lt. Col. Steve Boylan of the Coalition Press Information Center said: "We target only military targets and take precautions on any type of civilian casualties on all of our operations."

[MelissaB]

1. Oh, my! 56 civilians...

[Tesla]

2. Is that like "Kill them all and let God pick out the bad ones"

I've heard a few freepers say that a time or two.

[okieinpain]

3. I like how they know the exact insurgent that was killed but when

asked about the civilian's it's "A U.S. military spokesman said he had no specifics yet on the strike."

[TahitiNut]

11. Yep. Lying through their teeth.

:grr:

[HysteryDiagnosis]

4. Rack up some newly created terrorists. This is the sort of thing that

you don't forget... ever.

[Hatalles]

5. Each of them belonged to a family. Each of them had friends.

The numbers of potential terrorists just keeps rising... we keep giving them more reason to hate us.

[alittlelark]

6. I think they're dropping bombs again due to the media distraction

of the hurricane. I heard '500 lb bombs' on CNN earlier (first day I watched the station in a year or so).

I don't think we've been dropping massive bombs for quite awhile.

[Hatalles]

7. Can we get three more recs?

This is a story that shouldn't disappear... at least not on DU.

[alittlelark]

8. If I could recommend twice I would.

[Hatalles]

9. Here's a final kick.

[latebloomer]

10. not so final

and a fifth vote for "greatest" page.

[SunDrop23]

12. That's the "liberal" MSM for you.

re: how they framed the story

[AuntiBush]

13. Gee. 2 Children Survived. How many of the 56 didn't!?!

And the Republican/Right-Wing Christian outrage, outcries?

Oh, the rage is deafening.

[Auntie Bush]

14. Rec .

[brettdale]

15. How sad

http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2005-08/30/content_3423585.htm

BAGHDAD, Aug. 30 (Xinhuanet) -- The US air strike early on Tuesday near the Iraqi western town of Qaim killed 56 civilians, said an Interior Ministry source.

"We have information that the US aircraft pounded areas near the town of Qaim near the Syrian border, destroying four houses and killing a total of 56 people," the source told Xinhua on condition of anonymity.

Sixteen people were killed in one of the houses, which was leveled in the attack, he said, adding 40 others were killed in a second house, where three families gathered.

Only two boys aged eight and ten survived in the second house, he added.

A US military spokesman said that its aircraft shelled suspectedal-Qaida hideouts near Qaim, killing several militants, including Abu Islam.

"There was a total of three strikes targeting terrorist safe houses and Abu Islam and several of his associates were killed," said the spokesman in Baghdad.

Earlier, the Qatar-based al-Jazeera satellite television reported that the US aircraft carried out strikes on villages near Qaim, killing more than 40 people and wounding dozens.

"US aircraft pounded a house at about 2:00 a.m. (2200 GMT Monday) in Karabla village," the channel quoted witnesses as saying.

"Thirty people are still under debris and only five wounded civilians were admitted to the medical center, which was also attacked by US aircraft. Some workers were wounded in the attack," medical sources were quoted as saying.

Four hours later, a second house was destroyed by US aircraft in another air strike on al-Salman village near Qaim, killing 15 people, the channel said. Enditem

[Usrename]

17. I hope the pilots on the air strike don't hear about this part--->

"Thirty people are still under debris and only five wounded civilians were admitted to the medical center, which was also attacked by US aircraft. Some workers were wounded in the attack," medical sources were quoted as saying.

[ContraBass Black]

16. What? You can't be serious!

Eight times as many civilians as targets killed. This is like IDF gunships taking out Hamas leaders on crowded streets. This is unbelievable. This is atrocious. This is horrific.

This is going on my blog.

[Nothing Without Hope]

18. If this is what they are telling us, the truth must be much worse. Two

children, probably injured, possibly orphaned, survived. What a terrible thing to read, especially when you know it's likely to be a whitewash.

[ContraBass Black]

19. Doesn't anyone think this is front page material?

Suppose a cop shot at a bank robber and hit eight civilians as well. What would we all say?

[Hatalles]

20. Unfortunately, dead brown people don't make the front page.

:(

[ContraBass Black]

21. 63 Dead Brown People

Really ought to make the front page, especially if only seven of them were targets. I'd be particularly upset to find one of those two young survivors shooting at me with equipment left over from the occupation twenty years from now.