Brian Freeman story. Troops died after, not in, sneak attack (It got worse.)

[TayTay]

Troops died after, not in, sneak attack
By Steven R. Hurst and Qassim Abdul-Zahra,
Associated Press Writers | January 26, 2007

BAGHDAD, Iraq --Contrary to public statements by the U.S. military, four U.S. soldiers did not die repelling a sneak attack at the governor's office in the Shiite holy city of Karbala last week. New information obtained by The Associated Press shows they were abducted and found dead or dying as far as 25 miles away.

The brazen assault, 50 miles south of Baghdad on Jan. 20, was conducted by nine to 12 militants posing as an American security team. They traveled in black GMC Suburban vehicles -- the type used by U.S. government convoys -- had American weapons, wore new U.S. military combat fatigues, and spoke English.

In a written statement, the U.S. command reported at the time that five soldiers were killed while "repelling the attack." Now, two senior U.S. military officials as well as Iraqi officials say four of the five were captured and taken from the governor's compound alive. Three of them were found dead and one mortally wounded later that evening in locations as far as 25 miles east of the governor's office.

The U.S. officials said they could not be sure where the soldiers were shot after being captured at the compound. Iraqi officials said they believe the men were killed just before the Suburbans were abandoned.

More at: http://www.boston.com/news/world/middleeast/articles/2007/01/26/us_soldiers_not_killed_in_sneak_attack/

Holy friggin shit! I wonder where Sen. Kerry was when he got this news. It's bad enough to have the news these brave troops died, but in this way? This massively underscores the misunderstandings that Kerry was talking about in committee and on the floor this week.

I bet the good Senator hit the roof when he heard this. Like it wasn't bad enough before.

[ProSense]

1. This story is devastating!

It's no wonder the earlier reports, although tragic, misrepresented what actually happened. Instead of presenting this far worse scenario---several high ranking troops abducted from a government office and murdered, it was relayed as an sneak attack. This is a really bad sign.

[whometense]

2. This is beyond hideous.

Now I feel even more certain this helped push his decision.

[beachmom]

3. Okay, this is really, really bad. Yes, I think this death was part of

his decision. What a horrible way to die, and be tricked like that. I feel like the Iraqi government is so corrupt they cannot be trusted. It's getting our troops killed.

[karynnj]

4. Even more sickening

It relates exactly to what he told Senator Kerry and Dodd. That they were being asked to do these things they weren't trained for and which were too dangerous for the state department people.

That was what Kerry was speaking of in the SFRC. I really wondered how many of the Senators really got it. Boxer, Hagel and Dood - from their own statements seemed to - though none were speaking like Kerry.

I also see why he had to reconnect to Vietnam - this type of thing happened there as well.

[Democrafty]

5. Holy

friggin shit is right! The next person who complains that nobody reports the "good things" happening in Iraq should get faxed about 200 copies of this article. Yes, our troops are trying, and they deserve credit for that, but that does not make the situation worth it. It's time to bring them home.

[_dynamicdems]

6. Horrible and senseless waste of young lives. For what?

I can't even imagine how Senator Kerry must have felt. No wonder he's determined to devote himself to stopping this insane war.

[rockymountaindem]

7. And the "limited war" rolls on

Honestly, I think "limited war" is one of the most dangerous terms to emerge in the last 100 years. It is dangerous because it is a deceptive notion, and it fools people into thinking that things are not as bad as they really are. War is either happening or it isn't. And even if it's brief or small in scale, I bet it's not "limited" to the people experiencing it. The idea that somehow we civilized inhabitants of the modern age can somehow release only part of the multi-tenticled beast of war is rediculous, but too many people believe this is possible. Heck, even Vietnam was supposed to be a "limited war".

The example that really crystalized this for me was this summer's war on the Israeli-Lebanese border. It finally struck me after the revelation that Israeli forces were using cluster bombs and phosphorus munitions against Hezbollah. Now, whatever one's views on the conflict as a whole are, you've got to be deluded if you think either side in this bitter conflict was going to hold back any part of their legal arsenal. So here were were for a few weeks thinking this was some kind of sanitized, manageable border clash... but then... "cluster bombs? OMG!?!?!?" and suddenly the scales fell from peoples' eyes and they realized this was serious business. If they had come to that realization before, and the realization that "limited war" is a farce, maybe the world community would have put more pressure on to stop the fighting.

Seriously people... if two people are beating each other up, don't tell them to just use one hand. Make them stop. :rant:

[emulatorloo]

8. What a painful story, and how horrible of the US military to give false accounts

of what happened.

[YvonneCa]

9. I just realized...

...he lived about a mile from me:

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

The Defense Department has released the names of troops killed Jan. 20 but clearly identified only one as being killed because of the sneak attack.

Capt. Brian S. Freeman, 31, of Temecula, Calif., "died of wounds suffered when his meeting area came under attack by mortar and small arms fire." Freeman was assigned to the 412th Civil Affairs Battalion, Whitehall, Ohio.

The only other troops killed that day in that region of Iraq were four Army soldiers said to have been "ambushed while conducting dismounted operations" in Karbala.

The four were identified as 1st Lt. Jacob N. Fritz, 25, of Verdon, Neb.; Spc. Johnathan B. Chism, 22, of Prairieville, La.; Pfc. Shawn P. Falter, 25, of Homer, N.Y., and Pvt. Johnathon M. Millican, 20, of Trafford, Ala. All were with the 2nd Battalion, 377th Parachute Field Artillery Regiment, 4th Brigade Combat Team, 25th Infantry Division, of Fort Richardson, Alaska.
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>


I live in Temecula. I wish there was something I could do.