Iraqi bodies litter plain as U.S. troops advance

MKSheppard · Post by **MKSheppard** » 2003-03-23 03:49pm

Iraqi bodies litter plain as U.S. troops advance

By Luke Baker

NEAR NAJAF, Iraq, March 23 (Reuters) - Burnt out vehicles and incinerated bodies littered a plain in central Iraq on Sunday after U.S. forces overwhelmed Iraqi militia fighters in a battle south of the holy city of Najaf.

U.S. armoured infantry and tanks took control of the plain in the early hours of Sunday after a battle of more than seven hours against Iraqi forces who were armed with machineguns mounted on the back of Japanese pick-up trucks.

Najaf lies just 160 km (100 miles) south of Baghdad.

On the main road running across the plain, burnt out Iraqi vehicles were still smouldering on Sunday afternoon, and charred ribs were the only recognisable part of three melted bodies in a destroyed car lying in the roadside dust.

"It wasn't even a fair fight. I don't know why they don't just surrender," said Colonel Mark Hildenbrand, commander of the 937th Engineer Group.

"When you're playing soccer at home, 3-2 is a fair score, but here it's more like 119-0," he said, adding that the Iraqi sport utility vehicles (SUVs) stood no chance against tanks.

"You can't put an SUV with a machine gun up against an M1 tank -- it's heinous for the SUV," Hildenbrand said.

U.S. FORCES ADVANCE TOWARDS BAGHDAD

The fighting began late on Saturday as forces from the U.S. 3rd Infantry Division pushed on with their swift drive north towards Baghdad.

Iraqi bodies shot as they lay in sniper positions by the side of the road suggested the militiamen were hoping to ambush U.S. forces moving across the plain, a strategic area on the west bank of the Euphrates river.

Forward U.S. reconnaissance units took some initial fire from the militia before armoured infantry, tanks, artillery and combined air support were called in.

"The tanks took out all the militia vehicles and then infantry cleared the area slowly and steadily on foot," said Lieutenant-Colonel Bernie Lindstrom of the 937th, who was in the area during the fighting.

"The booms and bangs began at about 9.00 p.m. (1800 GMT Saturday) and the area wasn't totally secured until about four or five o'clock this morning. It was hectic for a while."

Hildenbrand said Iraqi President Saddam Hussein was trying to use the militia as a guerrilla-type force. But the militiamen appeared hopelessly ill-prepared to deal with the sheer firepower that the U.S. military can throw at them.

Dead soldiers shown to reporters were not wearing any standard uniform and had only open-toed sandals on their feet. Helmets lying near their bodies were made of plastic, not kevlar.

The only common item appeared to be a black beret with an eagle and standard badge at the front.

A desert hideout Hildenbrand said had been used by a militiaman in recent days showed the hardship many ordinary Iraqi soldiers face.

The soldier had only a filthy blanket to protect him from the cold desert nights, and for food he had only a plastic bag full of raw meat. When he fled, he left behind a picture of his two children.

"I feel nothing but sorrow for these people," Hildenbrand said as he toured the hideout. "This war is against one man, it's not against the Iraqi people. I just wish they would surrender so we could get it over with."

kojikun · Post by **kojikun** » 2003-03-23 03:52pm

are they real military or not?

RedImperator · Post by **RedImperator** » 2003-03-23 03:55pm

What a God damned shame. They were probably a bunch of half-starved peasants who wouldn't have threatened a North Philadelphia street gang, and they're being sent in against tanks, Apaches, and Warthogs.

Darth Garden Gnome · Post by **Darth Garden Gnome** » 2003-03-23 03:57pm

Jesus they fight in SUVs? I hope US troops are able to take Baghdad soon. Thats just terrible.

Crazy_Vasey · Post by **Crazy_Vasey** » 2003-03-23 03:58pm

Ah shit. Their courage exceeded their weaponry it seems... They should have just surrendered.

Stormbringer · Post by **Stormbringer** » 2003-03-23 04:00pm

Crazy_Vasey wrote:Ah shit. Their courage exceeded their weaponry it seems... They should have just surrendered.

More likely they're more afraid of Saddam than they are of dying. It is a damn shame they couldn't or wouldn't surrender.

Montcalm · Post by **Montcalm** » 2003-03-23 04:02pm

Crazy_Vasey wrote:Ah shit. Their courage exceeded their weaponry it seems... They should have just surrendered.

Maybe they were told the Americans torture the prisoners,and when the information come from a so called reliable source like aljazerra,they have no choice but believe the lies

Crazy_Vasey · Post by **Crazy_Vasey** » 2003-03-23 04:03pm

I dunno, I'd rather believe they went out fighting for their nation than they went out because a figurative gun was being held to their heads to do it. It just seems.. wrong otherwise you know?

RedImperator · Post by **RedImperator** » 2003-03-23 04:06pm

Crazy_Vasey wrote:I dunno, I'd rather believe they went out fighting for their nation than they went out because a figurative gun was being held to their heads to do it. It just seems.. wrong otherwise you know?

Yeah. If they were patriots who felt like they were defending their country, you can at least respect their courage. If they fought because Saddam's goons would have killed their families otherwise, then it's just a fucking waste.

Stormbringer · Post by **Stormbringer** » 2003-03-23 04:08pm

RedImperator wrote:Yeah. If they were patriots who felt like they were defending their country, you can at least respect their courage. If they fought because Saddam's goons would have killed their families otherwise, then it's just a fucking waste.

I don't know which of those prospects bothers me more.

Montcalm · Post by **Montcalm** » 2003-03-23 04:18pm

I just thought about it,three possibilities first they fight because they`re threaten to be killed if they don`t,second they`re patriots who fight for their country,third they are fucked-up fundies

Cosmic Average · Post by **Cosmic Average** » 2003-03-23 05:20pm

Doubtful that they were fundies. More than likely their families were held prisoner and would be killed if they didn't fight.

Enlightenment · Post by **Enlightenment** » 2003-03-23 06:21pm

Montcalm wrote:Maybe they were told the Americans torture the prisoners,and when the information come from a so called reliable source like aljazerra,they have no choice but believe the lies

Well, the US did beat two Afghan captives to death during interrogation...

US POW treatment is a bit of a crapshoot.

Post by **RogueIce** » 2003-03-23 07:22pm

Enlightenment wrote:Well, the US did beat two Afghan captives to death during interrogation...

US POW treatment is a bit of a crapshoot.

Really? I never heard of this before. Sources, please?

Montcalm · Post by **Montcalm** » 2003-03-23 07:27pm

RogueIce wrote:
Enlightenment wrote:Well, the US did beat two Afghan captives to death during interrogation...

US POW treatment is a bit of a crapshoot.
Really? I never heard of this before. Sources, please?

I heard about that too last year,i think they were Afghan but more likely taliban outsiders

Post by **RogueIce** » 2003-03-23 07:31pm

Montcalm wrote:
RogueIce wrote:
Enlightenment wrote:Well, the US did beat two Afghan captives to death during interrogation...

US POW treatment is a bit of a crapshoot.
Really? I never heard of this before. Sources, please?
I heard about that too last year,i think they were Afghan but more likely taliban outsiders

Still like to see some sources...

And anyway, using this as a generalization of how US forces treat POWs is a bit of a stretch, don't you think? Especially the way you've worded it (Enlightenment)...

EmperorChrostas the Cruel · Post by **EmperorChrostas the Cruel** » 2003-03-23 07:40pm

The psycic medic speaks! (Endarkenment)

You have no idea of the medical condition of the 2 dead, BEFORE the interrogation bagan.

Did you know, the blunt force trauma, to the LEGS, (much less a bullet wound) can trigger a fatal stroke, or heart attack?
This is one of the BIG reasons they like to keep you overnight, for observation, after a big dustup, even if you feel fine. That, and swelling, and the loss of circualtion that can come with it.

Think hard. Think bloodclot. Think chunk of same bloodclot breaking off, migrating, and lodging RANDOMLY in a bad spot.

God, the bias you have short curcuits other, more probable reason for thing to be what they are.

You are looking, with an active scan, for ANYTHING, to use as a springboard for your hate.

Yes, hate, and you are full of it.
Full of something else too. It drips from your writing.

Montcalm · Post by **Montcalm** » 2003-03-23 07:46pm

RogueIce wrote:
Montcalm wrote:
RogueIce wrote: Really? I never heard of this before. Sources, please?
I heard about that too last year,i think they were Afghan but more likely taliban outsiders
Still like to see some sources...

And anyway, using this as a generalization of how US forces treat POWs is a bit of a stretch, don't you think? Especially the way you've worded it (Enlightenment)...

Here is something.
www.wsws.org/articles/2002/jun2002/afgh-j17.shtml

Post by **weemadando** » 2003-03-23 08:18pm

Stormbringer wrote:
Crazy_Vasey wrote:Ah shit. Their courage exceeded their weaponry it seems... They should have just surrendered.
More likely they're more afraid of Saddam than they are of dying. It is a damn shame they couldn't or wouldn't surrender.

Would you surrender if you were fighting for your nation?

These people don't give a shit that America and co. are calling it a war of liberation. They know that they're being invaded by a nation that they have no love lost with and they aren't happy about it.

Nathan F · Post by **Nathan F** » 2003-03-23 08:28pm

Enlightenment wrote:
Montcalm wrote:Maybe they were told the Americans torture the prisoners,and when the information come from a so called reliable source like aljazerra,they have no choice but believe the lies
Well, the US did beat two Afghan captives to death during interrogation...

US POW treatment is a bit of a crapshoot.

No, they were Al Quaida captives, and that is two blemishes on an otherwise pretty much spotless POW record.

Plus, Al Quaida never signed the Geneva Conventions, so, we broke no laws.

US treatment of Iraqi POWs has been superb. Quit spewing your anti-US bull.

Nathan F · Post by **Nathan F** » 2003-03-23 08:30pm

Montcalm wrote:
RogueIce wrote:
Montcalm wrote:I heard about that too last year,i think they were Afghan but more likely taliban outsiders
Still like to see some sources...

And anyway, using this as a generalization of how US forces treat POWs is a bit of a stretch, don't you think? Especially the way you've worded it (Enlightenment)...
Here is something.
www.wsws.org/articles/2002/jun2002/afgh-j17.shtml

Nice source there, the World Socialist Website. You know that is going to give an accurate, non-partisan, fair report....

Cal Wright · Post by **Cal Wright** » 2003-03-23 09:07pm

Enlightenment wrote:
Montcalm wrote:Maybe they were told the Americans torture the prisoners,and when the information come from a so called reliable source like aljazerra,they have no choice but believe the lies
Well, the US did beat two Afghan captives to death during interrogation...

US POW treatment is a bit of a crapshoot.

sources, sources, sources. there is no toleration for baseless acusations. Wishful thinking in these regards is bullshit and will be regarded as such. post sources.

jegs2 · Post by **jegs2** » 2003-03-23 09:13pm

Nathan F wrote:
Montcalm wrote:
RogueIce wrote: Still like to see some sources...

And anyway, using this as a generalization of how US forces treat POWs is a bit of a stretch, don't you think? Especially the way you've worded it (Enlightenment)...
Here is something.
www.wsws.org/articles/2002/jun2002/afgh-j17.shtml
Nice source there, the World Socialist Website. You know that is going to give an accurate, non-partisan, fair report....

No doubt. Really shoulda included a smiley face with that source. I shall demonstrate:

Here is a source that describes Americans torturing POW's:

http://iamabigfatliar.com

Cal Wright · Post by **Cal Wright** » 2003-03-23 09:13pm

[quote="Nathan F"][/quote]

I wonder why this has never been brought to the attention of the American populace? Don't fling the 'government cover up bullshit'. It's shown first in Europe.

Post by **Sea Skimmer** » 2003-03-23 09:18pm

kojikun wrote:are they real military or not?

Probably Baath party militia. That would explain the shit for equipment, even the worst regular army units have better, and the fact that they fought hard.