Grim news: 7 women and children dead

[rob@rar.org.uk]

It's all so depressing. The latest news is the death of a number of women and children at a road block in Najaf. Apparently a car was being driven at a US check point and refused to stop. After firing warning shots the US forces opened fire on the car. On examination it was found that the car contained 13 women and children, seven of whom were killed.

This is a tragedy for those killed and injured, the soldiers will no doubt feel terrible about what has happened, it will inflame passions even further in the Arab world, may deepen the divide between pro- and anti-war factions. It's just bad news all round, and adds to the depression I feel tonight about the war.

I hope it all comes to a swift end, and re-construction can replace the death and destruction.

Thanks for listening

Rob

 

[dandave]

I was just hearing a little about this. It is very sad that it had to come to that. If they refused to stop the car, there really was no alternative.

 

[Keli]

Why in the world didn't these women stop????!!!!!! This is WAR for heaven's sake! Did they think we were just joking when put up the checkpoint????

 

[Mackey Mouse]

This is war.... there was a checkpoint... they should have stopped. I am sorry that it was women and children... if they had nothing to hide, why didn't they stop??

 

[Mermaid02]

The only reason I can think of that they didn't stop would be that they believe the crap that Saddam and his regime are feeding the Iraqi people about the United States.

Although I'm sure the soldiers involved in this incident feel horrible, they are not at fault. If I refuse to stop for a police car tomorrow- the same thing could happen to me. Ya know what I mean?

 

[Laz]

I will give you a scenerio. Iraqi paramilitary sees report on US MEDIA that says soldiers have new orders to shoot anyone who does not stop. Paramilitary tells women to get in car and head toward US lines. If they stop, the paramilitary threatens to shoot the Women and children in the back. Women and children come out without stopping. US troops our force to shoot. US Media puts it on TV and Iraqi gets free propaganda. If the Media would SHUT UP, we may not have this problem.

For all those who have any contact with our forces in combat, assure them that we are still solidly behind them on the home front. We know the situation and understand.

GOD BLESS AND PROTECT OUR TROOPS!!

 

[lisajl]

Mermaid02

That is what I was thinking. I also thought it might be a setup.

Either they do that, or get killed anyway.

Lisajl

**Laz** you beat me to it!
Exactly what I was thinking~

 

[nativetxn]

Rob, I agree that it is a very sad circumstance. I wish there was a way to keep everyone safe during this war but there is not.

I too, hope the war is over soon and reconstruction can begin.

 

[Saffron]

It's all very sad and very tragic. No one can blame the women, the children or the soldiers.

I'm sure the women were trying to fllee the bombings. I'm sure they were trying to be safe, to keep the children safe, to get to safety. Maybe they thought they were about to be taken prisoner of war? They are about to be confronted by foreigners, soldiers at that, who are part of a military operation bombing their country. They probably didn't speak a word of English. Who knows if they even knew what a checkpoint was?! Desperate times call for desperate measures, on both sides.

 

[Mermaid02]

I'm sure there were signs in Iraqi stating that this was a checkpoint and ALL vehicles were required to stop. Ultimately it was the responsibility of the driver to stop.

 

[Mishetta]

After all the underhanded things that have happened to our soldiers, who can blame them for shooting at the car? Shoot first, ask questions later. For all they knew, it could have been men dressed as women or they could have been suicide bombers...could have been any scenario that has unfortunately played out recently. I'm very sorry it happened being that the people in the car were probably innocent of any crime, but the Soldiers did the best thing they could have under the circumstances in that country. I hope they can forgive themselves, as I'm sure it will be hard on them. Military from our country are not used to shooting at women & children, like they do in Iraq.

 

[bsnyder]

While the incident in question is tragic beyond belief, I also find it sad that stories like this one aren't getting even close to equal coverage:


U.S. Troops Risk Lives to Save Woman

By CHRIS TOMLINSON
The Associated Press
Monday, March 31, 2003; 6:22 PM


"We've got to get her off that bridge," he said.

Capt. Chris Carter winced at the risks his men would have to take. Engaged in a lightning-fast raid for this Euphrates River town, they were battling for a bridge when - through the smoke - they saw the elderly woman. She had tried to race across the bridge when the Americans arrived, but was caught in the crossfire.

At first, peering through their rifle scopes, they thought she was dead, like the man sprawled in the dust nearby. But then, during breaks in the gunfire that whizzed over her head, she sat up and waved for help.

Carter, a 32-year-old Army Ranger, ordered his Bradley armored vehicle to pull forward while he and two men ran behind it. They took cover behind the bridge's iron beams.

Carter tossed a smoke grenade for more cover and approached the woman, who was crying and pointing toward a wound on her hip. She wore the black chador, common among older women in the countryside. The blood soaked through the fabric, streaking the pavement around her.

Medics placed the woman on a stretcher and into an ambulance; Carter stood by, providing cover with his M16A4 rifle. Then she was gone, and Monday's battle for this town of 80,000, 50 miles south of Baghdad, raged on.

By the end of this day, the Army would fight street to street, capture and kill scores of Saddam Hussein's troops, blow up a ruling party headquarters and destroy heaps of ammunition and mortars - and rescue one elderly woman from a firefight.

 

[Laz]

That unit deserves a citation and that Capt. deserves a medal. That's what our military is all about.

Someone needs to make sure our front lines troops see this! How can it be done???

 

[ead79]

Bet, as it turns out, Capt. Chris Carter is from the metro Atlanta area, and he graduated from the same university as I did (Univ. of Georgia). What a small world! He is a hero indeed!

 

[bsnyder]

Elisabeth, that is so neat! He most certainly is a hero!

 

[Laz]

One mor thing about that article:


I DARE ANY ARAB NEWS SERVICE TO RUN THIS ARTICLE!!!

SHOW YOUR UNBIASED!!!

 

[bsnyder]

Laz, save your voice....it ain't gonna happen. Ever.

And of course it just points again to the differences between us and the Iraqi regime. Our own military (CENTCOM) reported this to the media, immediately. They didn't try to cover it up, or brush it under the rug.

 

[bsnyder]

Elisabeth....here's a picture of the rescue!

 

[delswife]

Originally posted by bsnyder
While the incident in question is tragic beyond belief, I also find it sad that stories like this one aren't getting even close to equal coverage:


I agree. What a wonderful story, left me in tears. What heros! I wonder why they wouldnt make that into a big story. These men risked thier lives. The saved a helpless injured elderly woman. I think I may print it out and include it in my care packages. What do you think?

 

[CRB#33]

If the Media would SHUT UP, we may not have this problem.

AMEN!!!!

While the incident in question is tragic beyond belief, I also find it sad that stories like this one aren't getting even close to equal coverage:

And this is where I take my AMEN back.

It's just all so sad.