INFORMATION WARFARE: Bombing the Iraqi Wedding Party

Strategy Page ^ | June 15, 2004

[John Jorsett]

The war in Iraq is a war of information, and spinning unfortunate events in one’s direction is how you cover your tracks. A case in point was the May 19th U.S. bombing of a remote compound in Iraq, near the Syrian border. The U.S. said the place was a smugglers way station being used to bring anti-government fighters, terrorists and weapons in from Syria. An American assessment team got to the scene shortly after the bomb strike. What they found was;

- The only permanent buildings at the site contained large stocks of food (the meat was still frozen solid), bedding, medical supplies, ammunition and weapons, as well a document forging operation.

- The site was not prepared for a wedding feast, and there were no stocks of dishes, plates, etc. and, most importantly, no "Nuptial Tent," which is a standard feature of an Arab wedding.

- There was no evidence of any means of support for the house. The most common livelihood in the area is sheep raising, and there was no evidence of that at the site. All evidence pointed to a smuggler way station, similar to others found along the Syrian border in the past.

- The deceased "wedding guests" were almost all men of military age, only a couple of women, no elders at all. There was only one child, who was wounded. All the deceased were dressed as city dwellers, not as the local Arabs who would hold a wedding at such a location. All of the deceased lacked any form of ID on them. The only ID's found were stacked up inside the house, and these were fewer in number than those bodies found at the site.

- Weapons and equipment found there included RPG's, military binoculars, and bomb making materials.

- There was lots of clothing found, prepackaged in pants and shirt sets.

- Weddings are traditionally held on Thursdays in Iraq to take advantage of Friday as a day of rest. The bombing raid took place on Tuesday night.

- There were also no gifts, no decorations, no food set out or left over, and the good bit of money recovered was all in the pockets of the bodies found at the site.

The assessment team left, and then those who had fled after the bombing returned, and had time to rearrange the site, for reporters who showed up later, with debris to make it look like a wedding had taken place. Most media fell for the deception.

[FreedomPoster]

Isn't there a thread here with the pics and briefing from the U.S. forces in Iraq, that shows the pics that our troops took at the site, after the bombing?

[johnfrink]

Most media fell for the deception.

No, really? I am shocked. Shocked, I tell you.

"Hey, Joe, I know there are Kalishnakovs lying all over the place, and a document producing station over there, and a workshop for making IEDs over there, but this 84 year old blind toothless shepherd is ready to tell us that this was a prosperous daycare center for the children of homeless scavengers of scrap metal. I think his story's gold!"

[martin_fierro]

Confiscated items are on display while Brig. Gen. Mark Kimmitt, chief U.S. military spokesman in Baghdad, unseen, speaks during a press conference in Baghdad, Iraq (news - web sites), Monday, May 24, 2004. The U.S. military introduced the photographs Monday to bolster its contention that American aircraft attacked a safehouse for foreign fighters near the Syrian border on Wednesday, May 19, 2004, not a wedding party, as claimed by Iraqi survivors and police and suggested by footage from the scene. (AP Photo/Karim Kadim)

[MHGinTN]

The Arab street rabble press didn't 'fall for it', they lapped it up like a dog on vomit! And the American media didn't 'fall for it', they eagerly printed the lies as they salivated over another way to lie and dissemble for their directors at the dnc!

[Sundog]

Honorable Congressman

I kept you informed as this unfolded and thought you might like this insight. Remember the Belmont Club Blogspot? Seems he was right on the money.

Cheers.

[RandallFlagg]

The Arab street rabble press didn't 'fall for it', they lapped it up like a dog on vomit!

Oh, THANKS FOR THE VISUAL!!!!

LOL!!!

[nevergore]

There was no wedding party....

Everyone knows it was a baby milk factory!

Seriously, our guys didn't just bomb the place from 15,000ft because they saw a gathering. SF was on the ground observing based on info developed by MI for several days. After SF reported, MI reported and a thorough target assessment was completed, the order to bomb was given. SF lasered the target and then BOOM!

Geez, the media is really lazy and stupid....

Nevergore :^)

[Congressman Billybob]

Yhank you for pinging me with the "rest of the story." The US military should have gotten this story out faster, and especially the story that the building in the background of the "wedding tape" did not match the one building at the site of the raid.

The US military doesn't know what every politician does -- even the lowest grade politicians: Never let an attack go through an entire 24-hour news cycle without answering and firing back.

Congressman Billybob

Latest column, "Three Americans: Ronald Reagan, George Soros, Aurel deHollan."

If you haven't already joined the anti-CFR effort, please click here.

[doggieboy]

It was a wedding party. The Kalishnakovs, ammunition and RPGs were wedding presents.

[WOSG]

Why didnt our soldiers stay in the location?

Why do we always leave and let the enemy pick up the pieces and 'rearrange' the facts?

[El Gato]

Most media fell for the deception.

They believed what they were predisposed to believe. The worst of the US Armed Forces, and best of those who oppose them and who either support terrorists, or are terrorists themselves. Besides it made a good "Bash Bush" story.

[SunkenCiv]

And if that happened at the wedding, just thing what a blast the reception would have been!

George W. Bush will be reelected by a margin of at least ten per cent

[anonymoussierra]

This report of that wedding is nothing more but propaganda. There was never any wedding it was a base of people coming from Syria and smuggling weapons and other people to kill Americans, coalition people or Iraq people.

When my husband ended in Iraq situation was so desperate and bed. Kids had no food on table, people were starving, no fresh water system, sewage economy in ruin. Within a year that has changed so fast and with breath taking, it is impossible to describe.

Many people from Iraq come to my husband base every day, and they help to inform coalition forces, that information is giving to American forces since they are in charge of operations in all fields.

About 20 Iraq kids will be coming here to us to spend their great time and we will welcome them with hospitality and love. I hope they will enjoy stay in my country.

Iraq will be good, Americans with help of other countries help Iraq to stand up on its feet. Everything takes time.

Sorry for spelling :{

[San Jacinto]

The most common livelihood in the area is sheep raising, and there was no evidence of that at the site.

Aha! It could not have been a wedding! There was not even a groom and his sheep!

[MizSterious]

Ping to an older article!