US Marines 'Kill Seven Iraqis After Truck Fails To Stop' (New Incident)

Independent (uk) ^ | 4-5-2003 | Andrew Clennell

[blam]

US Marines 'kill seven Iraqis after truck fails to stop'

By Andrew Clennell
05 April 2003

Seven civilians, including three children, were killed by US Marines last night after they opened fire on a truck that refused to stop at a checkpoint south of Baghdad, an American television network reported.

The alleged incident was reported by an ABC News correspondent travelling with a marine unit early this morning.

The civilian Iraqis were in vehicles behind a military truck that refused to stop and tried to crash through the marines' roadblock. Pentagon officials said they had no immediate details of the incident.

ABC reported that shots were fired first at a car that went through the checkpoint. A military truck that was following it was then fired upon and two civilian vehicles, apparently caught behind the truck, were shot at, leading to the deaths.

The incident appeared similar to what happened near Karbala on Monday when US Army troops opened fire on a four-wheel-drive vehicle which also drove through an Allied checkpoint. At least seven Iraqi women and children were killed.

A Washington Post reporter with that unit claimed that a captain had blamed troops for not firing a warning shot soon enough. The captain had roared at his platoon leader: "You just ... killed a family because you didn't fire a warning shot soon enough!"

US Central Command this week backed the troops involved in that incident for their actions, although it appeared less likely that it had been a suicide attack. The Central Command spokesman Brigadier General Vince Brooks said that money would probably be given to relatives of those victims as an expression of regret on behalf of the Allies.

The incident this morning appeared more deliberate.

US troops have been on edge since the driver of a taxi detonated a car bomb in a suicide attack that killed four soldiers last week.

[KansasCanadian]

Shoot first, ask questions later. They did just fine

[Shermy]

From ABC


ABCNEWS' Mike Cerre, with the 5th Marine Regiment, reported that the civilians were killed when Marines in the unit fired upon a car and an Iraqi military truck that appeared to try to barrel through the Marine roadblock southeast of Baghdad.

The accident took place on a day when footage of someone purported to be Saddam Hussein mixing with cheering crowds aired on Iraqi television. Also today, an Iraqi official warned that Iraqis would use "nonconventional" means to fight U.S. forces, who have captured and renamed the Saddam International Airport outside Baghdad.

The civilian incident began when a vehicle approached the roadblock and failed to stop, Cerre reported. Marines fired tracer rounds at the car's windshield and tires, killing one man. As Marines began to treat Iraqis injured in the car at the side of the road, an Iraqi military truck came barreling through the checkpoint.

Marines fired upon the truck, which then overturned. Cerre reported that it appeared many of the civilians killed were in two vehicles, a minivan and an agricultural truck, that were following the military truck.

Cerre said Marines in the unit were devastated by the incident. "They are totally shocked and saddened," Cerre said. "One Marine came up to me and said, 'This is the worst day of my life.' "

Cerre added that for five hours up until the incident, the Marines had been engaged in firefighting with Iraqi troops dressed in civilian clothing. The civilian deaths happened less than a week after seven other civilians — all women and children — were killed when a driver failed to stop at a checkpoint.

[xJones]

It doesn't take an Einstein to realize that you don't try to drive through armed checkpoints in wartime. Maybe we need huge red neon lights printed in remedial Arabic. If the dimwits haven't heard, U.S. troops have been murdered by Iraqis blowing up cars, driving trucks into compounds, etc. Drop leaflets telling the idiots that innocents won't be harmed if they stop for checkpoints and get out of the vehicle with their hands up. Their Iraqi brethen are killing trusting U.S. military personal.

[lilylangtree]

Not a problem! It's killed or be killed. I'd rather they be killed than our own troops. Go, boys, go!

[Timmy]

Why don't they impose a curfew on all travel? Just stay put another week.

[Levine2001]

Evey time someone tries to criticize Israel for the so called "targeting of innocent civilians", they should remember these incidents. Palestinians try to run roadblocks all of the time in civilian vehicles (including ambulences) and the Israelis are forced to shoot them lest they be a homicide bomber. The Palestinians know this fact and employ it as a strategy to gain sympathy at the cost of "civillian" deaths.

Our troops did the right thing both here and in the previous incident. And it seems clearer and clearer that Israel has led the way in knowing how to deal with the madmen of the world.

[I still care]

I read an article a few days ago by an Iraqi. She stated that checkpoints have been a way of life in Iraq for years, and everyone knows that you risk your life if you don't stop. These people know what they are doing.

[Action-America]

Our troops need to slow down a little.  They need to give all those homicide bombers from the other Arab countries a chance to get into Baghdad.  That way, we can get rid of all of them at one time.

 

[PISANO]

Better them then a Marine!

[slimer]

The accident took place on a day when....

There is nothing accidental about vehicles that refuse to stop a a check point. This was a deliberate act and they met an appropriate response.

Next.

[cynicom]

Screw the captain, screw the Iraqis and screw the reporter. Its my life.

[xJones]

Screw the captain, screw the Iraqis and screw the reporter. Its my life.

Huh?!

[cynicom]

BrandX....

In war there is no second guessing. The man under the gun makes the decision, its his life. We cannot be PC and or second guess every shot made in heat of battle.

[chaosagent]

And I just heard that 3 Marines were killed when a car with two women in it blew up at a checkpoint.

[xJones]

Thanks, you have military experience, you've been there, done that, and bought foreign T-shirts to boot. I haven't, and kudo to your service for our country.

Now, back to bidness, Louie, you're still a frog. :D

[xJones]

You made a very informative post in #8. There was the Iraqi male with a pregnant female that cried for help and when U.S. troops approached, the car blew up, killing three Americans. How low can they go? The worst of it is that Muslims don't see the enormous shame in things like that, shame that is to a Westerner.

[musicman]

I agree..maybe the first 3 or so incidents will be just women and kids.The Iraqi's wait till Al-Jazzera pumps it 24/7 with video, the arab "street" goes crazy, and the word gets passed down from Qatar, no more hair trigger at the checkpoints if it looks like civilian women and kids......

Then, the Iraqi's try one day of maybe 6 or so of the "mom & the kids" just out for a spin in the war zone, going thru check points, making sure these are clean, and get the different check points reaction.

If it looks like we've backed off, then the Iraqi's can send as many "mom & the kids" suicide vans as they have cars and explosives for at least 12 good hours till we catch on throughout the coalition and the OK is given to go back to "soldiers come FIRST!!!", the arab street 2nd....

The next move for Iraqi's, revert back to step 1(the innocent vans),wait for the arab "outcry", then go to step#2 again....

Iraqi's receipe :Repeat as often as needed for full arab street ( and John Kerry-Tom Dasshole-Katie Curickkkkk)effect......

[cynicom]

One cannot hire and train men to "kill" people, and then stand there and complain because people die. The soldier is not dumb enough that he will ask for permission to shoot on every occasion. A pregnant woman and friend blow up three young men. Their lives are gone. The next incident, the young man fires too soon or too late, the captain and untold people are on his case.

Now, this young man is still alive, he shot people that were running a checkpoint, end of story. Already we have forgotten the three young men that died because they were suckered into giving the pregnant woman the benefit of the doubt.

[Nick Thimmesch]

Shoulda paid the toll.......................