the saga of Saving Private Lynch.

Toronto Star ^ | May 4, 2003 | Mitch Potter

[gramho12]

Injuries from a fall from her vehicle? Yeah, I really believe that. Thank goodness she was rescued before they operated on her. Sounds like they are the ones doing a CYA.

[heylady]

Sounds like someone is trying to cover their butt in the event war crimes are being considered.

[Green]

So are we to take from this that the lawyer's story is all fabricated?

[JZoback]

B.S. Meter just went off the scale.

I am sure the military put this in the best light possible for public consumption, but for us to believe we could have just walked in and "asked" for Pfc Lynch is a bit much.

[OK]

It could be CYA, but the curious fact is that Jessica has not talked to the press. These things could be quickly sorted out if she was interviewed by a reporter.

If we accept the thesis that the Iraqi people are happy to be free of Saddam, then why is it hard to believe that doctors and nurses would have treated Jessica well?

[OK]

There was no resistance to the US military at the hospital that I recall.

[OK]

The article did say that Iraqi soldiers were there two days before, which does not contradict the lawyer story.

The part about the ambulance says the Americans were closer to the hospital than was indicated in the lawyer story though. This could have been because they had moved closer in the meantime.

[JZoback]

There was no resistance to the US military at the hospital that I recall.

I understand that, but are POW's routinely just handed over to us from civilians?

She was either a POW or a patient.

If she was a patient, I think the army would be expecting a bill by now.

[ItisaReligionofPeace]

Sounds like they want to be rewarded like the Iraqi lawyer was. Also, the blunt trauma was supposedly caused by a fall from a vehicle....yeah, right. Where is mention that the Iraqi lawyer decided he had to help after seeing her being slapped while in her hospital bed?

[ItisaReligionofPeace]

From what I read yesterday, Jessica Lynch has amnesia. I find it quite plausible. I also believe that the average Iraqi wouldn't have harmed her.

[FryingPan101]

Hmmm. I'm slow.

[WIladyconservative]

Ewww - she got blood while in the hospital? I'll bet they're testinging her exhaustively!

[ladyjane]

Toronto Star? hmmm....

[Republican Party Reptile]

<<< I understand that, but are POW's routinely just handed over to us from civilians? >>>

In the context of this particular war, maybe, - remember the other seven POWs? They were simply left by the retreating Iraqi army to the local civies who in turn pretty much just turned them over the the advancing U.S. troops.

[Pharmboy]

I don't think we Americans were worried about her treatment at the hands of Iraqi medical personnel; it was the Iraqi soldiers and Fedayeen that concerned us.

And, as far as the Canadians go, they can all STFU as far as I'm concerned (like we need them to get at the truth about Iraqi Freedom--sheesh!).

[JZoback]

In the context of this particular war, maybe, - remember the other seven POWs?

That's true, but the war was just about over when that happened.

[TalBlack]

I find nothing implausible in this story, but who knows what the heck happened! At one time the soldier would have been a MAN and as such would have been EXPECTED to provide data in a debriefing. The data would then be examined to ascertain whether he conducted himself properly, his training served him as expected ETC. (Thank God for "amnesia", huh?). None of this will happen because of the 11,000 pound elephant in the room called Political Correctness. You see, the ANSWERS will point to conclusions that are literally illegal to arrive at. Everybody KNOWS this from the getgo. Its like in the old Soviet Union: That which is the "truth" must pass political muster before it my perform as an answer..

And yes a 100lb girl can break bones falling from a military vehicle, whether this happened is academic.

[Criminal Number 18F]

Dr. Mudhafer Raazk, 27, observed dryly that two cameramen and a still photographer, also in uniform, accompanied the U.S. teams into the hospital. Maybe this was a movie after all.

What Dr. Raazk saw is SOP now. US elite units have been so routinely accused of bogus war crimes that any major SF/Seal/"others who can't be named"/etc direct action mission is taped and photographed. It's a CYA thing.

For that reason, I suspect that Dr. Raazk and his people are telling the truth. Yes, we WOULD go into a hospital where a POW was held loaded for bear, and execute a dynamic entry. Reason? If it is really nothing but a hospital, we won't hurt anybody, because they won't be armed or looking for a fight. But -- if it is full of Fedayeen we have to be ready.

One thing that people don't understand, that the reporter might not have known, and that the hospital staff may not understand yet, is that the US is liable for damage to innocents' property done by our forces. If we really trashed the hospital bed and otherwise damaged the hospital, the administrators can make a claim at the HQ. In Afghanistan, CTF-180 had a whole staff section that did nothing but evaluate and pay these claims. So will the Iraq task force once it is a little more settled.

That may seem like a waste of taxpayers' money. It isn't, at least in Stan: I frequently had people comment on this and contrast it to the way the Soviets behaved. (In my job I meet a lot more "ordinary people" than the average GI). When you do the right thing, people notice. (When you do the wrong thing, they really notice).

Note the tone of the Iraqis in the article. They are showing a lot of forbearance, compared to some of their more immediate-gratification oriented countrymen. I think they realise that a period of US stewardship for their country can be very good for their hospital and its patients.

d.o.l.

Criminal Number 18F

[chainsaw]

I have never thought Jessica's injuries occurred at the hospital. However there are no reports about what happened to her before she got to the hospital.

Well, I did hear something on the G. Gordon Liddy show - That she was hanged by her feet and beaten with a club or baseball bat. which would account for two fractured legs, a fractured arm, a fractured vertebrae and maybe the head laceration.