VOA and Defense Officials Acknowledge 'Possible' / 'Probable' Execution of POWs

Voice of America ^ | March 23, 2003 | Alex Belida

[Ironword]

TEXT ONLY

23 Mar 2003 19:15 UTC

About VOA
	BROADCAST LANGUAGES
	BROADCASTS
	Latest Newscast News Now Live Other Webcasts Program Schedule News Now-         Programming VOA TV
	PROGRAMS
	TOPICS
	Arts & Culture Business Health & Medicine Science & Tech Sports
	POLICY & ANALYSIS
	Editorials Focus
	INSIDE VOA NEWS
	Correspondents Pronunciation Guide Contact VOANEWS

Bodies of US Soldiers Indicate Possible Execution, say US officials
Alex Belida
Pentagon
23 Mar 2003, 20:11 UTC

Listen to Alex Belida's Report (RealAudio)  
Belida Report - Download 118k (RealAudio)  

Defense officials say the bodies of what may be American soldiers shown in a controversial Arab television broadcast have wounds indicating they were probably executed.

Defense officials who have seen the al-Jazeera videotape say several of the corpses appear to have head wounds - a sign, they fear, that the victims were executed and not killed in combat.

One senior Pentagon official calls broadcast of the tape an outrage and a blatant violation of the Geneva Conventions.

Officials are also describing as a violation the display in the broadcast of what appear to be live American soldiers held by the Iraqis as prisoners of war. Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld said, under the Conventions, they are not supposed to be photographed, embarrassed or humiliated.

The Pentagon has acknowledged a small number of U.S. soldiers are missing and unaccounted for in southern Iraq. But they have withheld formal confirmation that any Americans are being held captive, pending notification of their families.

Email this article to a friend.
Printer Friendly Version

Related Stories

	American Prisoners of War Held in Iraq, al-Jazeera Reports
	US Admits American Troops May Have Been Killed, Captured
	Red Cross Treats Iraqi Casualties
	Iraq Deliberately Allowing Advance on Baghdad, says Official
	Iraqi Leadership in Disarray, says British Commander

English - Worldwide Home| About Us| Contact VOANEWS| Disclaimer & Privacy Notice| Top of Page

[Ironword]

Been hidin' in the woodwork, MUD . . . just saw your tag, thought I'd ping you here.

[Mudboy Slim]

Talk about a sight fer sore eyes...look what the cat drug in!! Hope everything's goin' well fer you, my ol' FRiend...MUD

[Mudboy Slim]

"...the bodies of what may be American soldiers shown in a controversial Arab television broadcast have wounds indicating they were probably executed."

Anybody who doubts the EVIL within Soddom'sInsane'sRegime need only follow this story to its conclusion...Hussein has been killing his own people for decades, why wouldn't he and his henchmen do the same to representatives of the Country that is liberating the iraqi people from Soddom's tyrannical reign?!

We need to wrap this operation up SOON!!

FReegards...MUD

[Junior]

No prisoners from the Republican Guard. Tell the rest that any man found under arms in 24 hours will not be taken prisoner. You're going to act like barbarians, we're going to treat you like barbarians.

[Ironword]

They're calling the area around Nasiriya "Ambush Alley" . . . tough call now it seems when guys in civilian clothing approach.

[Ironword]

All's well, FRiend . . . just busy, like you.

No further mentions yet on the POWs it seems . . .

[Billthedrill]

Besides, what is it with these freaks that they have this need to pull men's pants down before they are executed? Remember the poor slob Taliban partisan that was captured in a ditch by Northern Alliance soldiers...

Oh, I remember that particular set of pictures very well. In that particular case the pulling down of the pants was, er, "preoperative." And I don't think they used anaesthetics.

[gridlock]

I just hope the pictures of the executed prisoners is not expunged from the airwaves the same way the pictures of the jumpers from the WTC went down the Memory Hole. Some things need to be seen even though they are disturbing. Some things need to be seen because they are disturbing. If the Iraqis have executed US POW's the pictures should be shown on every channel in every market until every man, woman and child in this country knows the truth.

[Mudboy Slim]

Re: the POWs, seems like the State Department's reading the Iraqi soldiers the Riot Act...hope the message makes its way to our folks' captors!!

If the RedCross is not allowed to visit them, I say we hasten to Liberation of Baghdad or else the IraqiRATS will try to use the captives as a bargaining chip, since they know we--unlike Soddom--actually give a damn about those we ask to defend this country!!

Good to see you...MUD

[Ironword]

A 19-year-old from VA is still unaccounted for.

[Ironword]

They are beyond sick.

[Mudboy Slim]

Where in VA?...been too busy to read the papers lately...MUD

[Billthedrill]

Concur. They are the worst of a group of thugs that has been terrorizing an entire country essentially unopposed for an entire generation. Their job has been to control a population with terror. They have heretofore been able to get away with anything they can dream up, and they have some pretty nasty imaginations.

If Iraq is to become a civilized country again - and I have faith that it will - these guys need to be sent for a long trip down a mine shaft.

[Ironword]

If the Iraqis have executed US POW's the pictures should be shown on every channel in every market until every man, woman and child in this country knows the truth.

At the least, *they* inclusive shouldn't gloss over the matter, but should confront it, methinks. Certainly people should be made aware of what our forces are facing.

The gloss tact is unexpected and disturbing.

[Ironword]

Yo MUD!

I don't recall, but it was posted last night on FR --- it's a gal.

link

[Ironword]

WVA, my mistake.

[Ironword]

A large portion of the nasty Islamic culture needs a retrofit as well.

[Ironword]

You're going to act like barbarians, we're going to treat you like barbarians.

Tempting response, isn't it? W. seems to be playing other cards here.

And contray to the doom-and-gloom media, I think Franks has a trump card tucked in his sleeve.

[DeathfromBelow]

"On another point, if headshots are considered evidence of execution, should we consider any Iraqi shot through the head to have been executed? "

Is this a troll comment? Trying to evoke dialog?

[Mudboy Slim]

Whazzup, Badass?!

MUD