U.S. soldier killed in central Iraq

MSNBC ^ | June 2, 2003 | ASSOCIATED PRESS

[yonif]

BAGHDAD, Iraq, June 2 — A U.S. soldier was shot and killed while on patrol in central Iraq early Tuesday, a military spokesman said. The shooting took place near the town of Balad, 55 miles north of the capital, said Maj. William Thurmond, a spokesman for the U.S. Army's V Corps. Thurmond said he had no further details on the incident and that the soldier's name was being withheld pending notification of the family. The area around Balad is under control of the 4th Infantry Division. There has been a series of hit-and-run attacks on U.S. troops across the central region of the country since the end of ground combat almost two months ago. Several dozen soldiers have been killed or wounded.

[Angelus Errare]

Central Iraq is Sunni country, so that rules out SCIRI.

The Iraqi mujahideen strike again, it would seem.

What exactly is the kill ratio for this week, like one a day?

[chance33_98]

I keep hearing the left whining about such things as this, how dangerous it is over there for them (and, of course it is). Yet when I see things like this I wonder how many on the left fail to see how dangerous it is to be an unarmed citizen in places like LA, etc...

[TLBSHOW]

Sorry to hear this.

[onyx]

Absolutely sickening.

[MEG33]

God bless those in our armed services in harm's way.Let us not forget them.

[DoughtyOne]

I'll bet the midnight oil is burning at DNC central trying to spin this to their best advantage. "Oh there goes another one, this is going to fit right in with our plans. It couldn't be better for us!"

Demoncrats is a word I've seen on the forum from time to time. I've more or less ignored it, but I think it's far more accurate than any of us wish it were. There's some awfully sick people on the left.

[New Horizon]

Damn...

[snippy_about_it]

.

[homeschool mama]

prayers heavenward for the loved ones of this brave soldier <><

[Fee]

We should have let the Iraqi people massacre the Baathists and their families. Now we will have to solve this problem, by having Shia and Kurdish irregulars patrol the Baathist strongholds of Baghdad. I think the Baathist will get the message and not attempt to shoot at them because these irregulars will exact retribution.

[Sparta]

Why did we not imprison or exterminate the Ba'athists? Another good soldier is dead because of the failure to carry out this basic in military strategy when you occupy a country. When you occupy a country, kill or imprison its rulers and their supporters.

[Search4Truth]

"Several dozen soldiers have been killed or wounded."

Dozens will become hundreds, and hundreds will become thousands.

Our men will continue to be sacrificed because liberalized and feminized America no longer has the stomach for real war. We will continue to line up our men to be killed by these Islamic savages on the alter of some kind of new compassionate war model that requires us to die as some kind of gesture of fairness.

I will not send my son to fight in that kind of war. Let us know when the real war starts - were you kill the enemy until there is no enemy left. Then beat the survivors into submission.

That is how wars are won - you kill the enemy until there is no enemy left. But America no longer has the stomach for real war. I further do not believe that if the terrorists had succeeded in killing the tens of thousands that they set out to on 9-11, that it would have made any difference in our response.

We did not go into Iraq to liberate Iraqis, most of who did not, and do not, want to be liberated, and have nothing but contempt for all things American. We went into Iraq to eliminate a threat to Americans - to destroy that threat. I am not interested in being the Iraqis liberator and will not send my son to fight and die for that cause. We are not their allies or friends. We are their conquerors. We should keep that straight.

[DoughtyOne]

Since when did you get the idea my post wasn't about the lost men? The Democrats try to make them die in vain and that pi--es me off. They seek to use these deaths to their evil advantage.

[Tunehead54]

Why did we not imprison or exterminate the Ba'athists? Another good soldier is dead because of the failure to carry out this basic in military strategy when you occupy a country.

When you occupy a country, kill or imprison its rulers and their supporters.

---

What he said - Bump!

Only thing I'd add is that its not too late to imprison ALL Ba'athists bigwigs until order is restored. Also hotspots like Fallujah should have major door to door searches for bad guys and weapons caches. Yesterday!

[Destro]

It became a post on democrats because some posters don't think beyond how this news will affect the party in elections. Which is why Washington warned against the rise of political parties. Polititical parties focus the mind narrowly.

[Light Speed]

The only true threat that has really appeared in regards to America is oil shipments.

Looking at a map of Iraq the many fields in the shia south and fields undeveloped would have given the U.S. a large influx of oil..and it would have been easier to handle fiscally.

The shipment terminals are close..the Kuwaiti border for pipelines if necessary.

Clobber Saddam...leave the change to the Iraqi's to resolve.

Sieze the Southern portion of Iraq under a mandate of world economic concern and broker the oil .

U.S. has its oil....tyrant is gone...Iraqi's get to decide ther future..and many ...many U.S. servicemen are out of harms way.

It would have been a better experiment to just presence the U.S. with the Shia and see how that goes..over trying to do the entire country in one felled swoop.

The Shia would be rewarded for cooperation by influx of wealth..a percentage return of the oil shipped..hence they would be determining their futures too.

If all worked well...a model of successful transition could be forwarded to the rest of Iraq..as they become envious of the westernized Shia Iraqi's.

Iranians would see the change and become more enboldened to throw off the Mullah screwups themselves..and should they call for the U.S. ...why She is next door to help.

[Sparta]

Only thing I'd add is that its not too late to imprison ALL Ba'athists bigwigs until order is restored.

Actually, I had a firing squad or gallows in mind for top Ba'athists. What good are the ex-rulers in an occupied country?

Also hotspots like Fallujah should have major door to door searches for bad guys and weapons caches.

Indeed. Anyone who refuses a search will be arrested and their property siezed.