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| Iraq |
| U.S. Troops Ambushed in Central Iraq Town |
| 2003-09-18 |
| KHALDIYAH - U.S. troops were ambushed on the main road of this central Iraqi town Thursday, coming under heavy gunfire that destroyed a truck. An Associated Press reporter who arrived on the scene saw four U.S. tanks surrounding the smoldering truck as helicopters hovered above. Taking fire from unknown positions, U.S forces were firing with no obvious targets, in an apparent effort to protect themselves until reinforcements arrived, a witness said. Al-Arabiya television reported eight Americans were killed and one wounded. There was no confirmation of any casualties, and initial casualty reports have proven incorrect in the past. The AP reporter was fired on by one of the tanks with three rounds from its 50-caliber machine gun. An AP photographer said his car was shot up by American fire, the windshield blown out and all the tires flattened. The photographer was not injured. Shortly afterward a huge explosion rocked the area, and there were unconfirmed reports from residents that U.S. Humvees had come under attack a few miles distant. |
| Posted by:Murat |
| #11 Murat still hasn't figured out that the stories he...ahem...*pleasures himself* with...don't necessarily have much basis in reality. |
| Posted by: Flaming Sword 2003-9-18 6:38:09 PM |
| #10 I took a look at the AA report and laughed. AA is run by the terrorists, Murat. Wait until other sources confirm the death toll. |
| Posted by: Charles 2003-9-18 5:33:38 PM |
| #9 Some people have morning coffee, some people have stories with Americans being shot. Whatever floats your boat, Murat. |
| Posted by: True German Ally 2003-9-18 3:52:35 PM |
| #8 Witnesses said the soldiers in a convoy of Humvee military vehicles attacked the wedding party after guests had fired guns into the air in celebration. One would think these dumbasses would have learned already the danger posed by this sort of "custom", not only to themselves but to others nearby. |
| Posted by: Bomb-a-rama 2003-9-18 2:59:42 PM |
| #7 Well, if the car was at a 90 degree angle to the gunner, and he was a good shot, yeah you could do it. I don't think a 50 cal is gonna slow down much going through a tire and a car body. Of course, if they were Michelin tires, they most likely surrendered after the first shot. |
| Posted by: Steve 2003-9-18 2:43:41 PM |
| #6 Ptah, I'd think that if three 50 cal. rounds hit a car, there might not be much left of it. A 50 cal. is a huge round. You're right, the AP report is hogwash. |
| Posted by: Chuck Simmins 2003-9-18 2:36:15 PM |
| #5 The AP reporter was fired on by one of the tanks with three rounds from its 50-caliber machine gun. An AP photographer said his car was shot up by American fire, the windshield blown out and all the tires flattened. Okay, let's try to picture this. Three rounds==three bullets. One takes out the windshield, check. But TWO bullets take out FOUR tires, AND leaves the AP reporter shaken but unharmed? Murat, that is either damn good shooting, or someone's just blown smoke up your ass... |
| Posted by: Ptah 2003-9-18 2:21:09 PM |
| #4 Watch your sources Murat. Getting shown up by Reuters is pretty pathetic. |
| Posted by: Rex Mundi 2003-9-18 12:20:59 PM |
| #3 Reuters: KHALDIYA, Iraq, Sept 18 - Two American soldiers were wounded on Thursday in a small-arms and explosives attack on their convoy in a volatile area west of Baghdad, a U.S. military spokesman said. "There was an improvised explosive device and small-arms attack east of Ramadi at 3 p.m. (1100 GMT)," Sergeant Mark Ingham said in Baghdad. "There were two wounded in action and they are in stable condition." A military spokeswoman said three vehicles had been attacked -- two trucks and a Humvee. On the main road near the town of Khaldiya, east of Ramadi on the way to Baghdad, Reuters witnesses saw a U.S. truck and Humvee ablaze. Another crippled American truck stood on the highway less than a kilometre (mile) away. Two wounded, not eight dead. About what I figured when I saw the first reports were from Al-Arabiya. |
| Posted by: Steve 2003-9-18 11:49:08 AM |
| #2 Telegraph reports that Al-Arabiya TV are claiming at least 8 US dead. "Witnesses said up to 10 burned bodies were carried from a US transport vehicle after it drove over a bomb in the town of Khaldiya, about 50 miles west of Baghdad. They said the convoy tried to continue after the first explosion but was hit by rocket-propelled grenades shortly afterwards. Al-Arabiya television said eight Americans were killed and one wounded in the ambush. US Central Command has not confirmed the attacks but reports said US tanks and helicopters have sealed off the area. It came after a 14-year-old Iraqi boy was reportedly killed and six people wounded when American soldiers mistakenly opened fire on a wedding celebration in the nearby town of Falluja last night. Witnesses said the soldiers in a convoy of Humvee military vehicles attacked the wedding party after guests had fired guns into the air in celebration. Lt Gen Ricardo Sanchez, the US coalition military commander in Baghdad, said he could not confirm if the boy was killed but that the incident was under investigation." |
| Posted by: Bulldog 2003-9-18 10:21:48 AM |
| #1 And good morning to you, Murat! |
| Posted by: Alaska Paul 2003-9-18 9:58:22 AM |