U.S. Attack Kills 34, Including 15 Civilians (6 women, 9 children)

[DeepModem Mom]

Source: NYT/AP:

BAGHDAD, Oct. 11 (AP) — An attack by American forces killed 19 insurgents and 15 civilians, including 9 children, northwest of the capital on Thursday, the United States military reported. It was one of the heaviest civilian death tolls in an American operation in recent months.

The military said its targets were senior leaders of Al Qaeda in Mesopotamia, the homegrown Sunni militant group that American intelligence believes has foreign leadership.

“We regret that civilians are hurt or killed while coalition forces search to rid Iraq of terrorism,” said Maj. Brad Leighton, a spokesman for American forces in Iraq, in reference to the deadly airstrike on Thursday. “These terrorists chose to deliberately place innocent Iraqi women and children in danger by their actions and presence.”

The military’s statement detailing Thursday’s air and ground assault said soldiers were acting on intelligence reports about a Qaeda in Mesopotamia meeting in the Lake Tharthar region, about 50 miles northwest of Baghdad....

“After securing the area, the ground force assessed 15 terrorists, 6 women and 9 children were killed,” the statement said. Two suspected Qaeda members, a woman and three children were wounded, according to the military account....

Read more: http://www.nytimes.com/2007/10/12/world/middleeast/12baghdad.html

[Art_from_Ark]

1. So how do they distinguish "insurgents" from "civilians"?

[TheLastMohican]

2. If he runs he is a gook, if he doesn't run, he is a well-disciplined gook.

[saigon68]

10. How do you shoot children?

Answer: Aim a little lower

</sarcasm>

[leftchick]

3. um, they don't

they are all terrorists to the US.

[daleo]

7. Any male over 14 years of age killed is defined to be an insurgent

Any female or male under 15 killed is defined to be collateral damage, and the husbands, fathers, and older brothers are given the blame for living with their wives, children and younger siblings.

[Eugene]

4. UN calls for inquiry into deadly US strike in Iraq

Source: Reuters

UN calls for inquiry into deadly US strike in Iraq
12 Oct 2007 13:08:36 GMT
Source: Reuters

(Recasts with U.N. reaction)

By Ross Colvin

BAGHDAD, Oct 12 (Reuters) - The United Nations mission
in Iraq urged U.S. forces on Friday to pursue a "vigorous"
probe into an air strike that killed 15 women and children
and said its findings must be made public so that lessons
can be learned.

It said the safety of civilians should be a top priority
during military operations. In a human rights report
published on Thursday, the same day as the attack, the
mission highlighted the number of Iraqi civilians killed in
recent U.S. air strikes.

The civilian death toll in Thursday's operation was one of
the largest acknowledged by U.S. forces from an air strike
since former president Saddam Hussein was toppled in 2003.

"Civilians are getting caught far too often between warring
combatants," said U.N. mission spokesman Said Arikat. "We
understand the security concerns, but we also hope that
every possible safety measure is taken not to harm any
civilians.

-snip-

Read more: http://www.alertnet.org/thenews/newsdesk/L12332485.htm

[The Stranger]

8. But then the Neocons attack the UN.

[The Stranger]

5. Another day, another war crime. SUPPORT THE TROOPS!

[formercia]

6. Another score by the 'Xtian' Air Force. n/t

[Bonobo]

9. Well to be fair, that would be a pretty damn impressive batting average in baseball!