Four U.S. Marines Killed in Iraq

[POed_Ex_Repub]

BAGHDAD, Iraq - Four U.S. Marines were killed while conducting security operations in an area of western Iraq (news - web sites) that has been a hotbed of anti-American resistance, the U.S. command said Sunday.

The Marines were killed Saturday in Anbar, a Sunni-dominated area west of the Iraqi capital that includes the cities of Fallujah, Ramadi and Qaim on the Syrian border.

More...

http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/ap/20040711/ap_on_re_mi_ea/iraq_marines_killed&cid=540&ncid=716

[ewagner]

1. Damn!

Are we poking sticks at that hornet's nest in Falluja again?

This makes me so sad.........

[UpInArms]

3. I think it was over near Ramadi

that's been where the "fighting" stories are :(

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,125265,00.html

Fox: U.S. Forces Kill Two Attackers in Ramadi
The U.S. military says Marines killed two attackers today in a clashed with insurgents in a city west of the capital.

RIP soldiers.

[saigon68]

21. 'BRING EM ON" shouted the DRAFT DODGING CHIMPANZEE

Four more "GOLD STAR MOTHERS"

Four more "GOLD STAR FATHERS

Nice touch with your immoral asshole war for Oil CHIMP </SARCASM>

[0007]

34. Accordingly,

The Marines were killed Saturday in Anbar, a Sunni-dominated area west of the Iraqi capital that includes the cities of Fallujah, Ramadi and Qaim on the Syrian border.

[DivinBreuvage]

2. What the hell is going on over there that so many soldiers are dying now?

I'm not saying I'm surprised because I thought the "handover" was going to change anything... but recently it's been groups of several over and over again. Do you think the US is launching a major offensive but is taking higher casualties before because their offensive power has been so reduced by loss of personnel and lack of supply? Do you think the Iraqis are launching a major offensive? Or do you think the Pentagon is finally catching up on reporting past dead now that the "handover" has taken place?

[burrowowl]

6. I think the Iraqis are

launching more offensives. Also the more they launch the better they get. Patrical basic and advance training.

[DivinBreuvage]

13. That's GOT to be true, that they get better as time goes on

The American Continentals got better until they could handle a stand-up fight with British troops;

The Union cavalry and infantry got better until they could match even Jeb Stuart and the Army of Northern Virginia;

The British, American, and especially the horrible Soviet armies got better until they finally learned to handle the finest and most competent war machine of all time.

It seems to me that a highly trained, expensively equipped, and powerfully armed army has got to win its victories quickly and crush its opponents early; otherwise your opponents learn and thrive, while you become weaker, poorer, more discouraged, and unable to think of anything new.

Socialists kick ass, by the way, burrowowl. Thanks for not being ashamed to say it.

[Guaranteed]

17. Yup. All excellent points.

Good post.

[Aidoneus]

9. A couple points

The Marines are a more aggressive unit (what they hope to accomplish is unclear to me), operating in a region almost entirely run by the multitude of resistance movements. Add those facts together and an easy explanation presents itself.

[DivinBreuvage]

10. Thanks, Aidoneus

I always enjoy reading your posts on Iraq as you seem to have a much deeper understanding of the people and culture than most of us here (I'm not running anyone else down, I'm just saying you really seem to have an excellent grasp of it). Do you mind if I ask: are you from the region, or do you otherwise have some attachment to it (family, interest, etc)?

[REVOLT823]

4. As a former Marine

I am really getting tired of hearing about these kids going down over there. These guys are stuck in the middle of a shit storm and it is only going to get worse. In regards to the previous post about the numbers increasing, I thought about that when I heard they were going to stand down and let the Iraqis take over, and am not surprised that more are getting killed now. Think about it, they are not patrolling the streets, etc. anymore, this gives the resistance more opportunity to manevuer and prepare. Also, there is ample evidence that the Iraqis in the Army and police routinely stand aside in these instances. Now that our guys aren't out patrolling etc every day, they have basically become sitting ducks.

[burrowowl]

7. Welcome to DU, REVOLT823!

Hopefully with a regime change the shit storm will stop. But, unfortunately, I think you are right, it is going to get worse.

[NMDemDist2]

8. welcome to DU Revolt

:hi:

it just stinks, and the numbers get bigger and the news coverage gets smaller..... How can we just sign a paper and think "all is well" and forget our guys (and gals) over there??/



CRAP :cry:

[DivinBreuvage]

11. Thanks, REVOLT823

And, let me add my welcome too.

[Best_man23]

40. Welcome to DU

I feel for the Marines in the Cheney over there. They need all the support we can give them.

[Wabbajack]

5. How many more Bush?

:grr:

[minkyboodle]

12. hey according to the Pentagon these don't really count

(Well I guess anyway to minimize the official count....... One of many sad sad days for someone's mother and family)

Top Stories - Reuters


Four U.S. Marines Die in Western Iraq

16 minutes ago Add Top Stories - Reuters to My Yahoo!

BAGHDAD (Reuters) - Four U.S. marines who died in western Iraq (news - web sites) Saturday lost their lives in a vehicle accident, not in combat, the U.S. military said Sunday.

A statement said the four members of the 1st Marine Expeditionary Force had died in Anbar province, which includes the restive Sunni Muslim towns of Falluja and Ramadi, while "conducting security and stability operations."

A marine spokesman later said the deaths were "as a result of a vehicle accident and were considered non-hostile."

http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&cid=578&e=2&u=/nm/20040711/ts_nm/iraq_marines_dc

[spinbaby]

24. Just a little traffic accident...

Nothing to see here. Move along.

[theHandpuppet]

27. Yeah, can somone explain to me...

... how four Marines traveling in heavy-duty military vehicle die in what is called a traffic accident? Were they speeding along at 100 MPH along the airport road? Did they somehow drive off a bridge into a river? This whole story stinks to high heaven.

BTW, can someone out there tell me if the families of these men will get reduced survivors' benefits because their loved ones were killed in what is now called a "traffic accident" rather than "in combat"?

[dArKeR]

14. I have scientific proof Repukes are mentally sick - 4 Marines Killed

Four U.S. Marines Killed in Iraq
Avg Rating: 2.69, 414 votes
http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/ap/20040...

Look at the avg. of 2.69 which means more than half of the repukes respondents voted this story a '1' = no value for me or anyone to read; a worthless story.

Shows you what kind of sick twisted insane psychotic perverted feces minds republicans have!

[POed_Ex_Repub]

30. And yet they claim we're the ones not supporting the troops...

:mad:

[0007]

33. How true!

[dixielib]

15. what happened with lunaville?

i haven't been able to get there for a while. earthside used to link to it but they seem to have dropped the link.

[Wright Patman]

23. New URL

http://icasualties.org/oif/

[Guaranteed]

16. This is just never going to end. nt

[IndianaGreen]

18. It will end when we bring the troops home

the sooner the better!

[L.A.dweller]

20. Bring them home now!

This war is based on FALSE FUCKING INFORMATION. Where is the outrage.

[Guaranteed]

19. Something about this thread

reminded me of a story from the first few months after the invasion. I don't remember exactly what happened, but it was something about one of our young guys shopping, and he buys a soda and goes to stand in the shade of a tree to drink it, and someone comes up behind him and shoots him in the head.

There's something so innocent about what he was doing. He was drinking a soda. He was thirsty, and he liked soda. He was just a kid trying to enjoy himself, drinking a soda.

I think I'll remember that story for the rest of my life. It's one of the saddest things I've ever heard. It absolutely destroys me.

[Drifter]

22. That's OK ...

I just heard on the beltway boys on Fox, that since the handover, Iraq has been fading from the headlines. All agreed, that it was wonderful for AWOL.

I thought to myself, Yeah, I have noticed that". Yet, I still hear about American soldiers getting killed every day (here on DU).

Lets see, soldiers are dying at a rate of 2+ per day, and Iraq is FADING from the headlines because Bremer handed them a peice of paper (and got the fuck out of dodge).

It is just sickening.

Cheers
Drifter

[catmandu57]

26. 31 dead in 13 days

and hardly a whimper out of the good puppy press.

[NJmaverick]

25. The media is burying these stories

This tiny article is on page 12 of my paper. The right wingers hate the military people so much they now want to cover up their deaths.

[Mari333]

28. So many families are destroyed today

and it will be with them for the rest of their lives.
and the US public doesnt seem to care a whit that our kids are dead for
nothing.
Armour on the Humvees? I doubt it. Yet someone like Wolfowitz is sitting in a 2000 dollar a night suite sipping brandy while our kids die for
nothing.
http://www.bringthemhomenow.com

[Rose Siding]

29. These reports used to be on MSN's front page

I don't think they've used a casualty report for troops since the "handover"

[cureautismnow]

31. And the Beat Goes On...

Damn Bush-boy. How can the bastard sleep at night with other people's blood covering every speck of his miserable existence?

President Kerry has just got to end this madness and bring our men and women home. American troops should defend American soil, not invade foreign soil for their oil or to defend daddy's honor.

November 2nd can't come soon enough...

[Solly Mack]

32. At least they didn't die for a mistake

and if I ( "me, of all people") have to add a disclaimer to this, you haven't been paying attention.

[Zen]

35. Mr. bloodthirsty (*) must be in heaven thinking about all the ketchup he

can make with the ever rising death toll.

[JackDragna]

36. You know what just breaks my heart?

I can never tell anymore when a report of Americans being killed in Iraq that appears in Late Breaking News is actually a new report or a repost of an earlier report. There's just been too many of those horrid reports now. I could not be angrier with the president.

[RamboLiberal]

37. That's 29 this month - near average of 3 a day

And if this month continues in this manner will be the most since that awful month of April.

According to Iraq Coalition Casualties website http://icasualties.org/oif/ that is an average of 2.82 per day this month. Highest since we had 4.67 in April.

Yet by news media accounts you get impression sometimes that things are getting better.

[saigon68]

39. That is how FAUX spins it

And the sheep buy it

HOOK

LINE

SINKER

[T4tyra]

38. IT IS IMPORTANT TO REMEMBER

THE ELECTION IS IN NOVEMBER!