News Suggests Iraqi Insurgents Are After US Soldiers As Hostages

Someone spent a lot of money to stage the raid at Karbala, to capture

as hostages US soldiers. When the kidnappers faced captured, they

dumped their expensive gear, killed their American hostages and

vanished into the local community. Shiites take hostages, usually to

torture and kill them if they are Mahdi militia, but, in the case of

the criminal kidnap gangs in Baghdad, the victim is released alive if

a ransom is paid. Whoever handled this operation made a mistake

letting his hired confederates kill the handcuffed hostages before

they escaped. Now the US military will go hammer and tongs after the

Iranian cell they suspect financed this operation. These killings are

another nail in the coffin that is Maliki's career as Prime Minister,

since the leak, advance information on the classified meeting, came

from the PM's office. Maliki's time has run out, but the Bush

administrartion is incapable of making any moves fast except when it

comes to increasing the National Debt.

---

Military Provides Details of Slain Soldiers' Abduction

The gunmen seemed to know where to find the Americans in the guarded

Iraqi facility.

By Borzou Daragahi, Los Angeles Times Staff Writer

January 27, 2007

BAGHDAD - Four of the five U.S. soldiers killed in a sophisticated

attack in southern Iraq last week were shot after they were captured,

handcuffed and driven miles away by gunmen who appeared to have

detailed information about their target, U.S. and Iraqi officials said

Friday.

"The attackers went straight to where the Americans were located in

the provincial government facility, bypassing the Iraqi police in the

compound," Lt. Col. Scott Bleichwehl, a spokesman for U.S. forces in

Baghdad, said in a statement. "We are looking at all the evidence to

determine who or what was responsible for the breakdown in security at

the compound and the perpetration of the assault."

The U.S. military said last week that five soldiers in Karbala died

fending off the Jan. 20 attack on a provincial security building, but

details of what happened were not released.

However, hours after an Associated Press report cited unnamed U.S. and

Iraqi sources in recounting the attack and killings, the military

Friday issued a detailed statement on the incident that said the four

soldiers were found dead or dying in a neighboring province south of

Baghdad.

The account of the attack provided by the military suggests both a

breakdown of security in the relatively safe southern province as well

as increased skill on the part of armed groups.

"The precision of the attack, the equipment used and the possible use

of explosives to destroy the military vehicles in the compound

suggests that the attack was well rehearsed prior to execution,"

Bleichwehl said.

U.S. and Iraqi soldiers were at a provincial security headquarters

discussing safety for pilgrims participating in an annual religious

ceremony when the gunmen - dressed in U.S. Army-style combat uniforms

and driving at least five sport utility vehicles - made their way past

checkpoints and stormed the building about 5 p.m.

"The armed militants wore American-looking uniforms and carried U.S.-

type weapons convincing Iraqi checkpoints to allow their passage," the

statement said.

Once they were inside the compound, fighting broke out between the

gunmen, estimated at no more than a dozen, and U.S. soldiers. Small-

arms fire erupted and grenades exploded. One soldier was killed and

three were wounded by a hand grenade thrown into the main office,

which includes the headquarters of the provincial police chief.

"The Iraqis in the meeting were not harmed or even touched," an Iraqi

military official said.

Explosions damaged several U.S. Humvees, disabling the vehicles and

forcing the soldiers to take cover. The attackers pulled back, the

statement said, taking four U.S. soldiers with them.

According to U.S. and Iraqi officials, not only did the gunmen manage

to enter the building, they took the captured soldiers from Karbala

dozens of miles to Babil province, confidently driving past at least

one checkpoint.

"The vehicles did not stop at checkpoints, they drove right through

them," said an Iraqi military officer, speaking on condition of

anonymity.

The military said suspicious Iraqi police officers pursued them. Iraqi

security officials said American and local forces surrounded the area

and established a curfew.

Residents heard gunfire and saw flares light up the sky as Iraqi

forces, including members of Hillah's Scorpion Brigades, searched the

area.

The Iraqi police eventually found the captured U.S. soldiers, dead or

dying, as well as five abandoned SUVs, U.S. Army uniforms, boots,

radios and sophisticated machine guns near the Sunni towns of Mahawil

and Albu Alwan in northern Babil province.

"Two soldiers were found handcuffed together in the back of one of the

SUVs," the U.S. military statement said. "Both had suffered gunshot

wounds and were dead. A third soldier was found shot and dead on the

ground. Nearby, the fourth soldier was still alive, despite a gunshot

wound to the head."

The soldier died as Iraqi police took him to a nearby hospital.

Karbala Gov. Aqil Khazali, saying he had been briefed by a U.S.

official, said the intense search may have pressed the insurgents to

execute the captured soldiers.

"They were killed by the criminals near Hillah in Babil province after

being encircled and surrounded by the American and Iraqi forces,"

Khazali said.

In article <1169913142.966782.76340@l53g2000cwa.googlegroups.com>,

"gerry" <gerrytwo@hotmail.com> wrote:

> Someone spent a lot of money to stage the raid at Karbala, to capture

> as hostages US soldiers. When the kidnappers faced captured, they

> dumped their expensive gear, killed their American hostages and

> vanished into the local community. Shiites take hostages, usually to

> torture and kill them if they are Mahdi militia, but, in the case of

> the criminal kidnap gangs in Baghdad, the victim is released alive if

> a ransom is paid. Whoever handled this operation made a mistake

> letting his hired confederates kill the handcuffed hostages before

> they escaped. Now the US military will go hammer and tongs after the

> Iranian cell they suspect financed this operation. These killings are

> another nail in the coffin that is Maliki's career as Prime Minister,

> since the leak, advance information on the classified meeting, came

> from the PM's office. Maliki's time has run out, but the Bush

> administrartion is incapable of making any moves fast except when it

> comes to increasing the National Debt.

http://turkmenpost.blogsome.com/images/07gijoehostage.jpg

They've been wanting GI hostages for a long time now (GI Joe wasn't

their real goal).

It's lots more difficult to take a trained, armed man hostage than a

middle aged female humanitarian services worker.

--

NeoLibertarian

"Nobody inherits their civilisation.

You always inherit the /ruins/ of your civilisation.

Beginning with yourself."

--Dennis M. Hammes

On Jan 27, 12:18 pm, Neolibertarian <cognac...@yahoo.com> wrote:

> In article <1169913142.966782.76...@l53g2000cwa.googlegroups.com>,

>

>

>

>

>

> "gerry" <gerry...@hotmail.com> wrote:

> > Someone spent a lot of money to stage the raid at Karbala, to capture

> > as hostages US soldiers. When the kidnappers faced captured, they

> > dumped their expensive gear, killed their American hostages and

> > vanished into the local community. Shiites take hostages, usually to

> > torture and kill them if they are Mahdi militia, but, in the case of

> > the criminal kidnap gangs in Baghdad, the victim is released alive if

> > a ransom is paid. Whoever handled this operation made a mistake

> > letting his hired confederates kill the handcuffed hostages before

> > they escaped. Now the US military will go hammer and tongs after the

> > Iranian cell they suspect financed this operation. These killings are

> > another nail in the coffin that is Maliki's career as Prime Minister,

> > since the leak, advance information on the classified meeting, came

> > from the PM's office. Maliki's time has run out, but the Bush

> > administrartion is incapable of making any moves fast except when it

> > comes to increasing the National Debt.http://turkmenpost.blogsome.com/images/07gijoehostage.jpg

>

> They've been wanting GI hostages for a long time now (GI Joe wasn't

> their real goal).

>

> It's lots more difficult to take a trained, armed man hostage than a

> middle aged female humanitarian services worker.

>

> --

US soldiers take hostages in Iraq all the time. If they go looking for

a bad guy and can't find him, they take his family hostage and hold

them until he turns himself in.

"gerry" <gerrytwo@hotmail.com> wrote in message

news:1169913142.966782.76340@l53g2000cwa.googlegroups.com...

> Someone spent a lot of money to stage the raid at Karbala, to capture

> as hostages US soldiers.

Iran.

Red White and Blue

In article <1169918679.744959.203740@v33g2000cwv.googlegroups.com>,

"John B." <johnb505@gmail.com> wrote:

> >

> > --

> US soldiers take hostages in Iraq all the time. If they go looking for

> a bad guy and can't find him, they take his family hostage and hold

> them until he turns himself in.

PPOR.

--

NeoLibertarian

"Nobody inherits their civilisation.

You always inherit the /ruins/ of your civilisation.

Beginning with yourself."

--Dennis M. Hammes

" First-2-Die" <YeahRight201@mindspring.com> wrote in message

news:haMuh.15267$pQ3.11965@newsread4.news.pas.earthlink.net...

|

| "gerry" <gerrytwo@hotmail.com> wrote in message

| news:1169913142.966782.76340@l53g2000cwa.googlegroups.com...

| > Someone spent a lot of money to stage the raid at Karbala, to capture

| > as hostages US soldiers.

|

|

| Iran.

|

|

| Red White and Blue

|

|

|

CIA

red