Sent to Rescue Shiite Hostages, Iraqi Troops Find None

[NNN0LHI]

http://www.nytimes.com/2005/04/17/international/middleeast/17cnd-iraq.html?hp&ex=1113796800&en=da82c737449152c9&ei=5094&partner=homepage

BAGHDAD, Iraq, April 17 - Anyone in Baghdad this morning could have been forgiven for thinking the country was on the verge of civil war.

Three Iraqi Army battalions had surrounded the town of Madaen, just south of the capital, where Sunni kidnappers were said to be threatening to kill hundreds of Shiite hostages unless all Shiites left the town. As the national assembly met, Iraq's top political figures warned of a grave sectarian crisis. Iraq's most revered Shiite cleric issued a plea for restraint. Even the outgoing prime minister released a statement decrying the "savage, filthy, and dirty atrocities" in Madaen.

But as the army battalions arrived in Madaen, they saw streets full of people calmly sipping tea in cafés and going about their business. There were no armed Sunni mobs, no cowering Shiite victims. After hours of careful searches, the soldiers assisted by air surveillance found no evidence of any kidnappings or refugees at all.

By this afternoon, Iraqi army officials were reporting that the crisis in Madaen, which had been narrated in a stream of breathless television reports and news agency stories, was nothing but a tissue of rumors and politically motivated accusations.

The hysteria over Madaen was one vivid illustration of the way Iraq's daily violence and sectarian tension, which are real enough, can be easily twisted into fantasy here. In a country where phones are unreliable and roads between cities often blocked, facts can give way to a fast-running engine of rumor. And most people have good reason to believe the worst.

more

[donco6]

1. They're sounding more like the U.S. every day.

Except we wouldn't bother to send in batallions to determine the truth.

[NNN0LHI]

2. That is because "they" are the U.S. n/t

[pinto]

3. Who was it that said "Truth is the first casualty of war"?

[donco6]

5. Quote

The first casualty when war comes is truth.
Hiram Johnson

Sacramento's most celebrated statesman succeeded in politics mainly because he didn't take after his father and because someone shot a deputy district attorney in San Francisco.
Hiram Warren Johnson was born in Sacramento in 1866. His father, Grove L. Johnson, was a corporate attorney who came to Sacramento from New York, fleeing an indictment for forging signatures on promissory notes. Grove Johnson later paid off the notes and was subsequently elected to terms in both the Assembly and Congress.

After graduating from Sacramento High School and spending two years at the University of California, Berkeley, Hiram became a lawyer in his father's firm. But the two went their separate ways after quarrels over the elder Johnson's ties to the enormously powerful Southern Pacific Co. Hiram moved to San Francisco to practice law and became an assistant district attorney.

When another assistant DA was shot in open court, Johnson took over the eventually successful prosecution of corrupt labor boss Abe Ruef. The victory launched Johnson's political career as the gubernatorial candidate of the reform-minded Progressive Republicans. He was elected governor in 1910, heralding the end of the railroads' political dominance and the beginning of an era of political reforms.

Hard-driving and humorless in public, the florid-faced, barrel-chested Johnson was said to be relaxed and rather pleasant in private. He also had that most rare of political virtues: personal honesty. In turning down a gift of $5,000 from Sacramento merchant Harris Weinstock when Johnson was having financial problems, he wrote: "I made my choice (to be in politics) knowing the difficulties that lay in my way and that there were many things I could not hope for ... having made my choice, I feel that I must not only take the advantages, but without repining, must accept the disadvantages."

As governor, Johnson led successful fights for institution of initiative, referendum and recall laws; the direct primary election; the eight-hour work day for women and children; the workers compensation act; pure food and drug acts; free textbooks in public schools; pensions for retired teachers; and more government control of the railroads and utilities.

But he also played a leading role in advocating the exclusion of Japanese from the state and country and opposed American participation in both the League of Nations and the United Nations. After six years as governor, Johnson was elected to the U.S. Senate in 1916 and was re-elected four times. He died on Aug. 6, 1945, the day the United States dropped an atomic bomb on the Japanese city of Hiroshima.

[Roland99]

4. "There are no problems between Shia and Sunnis" - Allawi - 09/21/2004

http://transcripts.cnn.com/TRANSCRIPTS/0409/21/wbr.01.html

[Barrett808]

6. This may also have been a disinformation experiment by some group

The real thing could still happen...

[intheflow]

11. The question is:

Disinformation by who? The US or Middle Easterners? After the lies we've seen from this administration, I wouldn't put money on the fact we're being mislead by our supposed enemies in this case.

[Barrett808]

14. I couldn't say -- CIA fomenting civil war? Distraction from a real attack?

Hope the picture will become clearer in the next few days.

[dArKeR]

7. I'm waiting for Al Qaeda to claim responsibility on their website

[ECH1969]

8. Read the article

Al-Qaeda spicifically said it was BS and blamed America and the Iraqi government for creating the story some time ago.

[rodeodance]

9. look at this story that i posted about an hour ago on DU LBN

Iraqi Forces Free 15 Shiite Families


http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&cid=514&e=3...

Iraqi Forces Free 15 Shiite Families

9 minutes ago




By THOMAS WAGNER, Associated Press Writer

BAGHDAD, Iraq - Iraqi security forces raided a town in central Iraq and freed some 15 Shiite families being held hostage on Sunday, an official said, after Sunni militants threatened to kill dozens of captives unless all Shiites left the area.

The government said it was trying to resolve the standoff peacefully, while Shiite lawmakers called for action to stop "terrorist groups from promoting sectarian violence."

Security forces, who had the town of Madain surrounded, began raiding sites Saturday in search of those abducted, said Qassim Dawoud, the minister in charge of national security.

Witnesses said road blocks were set up and no one was allowed to leave or enter the town of about 1,000 families some 15 miles southeast of Baghdad. But shops opened and the streets were calm.......

[intheflow]

10. Your link comes up "Document not found."

There's disinformation going on, but I don't think it's Middle Eastern people doing it. :grr:

[NNN0LHI]

12. Now it comes up with a different headline and story

Iraq Kidnap Reports May Be Exaggerated

NEAR MADAIN, Iraq - Iraqi security forces backed by U.S. troops had the town of Madain surrounded Sunday after reports of Sunni militant kidnappings of as many as 100 Shiites residents, but there were growing indications the incident had been grossly exaggerated, perhaps an outgrowth of a tribal dispute or political maneuvering.


The town of about 1,000 families, evenly divided between Shiites and Sunnis, sits about 15 miles south of the capital in what the U.S. military has called the "Triangle of Death" because it has become a roiling stronghold of the militant insurgency.


An AP photographer and television cameraman who were in or near the town Sunday said large numbers of Iraqi forces had sealed it off, supported by U.S. forces farther away on the edge of Madain.


The cameraman said he toured the town Sunday morning. People were going about their business normally, shops were open and tea houses were full, he said. Residents contacted by telephone also said everything was normal in Madain.

And American military officials said they were unaware of any U.S. role in what had been described as a tense sectarian standoff in which the Sunni militants were threatening to kill their Shiite captives if all other Shiites did not leave the town.

more

[dArKeR]

28. Thanks, I didn't read the whole story. Have you ever seen a link for

these Al Qaeda websites? I'd rather see for myself than trust CNN, Reuters, AP...

[DulceDecorum]

16. How come Al Qaeda gets to have a website about Iraq?

Lately, Osama has been more quiet than a dead mime in a soundproof box.

Meanwhile,
the one-legged man,
Abu Musab al-Zarqawi,
is bending it like Beckham, when it comes to kicking Coalition butts.

The Penta-PR crowd probably felt they had to write something
to appease the Diebold voters.

[LibertyorDeath]

29. Good Call.

[dArKeR]

31. Great toon!

[NYC]

13. Same subject, different story:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=102&topic_id=1401338#1401778

Iraqi Forces Free 15 Shiite Families

[bemildred]

15. Iraqi troops call halt to Madain assault

Iraqi troops battling in a town near Baghdad to rescue Shia hostages held by Sunni fighters, have halted their offensive after meeting fierce resistance, government officials said.

They said the troops had failed to fight their way into the town centre and new efforts to resolve the matter peacefully were underway.

There were conflicting reports on the fate of the hostages, originally said to number about 80.

Plus more poop (al Jazeera)

[norml]

17. Iraq Kidnap Reports May Be Exaggerated

Iraq Kidnap Reports May Be Exaggerated

Monday April 18, 2005 2:01 AM


AP Photo BAG116

By KHALID MOHAMMED

Associated Press Writer

NEAR MADAIN, Iraq (AP) - Iraqi security forces backed by U.S. troops had the town of Madain surrounded Sunday after reports of Sunni militant kidnappings of as many as 100 Shiite residents, but there were growing indications the incident had been grossly exaggerated, perhaps an outgrowth of a tribal dispute or political maneuvering.

The town of about 1,000 families, evenly divided between Shiites and Sunnis, sits about 15 miles south of the capital in what the U.S. military has called the ``Triangle of Death'' because it has become a roiling stronghold of the militant insurgency.

An AP photographer and television cameraman who were in or near the town Sunday said large numbers of Iraqi forces had sealed it off, supported by U.S. forces farther away outside Madain.

The cameraman said he toured the town Sunday morning. People were going about their business normally, shops were open and tea houses were full, he said. Residents contacted by telephone also said everything was normal in Madain.



snip



http://www.guardian.co.uk/worldlatest/story/0,1280,-4944223,00.html

[norml]

18. Here's a GD thread that has different news results for different times.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=104x3490853

[norml]

19. Results 1 - 10 of about 10,900 for hostage. (0.19 seconds)

Results 1 - 10 of about 10,900 for hostage. (0.19 seconds)



News Alerts
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Sunni militants reportedly take Shi’ite hostages
ISN, Switzerland - 7 minutes ago
ISN SECURITY WATCH (18/04/05) - Iraqi security forces are attempting to end a potential hostage-taking crisis in the central Iraqi town of Madain, where Sunni ...

INTERVIEW: Antero Leitzinger Global Trends and Terrorism Effecting ...
Global Politician, NY - 7 minutes ago
... to enlighten western public about the numerous discrepancies in official Russian reports on the 1999 apartment bombings, or the 2002 theatre hostage-taking in ...

US-Iraqi raid to free hostages
Hindu, India - 12 minutes ago
... News Service): American and Iraqi security forces raided parts of a town near Baghdad on Sunday where Sunni Arab gunmen allegedly held dozens of Shias hostage. ...

Hostage reports lead Iraq forces to seal off town
Arkansas Democrat-Gazette (subscription), AR - 12 minutes ago
... Ministry official, Haidar Khayon, said early Sunday that Iraqi forces raided the town and freed about 15 Shiite families and captured five hostage takers in a ...

IRAQ WRAPUP 7-Iraqi and US forces search for Shi'ite hostages
Reuters South Africa, South Africa - 21 minutes ago
... But an Internet statement purporting to come from the group said the hostage crisis had been fabricated as a pretext to raid Madaen. ...

“Shia Hostages In Madaen” Story Refuted; Al-Qaida Issues Stern ...
jihadunspun.com, Canada - 21 minutes ago
... been conducting brutal raids in Madaen, 14 miles south of Baghdad under the guise that “Sunni Arab gunmen” are allegedly holding dozens of Shia's hostage. ...

Doubts emerge over Iraq hostage-taking reports; security forces ...
Winnipeg Sun, Canada - 24 minutes ago
... Ministry official, Haidar Khayon, said early Sunday that Iraqi forces raided the town and freed about 15 Shiite families and captured five hostage takers in a ...

Iraqi Security Forces Seal Town after Hostages Report
Scotsman, UK - 27 minutes ago
... Ministry official, Haidar Khayon, said early yesterday that Iraqi forces raided the town and freed about 15 Shiite families and captured five hostage takers in ...

Reports of Sunni-held hostages unproven
London Free Press, Canada - 29 minutes ago
... Ministry official, Haidar Khayon, said early yesterday Iraqi forces raided the town and freed about 15 Shiite families and captured five hostage takers in a ...

Spring vote could hurt, warns Goodale
London Free Press, Canada - 28 minutes ago
... "Whether it's RRSP changes, health, greener parks -- all of these benefits are held hostage to the electoral game plan of the Bloc Quebecois and the ...




http://news.google.com/news?hl=en&lr=&tab=wn&ie=UTF-8&scoring=d&q=hostage&btnG=Search+News

[Pirate Smile]

20. WP: Iraqis Dispute Reports of Hostage-Taking

Iraqis Dispute Reports of Hostage-Taking
Troops Remain Around Madain; Leader Calls for Calm Between Shiites, Sunnis

By Caryle Murphy
Washington Post Foreign Service
Monday, April 18, 2005; Page A14

BAGHDAD, April 17 -- Hundreds of Iraqi soldiers and police commandos, supported by U.S. military helicopters, maintained positions Sunday around the central Iraqi town of Madain, where residents disputed widespread reports that scores of Shiite Muslims were held hostage by Sunni extremists.

In a search of homes on the outskirts of the town, Iraqi police found only three hostages, one of them Kurdish, Police Capt. Ahmad Kamal told a Washington Post special correspondent on the scene. "And they were kidnapped because they were working for Americans, not for the reason they were talking about," he added.

Officials in the Iraqi capital, meanwhile, moved quickly to reduce sectarian sentiments sparked by allegations a day earlier of a mass hostage situation in the agricultural town about 18 miles southeast of Baghdad. The alleged hostage-takers reportedly were demanding that Shiite residents move out of town.

Lawmakers set up a five-person committee to look into the matter. Shiite religious and political figures who had related detailed accounts of mass kidnappings on Saturday continued to express concern, but did not repeat those accounts. And interim Prime Minister Ayad Allawi appealed for calm.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A60817-2005Apr17.html

[acmavm]

21. So was it all lies? Are the hostages being threatened? Is this just

more propaganda to cover up supression of the Sunnis?

Really, I don't understand this and I can't figure out who has the most to gain, since everything and everybody has an ulterior motive and it's really hard to believe anyone or any story coming out of Iraq.

[RaleighNCDUer]

22. Who has most to gain?

Who is going to maintain their presence in Iraq until everything is all hunkey dorey again?

Bushco would not have a presidency if not for their war -- they aren't going to let anything jeapordize it. Even if it means sparking, or trying to spark, a civil war. Problem is, they're believing their own propaganda and don't know that a Sunni/Shi'ite war in Iraq is as likely as a Baptist/Catholic war is here.

[Fire Walk With Me]

24. Remember, US Psy-Ops used the "kick over an anthill" method

Announcing stories of impending strikes during the early days of the Invasion, just to see how the Iraqis would regroup, and to learn their response tactics.

Perhaps what's good for the goose is good for the gander. And no, I have no idea what that cliche means.

[TahitiNut]

23. "found only three hostages"??? Awww... too bad.

I guess having hostages is the Iraqi equivalent of climbing the social ladder. Gotta love that freedom we bombed 'em with. :eyes:

It's interesting that nothing's said about releasing them. Maybe they didn't. :shrug:

[maddezmom]

25. kick

[norml]

26. Iraq Hostage Stand-Off Dismissed as Exaggeration

Iraq Hostage Stand-Off Dismissed as Exaggeration
Mon Apr 18, 2005 09:54 AM ET
Printer Friendly | Email Article | Reprints | RSS (Page 1 of 2)


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MORE

By Luke Baker
BAGHDAD (Reuters) - Iraqi forces found scant evidence of a hostage crisis in a town south of Baghdad on Monday, and government officials said claims that 150 Shi'ites had been held were likely exaggerated for political purposes.

Troops from the Interior Ministry's special commando unit searched Madaen, 25 miles southeast of Baghdad, for hours Monday but found little evidence of hostages or gunmen, contradicting claims made by Shi'ite leaders in recent days.

Government officials suggested the situation was exaggerated because Shi'ites, who won elections in January but have yet to see victory converted into political power, are seeking to gain leverage over their rivals, including once-dominant Sunnis.

Confusion over events -- including if any hostages were ever held by anyone -- has underlined how out of touch Iraq's authorities have become as a political vacuum, created since the Jan. 30 election, deepens, with no government in sight.




snip




http://www.reuters.com/newsArticle.jhtml?type=worldNews&storyID=8212429

[ContraBass Black]

27. Consider the media implications, again.

Remember the toy soldier hostage? I went to post links to the major media outlets reports, but I found that rather than corrected, the stories had been scrubbed. The pages weren't marked, they were deleted. The media as a whole pretended they hadn't fallen for it hook, line, and sinker.

I hear that CNN reported the Pope dead a day early. When I went to look, it was gone without a trace.

Perhaps it's my young imagination, but I thought that news outlets used to post or announce corrections when they found themselves grievously in error or reporting stories outright false. I see nothing of the sort in today's brodcast and internet news. I think that is one of the most grave problems of internet reporting: that the servers can just take down the pages and pretend they didn't say anything.

Since 9/11/01, every major TV news outlet has run "The Crawl," scrolling headlines across the bottom of the screen. Isn't this the perfect place for self-correction?

I wonder if people are raising these issues on a grand scale, speakinig loudly and forcefully to bring the problems to light. I can't be certain though, as I don't see it on the news.

[daleo]

30. All of your points are excellent ones.

I suppose the same was true about radio and tv in the past - if they weren't being recorded it was awfully difficult to prove that you had indeed heard what you heard. Print is preferable in this regard - especially if it gets picked up by public libraries.