2 U.S. soldiers reported killed in Iraq (Actually three today - 8/26)

[NNN0LHI]

http://www.sunspot.net/news/nationworld/iraq/bal-iraq0826,0,5469518.story?coll=bal-nationworld-headlines

<snip>One of the soldiers killed today was riding in a support convoy hit by a bomb in the town of Hamariyah, 16 miles northwest of Baghdad, the military announced. Two other soldiers were wounded in that attack.

The other U.S. fatality was a soldier who was struck by an Iraqi motorist while changing a flat tire in a convoy from Tikrit to a forward base, the military said.

A third soldier, in another incident, was taken to a military hospital with an apparently self-inflicted gunshot wound.

more

[bemildred]

1. I think I'm going to be depressed.

An attack, an accident, a suicide.
These guys deserve better.

[Pert_UK]

2. You're shitting me....changing a tire???

COME ON! We're expected to believe this?

The US army is losing people from hostile actions every day and they can't even follow the procedures necessary to change a tire safely?

I really find this story hard to believe - is it another attempt to keep deaths out of the "combat deaths" column?

If not, and with no disrespect intended, if US army soldiers are incapable of changing a tire without putting themselves in harm's way then they must be hugely under-trained and it's not surprising so many are dying.

NB - sorry, that's coming across as being callous which I don't intend. I'm trying to highlight that if soldiers are dying during routine automobile servicing activities, questions need to be asked.

[5thGenDemocrat]

3. Not callous at all, Pert

But, if the questions are to be asked, we'd appreciate it if someone in the media out there in the Free World asks them. We've pretty much given up on the presstitutes here.
John
The point is a good one -- we had road guides during our marches in basic training. Why was no one guiding traffic around this soldier and this disabled vehicle?

[Pert_UK]

5. True - this death is indefensible....

I understand that in a war zone people will get shot and blown up. I even understand that there will be vehicle accidents in difficult terrain, and soldiers may die.

I do not understand why a person's life can be lost when they are a professional, surrounded by professionals, doing something as simple as changing a tyre.

Consider this - if their vehicle, even if it were alone, was forced to a halt on a road in a hostile country where they knew they were at risk of attack, would they not set up some sentries to watch for anyone approaching from any direction, just in case they were hostile? If so, how the HELL did they fail to direct this car around their vehicle?

Unless, of course, the driver deliberately swerved to hit the soldier, in which case it's a combat death and virtually unavoidable.

[Kellanved]

7. Why is the Danish friendly fire incident listed as a combat causality,

but no US or UK friendly fire victims?

[Nottingham]

4. The death Toll keeps rising

:bounce:

[saigon68]

6. SAD SO SAD

Or as Joshcrier would say

FUCK YOU BUSH

[GreenGreenLimaBean]

8. Let's see if Bush* fights to get late Soldier ballots into the Vote count!

The count keeps adding up, and the families and friends of those dead
soldiers know who sent them there.

Chimp will be lucky to get even the top generals votes in '04.

[caledesi]

9. Self-inflicted?

This makes me sick. :puke:

Can you imagine what these soldiers are going to like when they come home? Scary.

[NickB79]

10. Wow, they finally said self-inflicted gunshot wound

Usually it's "non-hostile gunshot wound" (like ANY gunshot can be non-hostile) to camoflauge suicides. That's not a good sign.