Iraqi, U.S. forces overrun rebel base, kill 85

[Ripley]

http://www.cnn.com/2005/WORLD/meast/03/23/iraq.main/index.html

snip>>>

BAGHDAD, Iraq (CNN) -- After a two-hour firefight, Iraqi forces and U.S. helicopters captured an insurgent base northwest of Baghdad, U.S. military officials said Wednesday.

"A previous safe haven for planning attacks has been removed," a U.S. military official said of Tuesday's battle.

The Iraqi military said it killed 85 insurgents during the firefight at a remote location about 60 miles northwest of the capital near Lake Tharthar.

After entering the camp, Iraqi commandos found non-Iraqi passports, training publications, propaganda documents, weapons and ammunition, the U.S. military said.

snip>>>

Why don't they put them in prison anymore? Not that it is really any better than being shot dead on the spot, but I'm curious as to why they just kill them all these days instead of taking POW's.

[Ravenseye]

1. The insurgents fled

They said the base had 80-120 rebels, and that they killed 85, but 2 hours into the battle they evacuated their positions, ie retreated and fled.

So there were no prisoners, because the live ones got away, and the dead ones were all that were left to count.

[Kagemusha]

2. FYI, their prisons are full.

Not sure that's any relation to what they did. In fact I sort of doubt it. But, since you wondered, the prisons are very full there.

[atreides1]

3. Body Count

Here we go again, the body count.

For every one they kill, they'll probably count it as two or three.

[Teaser]

5. The Iraqi government is likely lying about enemy KIA.

If you notice, the US claimed an "indeterminate number" were killed. The Iraqi government and the Shi'ah establishment are desparate to show progress for internal reasons, so they reliably inflate their numbers of enemy Killed In Action.

[kurtyboy]

12. Yeah, I noticed that too, and in another case

featured on the CNN Monday morning, a female MP was interviewed about a firefight her company had been in (protecting a convoy) where they killed 26 enemy insurgents, and took only three injuries.

It was the first time I could recall the gov't story emphasizing that kill ratio so strongly.

I think they're doing everything they can to spin this into a victory--but I don't think it'll happen....

[Ilsa]

4. A follow-through to the Chimperor's "Culture of Life"

Oh wait, that only applies to American Caucasians.

Yeah, these people are so "Pro-Life". Yeah-rite, they believe in the sanctity of life, and promoting life above everything else.

[sniffa]

6. maybe it's just me

but this seems too rosey, and tidy.

[catastrophicsuccess]

7. Umm isnt the real news

That the insurgents have bases?

[Rose Siding]

8. That's what I was thinking -why had they left it until now?

[leftchick]

9. These are bogus body counts ala Vietnam...

this is what you do when you are obviously losing in a quagmire.

[NNN0LHI]

10. Figures don't lie

But liars sure do figure. We learned that from Vietnam if nothing else. Lost that war too.

Don

[Spazito]

11. Unless there is an independent 'count' of the number of

'insurgents' killed, I will put this little item in the same category as the WMDs existence, not credible.

[NNN0LHI]

13. Anyone remember when CENTCOM stopped giving body counts last year?

It was due to some industrious reporters who began counting up the figures from CENTCOM and realized that the numbers they had been giving were were fast approaching the total number of people living in Iraq?

Don

[maxsolomon]

14. rebel BASE? puh-leez

maybe there was a meet-up site, or a weapons depot.

this is PR BS.

[Media_Lies_Daily]

15. How many of the 85 dead were women, children, and the elderly?....

More propaganda from the Ministry of Truth.

By the way, they kill them all because dead "insurgents" can't make claims that they were innocent.

[bemildred]

16. How about that election. Wasn't that great?

Notice how everything is different now in the "New Democratic Iraq(tm)?"
The last few days, all of a sudden, we are back to how the US military
and it's Iraqi stooges are kicking the "anti-Iraqi forces" asses again.

[lebkuchen]

17. Soon all young men and adolescent Iraqi boys will be dead

Won't that be a feather in Bush's cap.

[NNN0LHI]

18. I think that is the plan

They are repopulating the place with Blackwater mercenaries. But Lou fuck-head Dobbs is still blathering on about the illegals coming to this country to work. He never mentions all these illegals we are shipping off to Iraq.

Don

[MisterP]

19. AFP sez only 5-15 killed, rebels never fled