CNN Breaking: 3 US Soldiers ambushed & killed in Baghdad

[Cooley Hurd]

I'm sure this doesn't include the two US Marines killed west of Baghdad today.

CNN Update: 3 US soldiers killed, 10 wounded in ambush by Shiite militia men in Baghdad.

Still looking for links...

Although this might not be related, here's a link to recent clashes between US troops and the Shiite militia in Sadr City (suburb of Baghdad):
Ten wounded in US, Sadr clashes

<snip>
TEN people were wounded Sunday in clashes between US forces and the militia of radical Shiite cleric Moqtada Sadr which seized three police stations in the Sadr City suburb of the Iraqi capital, correspondents on the scene said.

A Humvee vehicle was destroyed and seton fire, and US troops evacuated another from the Al-Dakhel neighborhood of Sadr City, the impoverished Shiite northeastern suburb of Baghdad.

Two loud explosions were heard in the area as US troops traded fire with militiamen from Sadr's Mehdi Army in the Souq Mreidi and Al-Dakhel neighborhoods of central Sadr City, a photographer said.

Ahmad Riad, a doctor at Al-Kindi hospital, said that seven people were taken to hospital with bullet wounds. Three more were lightly wounded.
</snip>

[Zomby Woof]

1. is it just me...?

Or has the pace of casualties quickened since Fallujah?

[RogueTrooper]

8. Yes they are

and summer is coming. Our equipment will not work as well and tempers will flair.

[Frederic Bastiat]

21. Tha's because of troop rotations n/t

[Cooley Hurd]

25. They sent in the green troops...

...and pulled all the experienced ones. I was afraid this would happen. :(

[displacedtexan]

2. That makes 5 today so far, and 50 in March.

Sad.

[skooooo]

6. except it's April now..

[alcuno]

11. FYI - The official March number ended up being 52 deaths.

So sad.

[aneerkoinos]

44. Nope, dozens...

9 coalition troop fatalities (4 from El Salvador), many Mahdi militia and Iraqi civilians... first night of Jihad coming...

[htuttle]

3. Does that make 5 today?

There were 2 Marines killed this morning also.

[alcuno]

7. Officially, I think it's one on 4/3, and 4 on 4/4.

There were the two marines killed but it must have been the case that one died before midnight on the 3rd and one died later on the 4th.

May they all find peace with God.

[Cooley Hurd]

12. I don't think this includes the marines...

According to news reports, the marines were killed west of Baghdad. CNN said specifically these troops were ambushed and killed in Baghdad.

Here's a link to the story of the two marines that were killed:
http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&cid=578&e=2&u=/nm/20040404/ts_nm/iraq_marines_dc

<snip>
The army said one Marine was killed in action on Saturday and the other died on Sunday from wounds received in a separate engagement on Saturday.

The deaths raise to 411 the number of U.S. troops killed in action since U.S.-led forces invaded Iraq (news - web sites) to overthrow Saddam Hussein a year ago.

The area west of Baghdad, including the town of Falluja, is a hotbed of anti-American activity. Earlier this week, four U.S. contractors driving through the town were killed and their corpses burned and dragged through the streets by a crowd.
</snip>

[alcuno]

19. Right. Here's the link. The two marines were in Al Anbar province.

The three in Baghdad are not there yet.

http://lunaville.org/warcasualties/Details.aspx

[revcarol]

66. 411 killed?

How about OVER SIX HUNDRED?

AM i JUST TOO STUPID TO UNDERSTAND THEIR SPIN?

Add in ALLIED troops and see what the total is.l

[alcuno]

69. KIA - Killed in Action.

It's unclear to me why they keep trying to distinguish between a guy who is shot and one who is in a vehicle accident and drowns. Actually it's not unclear. It's all part of the propaganda.

[Mari333]

4. Bring the Troops Home now.

Now.
http://www.bringthemhomenow.com
Now.

[progressivebydesign]

16. Mari, how are you holding up?

This has been a tough week, following a tough month in Iraq. We need to bring the troops home.. now. You're right.

[Mari333]

41. Just numb and wondering whats next. feeling like Im going insane.

getting judged by people in my small town here when I tell them I feel like Im going insane. So Im staying away from them.
Got a quick and scary email from Michael, sounds like hes under some sort of pressure, and havent been hearing from him in the last few days.
My husband just sits and cries all day.
thats pretty much it.

[grytpype]

5. How long can Bush hang on?

I think he'll be under pressure to resign by mid-summer. After the June 30 "transfer" of "sovereignty" flops, I think we'll be hearing public calls for his resignation.

[gristy]

10. I agree completely

I posted a couple days ago that I now don't think bush is going to last out the year. Everything is tumbling down.

[Joanne98]

17. He'll NEVER resign

He may not even leave if he's voted out. We need to make plans now for a physical eviction. The troops might be interested in the job of dragging him out by his lying, greedy neck. Or the 9/11 families, or the firefighters, or the senior citizens, or or or..........
There's too many volunteers, we'll have to have a lottery.:)

[gristy]

23. Bush will resign if

enough Republican Congresscritters vote to impeach. And yes, that COULD happen. And it WILL happen if/when it becomes a choice for them between the survival of our country and the survival of their pResident. And of course, bush would NOT survive impeachment hearings.

on edit: grammar

[Old and In the Way]

27. All it will take are a number of moderate Republicans with a conscience

to move into the Independent or Democraic columns. In Maine, we have 2 mod. Republican senators. All they need to do is consider how Rep. Rep Bill Cohen (later elected Sen.) helped end the reign of Nixon or how Rep. Senator Margaret Chase Smith stopped McCarthyism with her "Conscience of the Senate" speech.

These people truly have the power to change history in a big way.

[wtmusic]

34. Nixon was guilty of conspiracy

and conspiracy is a crime. What crime would they charge * with?

[Old and In the Way]

37. What indeed.

A new Democratic majority means we control investigations....and I suspect that we won't be interested in whitewashing things to protect the BFEE. I suspect that the entire administration would begin negotiating their resignations, en masse, the moment the balance of power tips in Congress.

[gristy]

43. Have you been paying attention?

I mean, sorry to get so snide, but don't you think the House could find at least one eensy teensy tiny thing to impeach him on?

[Jackpine Radical]

56. "High crimes and misdemeanors"

is essentially a political concept, not a legal one. HC&M are whatever the Congress says they are. However, I would imagine that the offense would have to be a crime in the conventional sense in order to get it to fly politically.

[Cooley Hurd]

62. The repuglican congress lowered the bar on what's considered...

a "high crime and misdemeanors" by declaring a lie about a blow job a "high crime and misdemeanor."

[wtmusic]

68. Exactly, that's my point

and it ain't gonna happen

[Media_Lies_Daily]

58. How about willfully and knowingly lying to the American people...

...about a number of topics to include what really happened on 911, the publicly stated reasons for the war in Afghanistan, the publicly stated reasons for the war in Iraq, the tax cut for the superwealthy that was supposed to stimulate the moribund economy, and many, many more reasons that I'm not going to list here?

And each of the above qualifies Junior as being part of a conspiracy because he didn't do all of that by himself.

[wtmusic]

67. Lying isn't a crime

unless it's under oath, unfortunately.

[Old and In the Way]

73. ergo, the need the get real investigations started by taking back

majority positions. And I'm beginning to thnk that we won't be able to trust touchscreen voting in November without documented receipts, so the idea of appealing to a handful of moderate Republicans now, to do the right thing for our Democracy, strikes me as a prudent tactic for Americans to consider.

[Joanne98]

36. You got to be kidding

Republican Congresscritters caring about our country? HA Not these thugs. they care about one thing ME ME ME ME ME ME ME......... Now MAYBE if they think Bush will have NEGATIVE coat tails and ME ME ME might lose me's election because of it. The GOP are all committing treason at this point. Bush is the only thing between most of them and a prison cell. They're playing for keeps now. THE REGIME ONLY CARES ABOUT THE REGIMES SURVIVAL. Get ready for acts of great desperation.

[ultramega]

45. Plus I bet Rove has dirt on each and every one of them

They are all dirty, or gay, or something...

[Karenina]

74. You GO Jo!!!!

THAT'S the Spirit of the America I remember. You just did my heart GOOD! Thanx.

[wtmusic]

18. Resignation?

Bush would never, ever resign (it's a sign of weakness). He will have his ass handed to him on a platter in November, however.

[grytpype]

28. You think Bush is tougher than Nixon?

Well, really that's not a fair comparison... Nixon was facing a hostile media and a Congress that was prepared to impeach him. Bush is being propped up by the corporate media, and this Congress would never impeach him.

I'm not really saying I think he would resign, I'm saying he'll be under pressure. I think there will be calls from leading Democrats for his resignation.

[wtmusic]

33. He will definitely come under pressure

but you're dead on about the media. Without an viable, independent media and a Democratic majority he will have to be kicked out.

A trial on war crimes is a possibility but it will take years before the public comes around.

[PaDUer]

39. Not tougher...

but more stupid, no conscience, no nothing..this boob is along for the ride, enjoying himself, along w/ the lump in the bed. He's not the one making the calls.

[indie_voter]

42. I think Bush is more out of touch than Nixon

I also think for all his flaws, Nixon had some sense. Bush has NONE.

He isn't going to resign. He has to be voted out, even then I can't help but think of the old SNL skit with Nancy Reagan holding on to the door being dragged out by the secret servic while Barbara Bush looked on.

[Blue_Tires]

47. even if for the sake of arguement bush did resign

are any of us prepared for president dick cheney????

[Cooley Hurd]

54. I can't see a difference...

...since Cheney runs the show now, anyway.

[wtmusic]

71. Whether it's Cheney or his sock puppet

no diff.

[oasis]

9. The Iraq stuation is clearly out of control. Bush is a monumental failure.

[cliss]

13. Exactly. What can the man say now?

He shows up at some fund-raiser. He lifts his hand dramatically, and opens his mouth. Out comes - nothing.

He can't say he brought "democracy" to Iraq. The country is burning as we speak.

He can't say a damn thing about our national security - Richard Clarke took care of that.

Nothing to comment on about our balance of trade - we have deficits that will last longer than our lifetimes.

Can't brag about jobs - we lost 2 million while on his watch.

And the War on Terror - I rest my case.

[RichV]

48. I know what he'll say

"John Kerry is a liberal, tax-raising, flip-flopper who will endanger our security!"

That's pretty much all he's been saying for a month.

[progressivebydesign]

14. My heart goes out to our troops over there..

.. all hell is breaking loose. I heard an eloquent interview on NPR yesterday with an editor of an Arab paper in Beirut. I agreed with him on so many levels. He said that they need to leave the Iraqis to create their own post-Saddam country. He said that while removing Saddam (theoretically) was a good thing, because of his ruthlessness.. he said that it was NOT good that we did it, or that we are occuppying Iraq now. America will not let the Iraqis create their own government, because the corporations want to be sure it's friendly to them. We have made a grave mistake, or more sinisterly, committed a grave crime in tearing apart Iraq. Ghadafi we make deals with and befriend.. Saddam? We rip his country apart, and kill thousands. And Ghadafi was an admitted terrorist responsible for the Pan Am/Lokerbie deaths. How can we get ourselves out of this???????? :cry:

[wtmusic]

20. And what if postwar Iraq is WORSE than Saddam?

A very real possibility.

[Barrett808]

46. I've been saying this lately: Iraq and the world may have been better off

with Saddam. We'll know in a few months, I think.

[wryter2000]

15. "No more deaths by March"

Remember when Whistle Ass commanded that there could be no more US soldier deaths starting in March? Doesn't look like little Nero can order the Iraqis around the way he does us.

This is so sad. The poor families -- American and Iraqi.

[Joanne98]

24. That's so selfish and irresponsible

Now the resistance will double it's efforts. Does this monster EVER think about anything but his own interests. Outrageous.

[Old and In the Way]

31. Of course, the re-election campaign had to put a firm date for

withdrawal. Winning the next election is a far more important priority than maintaining a force until we fix what we broke. Again, these idiots can't understand that this will only feed the chaos and anarchy that will consume Iraq, before the Religious Taliban take it over.

[leftchick]

75. I don't believe they ever intended June 30 as withdrawl of troops...

That is the date of the fake ceremonial handover so murkins will think everything is back in Iraqi hands. Our troops are stuck there for the long haul if chimpass* stays in the WH.

[rfkrocks]

22. the wheels are falling off Iraq

Revolution and civil war around the corner and our 100,000 troops are a mere speed bump to an enraged violent country-what Bushco did is unleash all hell from the dual swamps of fundamentalism and nationalism - we are on an e ticket ride and who knows where this will end-bring the troops home now!

[Flagg]

26. any links yet ?

[Cooley Hurd]

29. Still looking...

The only reporting I've seen on this was on CNN TV...

[RamboLiberal]

30. No links yet - been looking

But did listen to CNN Headline news and they reported 3 dead separate from the 2 Marines killed.

Things are escalating out of control in Iraq.

[fizzana]

32. According to CNN they were ambushed by Sadr's millitia.

Add this to what happened in Najaf and we have a whole new front in the war opening up. Sadr has obviously declared war on the U.S.

And we're handing over power on June 30. Watch that deadline come and go.

[aneerkoinos]

52. Yep, It's now officially Jihad

Before this day, coalition daily fatalities were 1-2. After this day expect many times more.

June 30 won't mean anything, CPA and their puppets are isolated, Iraq has decided to become Islamist republic...

[homelandpunk]

55. Will BFEE now martyr Sadr? Bush is a x-tian moron, so I will say YES

Thus the specter of the "devout" x-tian killing a devout muslim holy man in an act of war. Bush used the word "Crusade".... I think he knew what that meant (one of the few times).
This is so fucking ugly.

[louis-t]

35. Re: bushco claims that 'appeasing' the terrorists emboldens them

coalition soldiers are dragging Iraqis out of their homes, attacks are increasing. Spain threatens to withdraw their troops, attacks in Spain are increasing. What's the dif?

[Junkdrawer]

38. Look for another bombing by those pesky Saddam loyalists...

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,95987,00.html

[markses]

40. The pictures coming out of Sadr City don't look like an "ambush,"

but like full on, all out street fighting.

The situation in Iraq is very, very quickly spinning out of control. The closure of the Shi'a newspaper was only the spark here, but now it's turning damn ugly. If these recent reports prove true (and all the reports say that clashes in Sadr city are ongoing), then the US KIA for April is as follows:

1-Apr: 1
1 - I MEF, killed in hostile action, al-Anbar Province (near Fallujah)

2-Apr: 1
1 - 1AD, killed in IED attack, Baghdad

3-Apr: 1
1 - I MEF killed in hostile action, al-Anbar Province

4-Apr: 4US
1 - I MEF killed in hostile action, al-Anbar Province;
3 - (1AD??) killed in ambush, al-Sadr city section of Baghdad

A Shi'a uprising at this point would be disastrous, and will probably result in Bremer's ouster as CPA head. If the US can't regain control of sadr city, expect heavy shelling of the Green Zone to commence soon. The unsaid here is fairly clear. The relatively easy road so far has been enabled by Shi'a quiescence on the US invasion/occupation. If that cooperation collapses, we'll see the war we never saw last March and April.

[expatriot]

49. urban warfare against Shiite militia: worst case scenario

this has been common knowledge for some time and now it looks like it is coming to pass. Strategically speaking, we either need to pull out or put 500,000 combat troops on the ground.

[Mari333]

53. we dont have those troops

the military is stretched thin, theres no troops left period.
Time to pull out. period.
now.
http://www.bringthemhomenow.com
all the troops are doing there is protecting corporations.
bring the troops home now.

[molok555]

60. Right on the $$$

The US is only there as long as the Shi'ites allow. I know, I know, the Shi'ites are no match for a full US assault. However, that's not liberation, is it? If Sadr's brigades have turned to ambushing and killing Americans, then it means nothing but trouble. And if Sadr's brigades have success and the transition doesn't go according to Sistani's desires, it'll get REALLY bad...

Hold on, Mari!!

[Cooley Hurd]

50. **LINK**

http://www.cnn.com/2004/WORLD/meast/04/04/iraq.main/

<snip>
BAGHDAD, Iraq (CNN) -- Three U.S. soldiers were killed and at least 10 wounded in an ambush in a Baghdad neighborhood Sunday, a senior coalition official told CNN.

The killings in the Shiite majority Sadr City came on a day that saw deadly clashes between protesters and coalition forces in the holy city of Najaf, fighting in Baghdad and a car bombing in Kirkuk.
</snip>

[Barrett808]

61. Bremer: "This will not be tolerated by the Iraqi people"

Earth to Bremer: These are the Iraqi people.

What a sad, pathetic day for US foreign policy.

[PurityOfEssence]

51. If KIAs crack four digits by election day, Junior's got trouble

and yes, it's sick and sad to even think in such terms.

Our very campaign against Iraq was naked aggression and childish revenge, timed for political advantage. Unable to adjust to changing situations, the monarchists keep on with their same old ways: trying to queer the pitch by forcing a government that's "friendly" down the troats of the subjugated and crushing all opposition.

The irony of padlocking a newspaper from this, the land of John Peter Zenger, is incredible, and it will spark much more ire than the odd killings and kicked-in doors here and there.

Our administration is, even in its own selfish terms, worse than evil: it's stupid. (Oh, but let's not forget the evil part; they're a double-meat nasty burger "with" and supersized.)

[aneerkoinos]

57. Those numbers are quaranteed

Too bad after 4 years of "Johnson" Effing Kerry the numbers will be in five digits.

[Calico Jack Rackham]

59. This Powder Keg is

about to blow up big time. They better start worrying about an all out popular rebellion/civil war before of a transfer of sovereignty to the puppet govt.

[RamboLiberal]

63. Faux News Live Reporting at 3PM EDT - BBC also has

the protest in Najaf that Spanish authorities have revised their KIA figures. Now it is 1 American soldier and 1 Salvadoran.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/3597887.stm

At least 20 people have been killed and more than 100 injured in clashes between Spanish-led troops and Iraqi demonstrators in the city of Najaf.

One soldier from El Salvador and one from the US were reportedly killed in the firefight, which broke out when Shia protesters marched on their base.

[Cooley Hurd]

65. Jesus... that makes 6 US troops KIA today alone...

Fuck! :grr:

Here's an AJC link about this:

Two Soldiers Die in Iraq Near Garrison

<snip>
MADRID, Spain (AP)--Two soldiers--a Salvadoran and an American _ died and nine were injured Sunday in clashes with protesters at the Spanish garrison near the holy city of Najaf, the Spanish Defense Ministry said.

The ministry had earlier reported four Salvadoran soldiers in the Spanish led peacekeeping force had been killed.

The clashes broke out when gunmen who were apparently followers of an anti-U.S. Muslim cleric opened fire on the Spanish garrison, the ministry said in a statement. The protesters were angry over the arrest of an aide to the cleric, the ministry said.

Jose Luis Gutierrez, a Defense Ministry spokesman, told the Associated Press the error was the result of confusing reports from the Spanish base.
</snip>

[Flagg]

64. Still no link on yahoo news

[Barrett808]

70. CNN Headline link: Three U.S. soldiers die in ambush

Three U.S. soldiers die in ambush
Violence in cities mars coalition's announcement
Sunday, April 4, 2004 Posted: 3:22 PM EDT (1922 GMT)

BAGHDAD, Iraq (CNN) -- Three U.S. soldiers were killed and at least 10 wounded in an ambush in a Baghdad neighborhood Sunday, a senior coalition official told CNN.

The killings in the Shiite majority Sadr City came on a day that saw deadly clashes between protesters and coalition forces in the holy city of Najaf, fighting in Baghdad and a car bombing in Kirkuk.

The chief U.S. civilian administrator in Iraq denounced Shiite protests in Najaf Sunday, saying the lethal demonstrations had exceeded the democratic rights to protest, speak and use the media.

"A group of people in Najaf have crossed the line and have moved to violence," Paul Bremer said. "This will not be tolerated by the coalition. This will not be tolerated by the Iraqi people. And this will not be tolerated by the Iraqi security forces."

Protesters opened fire on a Najaf garrison housing Spanish troops, and troops responded with return fire, a coalition spokesman said. Maj. Vicente Bizarroso said one coalition soldier was killed and 10 were wounded. Some news agencies said there were more troops killed, but the coalition did not confirm the reports.

Whether protesters were killed or wounded in the clashes remains unknown.

(more)

http://www.cnn.com/2004/WORLD/meast/04/04/iraq.main/index.html

[RamboLiberal]

72. Add 1 as well in Najaf - I reported on originally from FAUX - AP now

http://www.newsday.com/news/nationworld/wire/sns-ap-salvadorans-iraq,0,1400915.story?coll=sns-ap-nationworld-headlines

Two Soldiers Die in Iraq Near Garrison

By Associated Press

April 4, 2004, 1:49 PM EDT


MADRID, Spain -- Two soldiers -- a Salvadoran and an American -- died and nine were injured Sunday in clashes with protesters at the Spanish garrison near the holy city of Najaf, the Spanish Defense Ministry said.

The ministry had earlier reported four Salvadoran soldiers in the Spanish led peacekeeping force had been killed.

The clashes broke out when gunmen who were apparently followers of an anti-U.S. Muslim cleric opened fire on the Spanish garrison, the ministry said in a statement. The protesters were angry over the arrest of an aide to the cleric, the ministry said.

[tabasco]

76. Faux STILL not reporting this.

maybe they will wait until 2am for the bad news. I'm not sure why I started watching Faux today. Morbid curiosity, I guess. My god, it is unvarnished propaganda.

[Cooley Hurd]

77. **CNN Update** 4 US Soldiers dead in Baghdad ambush...

40 wounded. As per CNN TV. :grr: This doesn't include the US soldier killed in Najaf.

4 US Soldiers dead in Baghdad
1 US Soldier dead in Najaf
2 US Marines dead near Falluja
--
7 dead today alone. This fucking SUCKS! :grr:

On edit - CNN is saying 7 soldiers dead in Baghdad???

Looking for confirmation, although they might mean 7 dead total (in all of Iraq).

[alcuno]

79. FAUX would say this is a sign of how well things are going in Iraq.

I'm just praying for everyone involved. Except who know who. He is not in my prayers.

[eablair3]

78. Quagmire in Iraq: U.S. Casualties Up To 11,700

Quagmire in Iraq: U.S. Casualties Up To 11,700

...

The number of American soldiers killed since the beginning of the invasion has now topped 600. U.S. authorities have not bothered to count the Iraqi dead, but some estimates put the number as high as 10,000.

But what is rarely heard in the U.S. media or from the Pentagon is the number of wounded U.S. soldiers. Some figures that have been briefly mentioned in the press fall in the range of two to three thousand.

But the Pentagon is now reporting that in the first year of war in Iraq, the military made over 18,000 medical evacuations - representing 11,700 casualties.

http://www.democracynow.org/article.pl?sid=04/04/02/1516232

[NeoConsSuck]

80. It's now up to 7...

Sad, sad, sad..

[Cooley Hurd]

82. I saw that, but I'm not sure if that's the Baghdad total alone...

...or the total for the day in the entire country.

Looking for confirmation now...

[VolcanoJen]

81. CNN Reports *Seven* US Soldiers were killed today, just in Baghdad.

Seven US Soldiers killed and 40 wounded in Baghdad, as Shiites took over police stations... US tanks have now filled the area.

Looking for official link...

I'm not even sure this count includes the two US soldiers killed in Najaf today...

[Cooley Hurd]

83. I think 1 US (and 1 Spanish) soldier dead in Najaf...

2 US marines near Falluja and 7 US soldiers (if CNN was correct at the top if the hr) killed in the ambush in Baghdad.

Jesus Christ, Jen... :(

[Cooley Hurd]

84. I'm locking this...

There'a a new thread w/ updates here:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=102&topic_id=463532#463546

Faux news reporting 7 US soldiers dead in Baghdad - add that to the US soldier killed in Najaf and the 2 US Marines killed near Falluja...