U.S. Baghdad strikes kill 13, including toddlers

[Eugene]

Source: Reuters

U.S. Baghdad strikes kill 13, including toddlers
Sun Oct 21, 2007 4:40am EDT

By Sattar Raheem and Aseel Kami

BAGHDAD (Reuters) - U.S. air strikes in a Shi'ite
stronghold of Baghdad early on Sunday killed two
toddlers, Reuters TV footage showed, in clashes
that police said left a total of 13 dead and 69
wounded.

The bodies of the toddlers, one in a nappy, lay on
crumpled blankets in the morgue of Imam Ali hospital
in the poor district of Sadr City where doctors
tended to wounded men and boys.

-snip-

"The operation's objective was an individual reported
to be a long-time special groups member specializing
in kidnapping operations," the U.S. military said in
a statement.

"Upon arrival, the ground force began to clear a
series of buildings in the target area when they were
engaged by machinegun fire and rocket propelled
grenades from adjacent structures. Supporting
aircraft was called in to suppress the enemy fire,
killing an estimated six criminals," it said.

-snip-

Read more: http://www.reuters.com/article/topNews/idUSCOL53898220071021

---

Related: Coalition forces target Special Groups member, kill 6 criminals - MNF Iraq

[leftchick]

1. the USA killing innocents for profit

there are no words......



Two men mourn for a toddler, an apparent victim of an overnight raid in the Shiite enclave of Sadr City in Baghdad on Sunday, Oct. 21, 2007. Backed by air power, U.S. forces targeting militants believed to be responsible for the kidnapping of two coalition soldiers raided the main Shiite district in Baghdad on Sunday. Iraqi officials said at least 13 people were killed, including women and children.(AP Photo/ Adil al-Kazali)



A man covers a toddler killed during U.S. military attack, in a hospital morgue in Baghdad's Sadr City October 21, 2007. U.S. air strikes killed at least 13 people and wounded 52 early on Sunday in the northeastern Baghdad district of Sadr city, a stronghold for Shi'ite militants, police sources said. (Kareem Raheem/Reuters)

[Judi Lynn]

10. Thanks for posting the photos. I hope someday the pResident and his cronies

are going to be forced to look at the faces of the people they've harmed, without the refuge of booze, or a bunch of slimey Republican lackeys around them to prop them up.

[Eugene]

2. US military says killed 49 in Baghdad clashes

Source: Reuters

US military says killed 49 in Baghdad clashes
21 Oct 2007 11:44:55 GMT
Source: Reuters

(Adds U.S. military comment, details)

By Sattar Raheem and Aseel Kami

BAGHDAD, Oct 21 (Reuters) - The U.S. military said
it had killed 49 "criminals" in clashes in the Baghdad
district of Sadr City on Sunday in a raid to capture
a militant suspected of involvement in the kidnapping
of U.S. soldiers in Iraq.

Reuters witnesses said U.S. strikes had killed two
toddlers in the poor district, the main stronghold in
Baghdad for the Mehdi Army, a Shi'ite militia loyal to
cleric Moqtada al-Sadr. Iraqi police said 13 people
had been killed and 69 wounded.

-snip-

"Coalition forces estimate that 49 criminals were
killed in three separate engagements during this
operation. Ground forces reported they were unaware
of any innocent civilians being killed as a result
of this operation," the military said in a statement.

-snip-

Abdul-Mehdi al-Muteyri, a senior Sadr official, called
the attack "simply barbaric".

"Most of those killed and wounded were women,
children and elderly men which shows the indiscriminate
monstrosity of the attacks on this crowded area," he
told Reuters.

-snip-

Read more: http://www.alertnet.org/thenews/newsdesk/L21496548.htm

---

Related: FACTBOX-Security developments in Iraq, Oct 21 - Reuters

[goclark]

3. CNN "moved on" quickly after reporting it

Made it appear it was a "US Victory."

[scarface2004]

4. now we're toddler killers!

god our military is so fantastic...i need to put another support the troops magnet on my car!!

[City67]

8. Now thats just stupid

What is being done in Iraq is decided by the civilian masters of the military. The private carrying a rifle and trying to keep his head down doesnt make the decisions you are attributing to them. Vent your anger on the correct people please.

[donsu]

5. just seeing the word toddlers linked to 'strike' makes my heart hurt

may the neo cons fall down hard

[LibDemAlways]

6. Your tax dollars at work. Doesn't it make you

proud to live in the greatest country in the world? :sarcasm:

[baldguy]

7. America busy creating terrorists.

We'll be dealing with the results of the shit for the next 70 yrs.

[SpiralHawk]

9. "This is all my fault" - Commander AWOL

"I told the WMD lies that started this oil crusade, I underequipped our troops, I am stiffing America's veterans, I am the one who loves and promotes torture, and I am fully responsible for the deaths of these innocent toddlers - smirk, smirk, smirk -- you'll never pin a thing on me, though - smirk, smrik, smirk"

- Commander AWOL

[NeoConsSuck]

11. What the Fuck?

One story, two paragraphs to note:

The U.S. military said its ground forces are "unaware" of civilian deaths in the early morning raid that it said left 49 "criminals" dead.

Coalition forces were targeting a man they said was a leader in an Iranian-funded kidnapping operation. U.S. military spokeswoman Sgt. Nicole Dykstra told CNN the target was "neither apprehended nor killed today."

http://www.cnn.com/2007/WORLD/meast/10/21/iraq.fighting/index.html

So let me try to wrap my brain around this. We go in to try to kill *one* man, don't kill him, but kill 49 others, who all happen to be criminals?

Sorry, but to me, the only difference between Blackwater and the US military is disparity of pay.