Iraq Nightmare

[bigtree]

"Triangle Of Death" Is A U.S. Nightmare

Mark Strassmann: Iraqi Region Is A Friendless Place For U.S. Troops Searching For Missing GIs

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In a pre-dawn raid, a group of insurgents ambushed them. Five soldiers in the Humvees were killed, four Americans and one Iraqi Army translator. By the time other U.S. soldiers arrived almost an hour after hearing the explosions — slowed by roadside bombs en route — the three remaining U.S. soldiers had vanished. There are signs at the scene that suggest they were dragged into cars and taken somewhere, but no one knows what kind of shape they were in, then or now — no one, except their attackers.

"These are somebody's friends. Somebody's brother. We want to get them back as bad as their families want them back," said Sgt. Greg Woodruff.

He's one of thousands of American and Iraqi soldiers now searching a 200-square mile area for some sign of the missing soldiers. One of the four tenets of the "Solder's Creed" is to never leave behind a fallen comrade. Like all American soldiers, Johnson and his platoon take that creed seriously, especially now.

The three missing soldiers were from their brigade with the 10th Mountain Division, headquartered at Fort Drum in upstate New York.

I caught up with this platoon as they searched a little farming town of Rushdi Mullah. It's all dirt roads and dirt poor; 300 people living off the land as best they can. Some of them watched us curiously: old men and women, some mothers, and lots of kids.

They responded to waves and said hello. But even though this town sits barely two miles from where the ambush happened, no one living here has come forward with a solid tip or a lead. Most of them are too scared. They think that whenever this search ends, and the U.S. soldiers leave, residents will be left alone again with al Qaeda — which has no use for anyone who cooperates with Americans.

So this platoon, like so many others in the search zone, keeps looking for the big break —something to end the anguish of not knowing for everyone involved, especially the families of the missing. These soldiers still have hope for a happy ending, but they're also realists.

They know the history of gruesome endings for captured U.S. soldiers here. Each fruitless day that goes by in this search reinforces the sense that at best, this is a long shot.

"You can't let emotions get involved. But I'd be lying to you if I didn't say this affects me emotionally . . .


more: http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2007/05/18/notebook/main2825784.shtml

[Monkeyman]

1. You Know They Keep Saying there was a unit close by

How Come it took an hour to get there

[TomInTib]

2. 475 yards and they didn't see a damned thing.

I think they were scared to death and were waiting on air support.