Hotel shelling in Iraq

[Walker (Nitro)]

Ive been quite forgiving in the number of civilian casualties caused by US bombing, because they unfortunately are unavoidable in wartime... But this time they have gone too far and im not afraid to say it, when i heard that those two journalists had been killed when a tank shelled the hotel they were staying in i was dumbstruck. I mean what can a lonely sniper do (even though there wasnt one) to a tank crew inside 5" steel plating? jack **** thats what... and what do the yanks do "Hey Cleetus, lets send an AP shell his way and see what happens" result? two dead three wounded... Dont get me started on the little Iraqi boy who's family was killed.

Now im all for the war in its right respect, but my feelings of the american attitude of "shoot first, questions later" that had subsided has now popped upto the surface..

nice one G-Dub....

 

[headrock6]

Originally posted by Walker (Nitro)
Ive been quite forgiving in the number of civilian casualties caused by US bombing, because they unfortunately are unavoidable in wartime... But this time they have gone too far and im not afraid to say it, when i heard that those two journalists had been killed when a tank shelled the hotel they were staying in i was dumbstruck. I mean what can a lonely sniper do (even though there wasnt one) to a tank crew inside 5" steel plating? jack **** thats what... and what do the yanks do "Hey Cleetus, lets send an AP shell his way and see what happens" result? two dead three wounded... Dont get me started on the little Iraqi boy who's family was killed.

Now im all for the war in its right respect, but my feelings of the american attitude of "shoot first, questions later" that had subsided has now popped upto the surface..

nice one G-Dub....

Every journalist staying at that hotel was warned to leave when the fighting in Baghdad started..Its about 2 minutes from Republican Guard head quarters and the US specifically stated that any journalist in the area might be in danger..Ive watched 4 news channels including BBC and Al Jazeeras which stated an RPG was fired from the hotel before the tank fired upon it..

Yes..Its extremely unfortunate that some reporters were killed but understand that troops put thier lives before any other on the battlefield..The US and British have done a remarkable job and taken painful steps to ensure that civilians loss is put at a minimum..The Iraqi's have unfortunately decided not to play by the rules of war..I find it amazing that it took something that the Americans have done to get your blood boiling..Why didnt you start a thread about Saddam using human shields and executing families who wont fight??Or 16 year old children locked away in jail because they refused to join Saddams Fedayeen??And two journalists mistakenly killed by Americans pisses you off enough to start a thread about it??..Unbelievable!!

And cmon..Shoot first and ask questions later??Im sure the family of the service men who were killed by a suicide bomber while asking questions would have loved if they shot first..Asking questions first has caused more casualties on our side than in any previous engagement in history and we'll keep asking questions first because thats what are men do now despite the risk...


And what does G.W. have to do with an American tank firing on the hotel??

 

[JTHM]

Headrock, You rule!

Thank-you for stating the obvious, sometimes you just need to slap them in the face before they see it.


Edited for:

People, don't forget the Aussies and Polish special forces who've by all accounts have nothing but done outstanding work in Iraq, my hats off to them as well.

 

[headrock6]

Originally posted by JTHM
Headrock, You rule!

Thank-you for stating the obvious, sometimes you just need to slap them in the face before they see it.

Id rather send em to Oakland and have em deal with the riot squads

Originally posted by JTHM
Edited for:

People, don't forget the Aussies and Polish special forces who've by all accounts have nothing but done outstanding work in Iraq, my hats off to them as well.

Yep..Thier sorta forgotten in the media blitz thats ensued but they'll get thier props when all is said and done...But the biggest props goes to the Brits in Basra who have done almost everything right to take control of that city..

 

[manike]

I'm with headrock.

 

[JTHM]

Doh!!

It may have seemed as an oversight, but for most of us here in the States, we kind of take it for granted that the Brits are part of the same force. Please don't take it as an insult, but we were the only ones (UK/US) that the media really paid attention to. So to give a shout out to those who are helping the us in the fight to F*ck Saddam out of breath dosen't seem to be such a poor idea.

 

[knobbs]

The journalists knew what they were getting into, and took the risk. They shouldn't have been there, but a story was more important to them.

Listen to this for a different view of the civilian deaths:

http://www.chasingradium.com/kvi_aircheck_031003.mp3

 

[headrock6]

Originally posted by knobbs
The journalists knew what they were getting into, and took the risk. They shouldn't have been there, but a story was more important to them.

Listen to this for a different view of the civilian deaths:

http://www.chasingradium.com/kvi_aircheck_031003.mp3

Funny Knobbes ..The sad thing is is that this is what you always hear from the left..Madly trying to scramble around the question they cant answer cuz they are terribly wrong about this war..


And dont get me wrong..The killing of the reporters was tragic but the only way it should piss people off is if it was done intentionally and we know thats not the case...If Walker chimed in and said it was a sad situation I would have totally agreed..Soldiers in combat have a right to self preservation and if they are taking fire then they should respond accordingly tank or no tank..Theyve showed tremendous restraint so far and that should be told as well...

 

[Pinchaaay]

The biggest problem with this perticular war is that of trust from the iraqi people.
In order to gain that, a "gentleman's war" has to be fought, to minimise the civilian fatalities, and on the other hand eliminate all armed military personel.
Bit of a hard task even for the u.s and the u.k. Especially when the enemy is fighting dirty in and amongst the civilians

However upsetting and Sad as it is, it is a war and no matter how lightly you try and dis-arm, inevitably there will be civilian casualties (especially those in the thick of it on the front line, i.e:-journalists etc..)

I personally think that the coallition has done a f~'#ing good job to keep the civilian fatalities down, concidering the number of iraqi armed forces that have been blitzed.

Or is that just utter ****e

Chris

 

[Flash-Bugout]

Back to the Americans "shoot first ask questions later" policy, I'm sure a fair amount of that is down to the paranoia they suffer - I mean, shooting vehicles with big bright orange squares on top? Hmmm, what is that orange square, that means it's one of ours, but it might be them trying to sneak by, lets blow the crap outta it anyways.

This paranoia definately not being caused by the "Go Pills" that the US Military definately dont issue (that was irony like coppery but a different metal ) that may or may not just be plain amphetamines.

Mmmm, a bunch of mad macho dudes with heavy weaponry - glad I'm here, and not out there

Although, if I can get free drugs issued to me....