Iraqis Claim U.S. Soldier Mutilation

Al Qaeda-Linked Group's Tape Purports To Be 2 Burned American Bodies

(CBS/AP)  An al Qaeda-linked group posted a Web video Saturday purporting to show the bodies of two American soldiers being dragged behind a truck, then set on fire in apparent retaliation for the rape-slaying of a young Iraqi woman by U.S. troops from the same unit.

The Mujahedeen Shura Council — an umbrella organization of insurgent groups, including al Qaeda in Iraq — posted another video in June showing the soldiers' mutilated bodies, and claiming it killed them. It was not clear whether the video posted Saturday was a continuation of that footage, or why it was released.

It was impossible to identify the bodies, but the footage was believed to be of Pfc. Kristian Menchaca, 23, and Pfc. Thomas Tucker, 25, who went missing after being attacked by insurgents on June 16 at a checkpoint south of Baghdad. Their remains were found three days later, and the U.S. military said they had been mutilated.

The video showed masked men dragging the corpses, first by hand, then behind a truck, beheading one of them and then setting them on fire. Below the graphic footage is a subtitle: "The two soldiers belong to the same brigade of the soldier who raped our sister in Mahmoudiya."

A U.S. military source tells CBS News chief foreign correspondent Lara Logan the army is very concerned about the tape and hopes it won't be widely seen.

The U.S military has charged four soldiers of the 101st Airborne Division — Spc. James P. Barker, Sgt. Paul E. Cortez, Pfc. Jesse V. Spielman and Pfc. Bryan L. Howard — in the March 12 alleged rape and murder of 14-year-old Abeer Qassim al-Janabi in Mahmoudiya, about 20 miles south of Baghdad. Sgt. Anthony W. Yribe is accused of failing to report the attack but is not alleged to have been a direct participant.

A fifth suspect, Pfc. Steven D. Green, was discharged from the army because of a "personality disorder" before the allegations became known. He has pleaded not guilty to rape and murder charges and is being held in a civilian court in the United States.

Mahmoudiya is an extremely violent region in Iraq in an area known as the "triangle of death" for the numerous attacks by insurgents.

The two slain soldiers also were from the 101st Airborne Division.

[i_rescueyou]

I am not a Bush basher or supporter, but I do love, respect and pray for our troops wherever they may be. I don't understand the mentality of some of you morons comments...what do you think we should do? Should we become isolationists and no longer care about ANYTHING? Where do we go from here? If we just leave (again) as we have in the past when we've promised to stay until the job is done, the scumbags (who remind me of the gangbangers here) will win and we will pay a much higher price down the road....there is no easy answer, unfortunately (or fortunately) we are the world's only superpower and we MUST take charge to protect our beliefs and values whatever that entails....get used to it, it ain't going away my friends.....I am an emergency worker and would rather it wasn't this way, but this is our world, full of sick *******....

[gawdess]

This story is further proof that American military presence in Iraq is inflaming Iraqi violence. Five U.S. soldiers commit a heinous crime (rape/murder of Iraqi girl), and months later two other American soldiers are tortured, mutilated, and murdered *in retribution* for the death.

Those five soldiers should be charged with manslaughter for the deaths of the other two.

I cannot imagine the horror these boys went through, as well as what their parents have had to endure. And now it's 'Iraqi Redux'...the rest of the video shows up online to further inflame the insurgency.

For the love of gawd, we need to get the hell out of Iraq and leave these people alone. After 3 1/2 years, the supposed "reconstruction" we have stayed on to accomplish...hasn't been. Although, miracle of miracles, construction of the American Embassy (Iraqis call it "The American Palace") has proceeded apace, for about $452 million, has have upgrades to five airbases, only one of which will be used by Iraqis. For $60 million, an existing prison compound has been upgraded (approx. half of the prisoners from Abu Ghraib have been moved there.) Meanwhile, Iraqis do not have reliable electric service or running water...after 3 1/2 years!! ***, I'd be pissed off, too!

The only place America has "cut and run" from is Afghanistan; just before bin Laden was about to be captured, Bush/Rumsfeld order a retreat, Bush declares "mission accomplished" and a few months later the U.S. invades Iraq.

Right...

[tomflint69]

djconklin, you dont read the news online + offline? the Moslem clerics and their public ask us to leave their oil and their home. They will not stop and will continue.
Anyhow, we are getting in Iraq what we deserve; insurgents are getting what they deserve! its a 50-50 game so we need not worry about it.

[cdlkbwolf]

Oh no, blood and guts on the battle field! Let's cut and run before they hurt us anymore! ...give me a break! Do you know what kind of war crimes occured during WWII?? The japenese were pretty good at mutiliating our dead gi's too! ... Yes, war is he**! But losing a war is worse ...go live in Switzerland if you want to be a pacifist.

[emtak1]

sounds more like a mafia war, then a military conflict

[koshon]

This insane, needless war drags on and on. More Americans die; more Iraqis die; and for what? So Bush can continue to be a wartime president? How much longer are we going to allow this travesty to continue? When it's done we will only have achieved the same thing that was acheived in Vietnam. Just a bunch of dead American troops. Okay you right wing loonies, you can start your name calling now.

[djconklin]

And they wonder why they are so hated!?!

Bet we won't hear any Moslem clerics condemning the actions of these criminals. And they will never be brought to justice.