Report: Gunmen In U.S. Uniforms Killed GIs

Washington Post Says Brazen Karbala Attack Was Carried Out By Insurgents Disguised As Americans

(CBS/AP)  A brazen attack on U.S. troops in southwest Iraq which left five soldiers dead was carried out by insurgents cleverly disguised to look like American officials in armored sports utility vehicles, according to a report Monday in the Washington Post.

The Post quotes the provincial governor as saying Iraqi guards at the Provincial Joint Coordination Center in Karbala, 60 miles southwest of Baghdad, quickly waved through the vehicles as they approached at high speed, seeing inside people who appeared to be wearing legitimate American military uniforms and badges.

The U.S. military has not confirmed the report, but told the newspaper that its initial findings were consistent with the governor's account. The incident — one of several which claimed the lives of 27 American forces over the weekend — was still under investigation.

An aide to Karbala Gov. Akeel al-Khazaali told The Post that upon entering the secure compound, the attackers first detonated sound bombs. "They wanted to create a panic situation," he said, speaking on condition of anonymity for fear of reprisals, but with the consent of the governor.

On Sunday, al-Khazaali told AP Television News "unknown gunmen in Iraqi and foreign military uniforms" had been behind the attack.

It wasn't clear why there was a discrepancy between the two reports, or which media organization the governor spoke to first.

After the initial sound shock, the insurgents opened fire on U.S. troops with guns and hand grenades in what The Post said was a 20-minute attack — then left in the same vehicles.

The newspaper said it was unclear how many people were involved in the attack or what their motives were. The paper said Iraqi officials believed the attack was "particularly striking because of the sophistication and resources involved."

Meanwhile, two U.S. Marines were killed Sunday in separate attacks in the Anbar province, an insurgent stronghold west of Baghdad, the military said Monday.

Twenty-five U.S. troops were killed Saturday in the third-deadliest day since the war started in March 2003 — eclipsed only by the one-day toll 37 U.S. fatalities on Jan. 26, 2005, and 28 on the third day of the U.S. invasion.

The heaviest tolls on Saturday came from a Black Hawk helicopter crash in which 12 U.S. soldiers were killed northeast of Baghdad and the attack in Karbala.

The U.S. military has not ruled out hostile fire in the helicopter crash. Col. David Sutherland, the commander of U.S. forces in the strife ridden Iraqi province of Diyala, said the crash was still under investigation and his troops were participating in recovery efforts.

[robotlaw]

See the problem with everyone commenting here is that you are getting your news from CBS. If you didn't trust the corporate media in the first place, we would never be in Iraq to begin with.

Here's a real story about this:
http://www.commondreams.org/views07/0123-26.htm

[retmilspouse]

any bad news in Iraq is bad news for the dead American soldiers.

But it's good news for the retired military spouse who can have a double scotch after playing tennis and then continue in her fantasy world of movies while more than a few good men (and women) die for nothing. Have a nice day. The two of you deserve each other.
Posted by imarltool2u at 08:18 PM : Jan 22, 2007

You don't know anything about me. I have given more than my fair share of family members to wars past and present. More than any military service that you have done I am sure. Your ilk are all talk and no action. Can't hold a serious discussion with someone who disagrees with your warped point of view. Just stay back behind the lines all safe and sound while you stab the real patriots, who are protecting your sorry butt, in the back. Please don't even tell me that you support the men and women in uniform but not the war or I will throw up. That is the biggest crock of **** I know of. Every disparaging word you use takes more and more time off of their lives. The bad guys we are fighting are pure evil and love all of bickering and divisive actions that you create here at home. It just furthers their agenda and gives them fuel to kill more of us in the process. Blame it all on Bush and they people that voted for him. Then you can wash your hands of any wrongdoing. And by the way I work for a living and although would love to sit around and have a drink to relax, I don't have that luxury.

[imarltool2u]

any bad news in Iraq is bad news for the dead American soldiers.

But it's good news for the retired military spouse who can have a double scotch after playing tennis and then continue in her fantasy world of movies while more than a few good men (and women) die for nothing. Have a nice day. The two of you deserve each other.

[barberd3]

The AP reports, "A security official in Karbala ... said the convoy of gunmen fled into neighboring Babil province. The Babil police commander confirmed that the suspects entered the region before disappearing." Not quite as good an outcome as reported in the Seattle Times News Service. But why bother with the facts. Any bad news in Iraq is good news for the anti-Bush agenda.

[generey]

Just further proof that the insurgents are trying to incite civil war by posing as the opposite side. "Shiite"(aka terrorist group) attacking Sunni. Reprisal by Sunni against REAL Shiite. The cycle just continues in different forms. Our troops are caught in the fray. Now they are actually trying to get people to think it is the Americans who are attacking the Shiite and Sunni groups. It is not the Iraqis fighting the "evil American invaders" in their country, as the liberal kool-aid drinkers would have us believe, we are fighting the terrorist/insurgents(backed by Iranians/Syrians/Al Qaeda, etc.) that are inciting the civil war because they want the US to lose. That is what makes this so difficult, it is discerning who we need to attack and how to attack them. They know that if we succeed in Iraq their organizations will fall. That is why this is important. This is not Vietnam, those who think it is are moronic and know nothing of the situation.
Posted by strunke at 06:35 PM : Jan 22, 2007

Okey dokey.

Americans - Asleep at the wheel.

[barberd3]

Seattle Times News Service says, "After 15 minutes of fighting, the gunmen fled toward Hilla, the capital of Babel, a mixed Sunni-Shiite province, (Police Capt. Muthana) Ahmed (Babel province) said.

Police commandos in Babel discovered the vehicles and found three dead men inside, a wounded man and five others, Ahmed said. He said they all spoke English.

Iraqi police took the men back to the police station, and American forces retrieved them by dawn.

Also inside the vehicles, Iraqi police found a bag filled with American military uniforms. They also found flak vests, American weapons and American ID cards that had allowed the gunmen to maneuver through the city, Ahmed said."

If true, this is the best outcome you could hope for from this type of attack. Now about those armchair analysts who suggest the testing of uniform material, this sounds to me like the military genius of a Nancy Pelosi. Dave

[strunke]

Just further proof that the insurgents are trying to incite civil war by posing as the opposite side. "Shiite"(aka terrorist group) attacking Sunni. Reprisal by Sunni against REAL Shiite. The cycle just continues in different forms. Our troops are caught in the fray. Now they are actually trying to get people to think it is the Americans who are attacking the Shiite and Sunni groups. It is not the Iraqis fighting the "evil American invaders" in their country, as the liberal kool-aid drinkers would have us believe, we are fighting the terrorist/insurgents(backed by Iranians/Syrians/Al Qaeda, etc.) that are inciting the civil war because they want the US to lose. That is what makes this so difficult, it is discerning who we need to attack and how to attack them. They know that if we succeed in Iraq their organizations will fall. That is why this is important. This is not Vietnam, those who think it is are moronic and know nothing of the situation.

[generey]

SGT Charles Bernal, 315th Security Force Co., 10th Mountain Division - Afghanistan theatre

Sir, you have my prayers, support and respect; I salute you. Please do not misunderstand my posts; I respect and support all American military personnel. My discontent is with the political aspects, for the very reasons you have just described, as well as the poor judgement of GWB and his "people", who will act as instructed by him. A war cannot be governed by politics.
Respectfully, Gene Rey.

[charlesb9]

I am a soldier in Afghanistan who works a primary checkpoint. There are civilians and even some military personnel who believe that we must have a more amnimicle attitude with the nationals in-country since we are considered their guests politically. I know exactly what happened at those checkpoints in Iraq that these insurgent imposters were able to achieve infiltration. We guess that everyone that is in theatre as long as they have the expensive SUVs provided by taxpayer money, whereas they drive around with entry passes are good to go around secured areas of operation at will, which is emphasized by compound commanders out here. Guess what, with outside funding from people our politicians call our allies against terrorism, the opportunity to kill American soldiers becomes much more easier as time goes on for terrorist insurgents (duplication of passes, IDs, and uniforms becomes more prevalent). We must realize that these theatre of operations must be treated more in a military fashion over the political one. Which was a prime example of what can happen if politics continues to rule both theatres - SGT Charles Bernal, 315th Security Force Co., 10th Mountain Division - Afghanistan theatre

[generey]

CBS/AP) Al Qaeda's deputy leader mocked President Bush's plan to send 21,000 more troops to Iraq, challenging him to send "the entire army" and vowing insurgents will defeat them in a new videotape, a U.S. group that tracks al Qaeda messages said Monday.

Whole story:
http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2007/01/22/world/main2386172.shtml

'nuff said.