Military: Iraqi Soldier Killed U.S. Troops

Military Confirms Dec. 26 Attack Left 2 Dead In Joint Patrol, 4 Others Wounded

(AP)  The U.S. military said Saturday that an Iraqi soldier apparently shot dead two American service members while they were on a joint patrol north of Baghdad.

The two U.S. soldiers were "allegedly shot by an Iraqi soldier" on Dec. 26 for "reasons that are as yet unknown," the military said in a statement. Three other U.S. soldiers and one civilian interpreter were wounded in the attack.

The shooting occurred as American and Iraqi soldiers were conducting operations to establish a combat outpost in Ninevah province in northern Iraq, the military said.

The Iraqi soldier who allegedly opened fire fled the scene but was identified by other Iraqi army personnel and later captured, the military said. Two Iraqi soldiers are being held in connection with the incident.

The U.S. military identified the two American soldiers killed as Capt. Rowdy Inman and Sgt. Benjamin Portell, both of whom were assigned to the 3rd Squadron, 3rd Armored Cavalry Regiment.

U.S. and Iraqi investigations into the incident are under way, the military said.

Prime Minister Returns From London

Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki returned to Iraq after spending a week in London for what his office had described as a routine medical checkup. No official information has been released as to what kind of medical checks he underwent in London.

But one of his advisers, speaking on condition of anonymity, said he had traveled to Britain after falling ill, but that the checkup did not reveal any problems.

"I am in good health. I will resume work directly," al-Maliki told reporters at the airport. "We will proceed with our process of rebuilding."

At the time of his departure on Dec. 29, an adviser to al-Maliki, Yassin Majeed, had said the prime minister had delayed a previous trip because the "security situation did not allow it."

Further Violence

Security has improved significantly across Iraq in the past six months, although violent attacks still claim dozens of lives each week, and U.S. and Iraqi forces continue to fight insurgents and al Qaeda in Iraq.

On Saturday, a roadside bomb explosion struck a passing minibus north of the town of Muqdadiyah, which lies about 60 miles north of Baghdad, killing six people, local authorities said.

The bomb also wounded another three people, said an official in the joint coordination center of Diyala province - which remains one of Iraq's most violent areas. The official spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to speak to the media.

In the province's capital, Baqouba, 35 miles northeast of Baghdad, another roadside bomb wounded three civilians, police said. It was unclear what the target was.

The city has seen several attacks recently, and on Friday a one-day vehicle ban was imposed on the city because of "increased violent events during last week," said Baqouba police chief Brigadier Hasan al-Obaidi. The ban also was aimed at protecting worshippers going to mosques for Friday prayers.

In Baghdad, a roadside bomb struck a passing Iraqi Army patrol in the Azamiyah neighborhood in the northern part of the capital Saturday, wounding four civilians, a police officer said on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to speak to the media.

Despite continuing daily attacks across the country, violence has fallen significantly in the country - by 60 percent since June, the U.S. military says.

One indication of the improvement in security was the reopening of the Samarra dam bridge, one of the entrances into the city 60 miles north of Baghdad, on Thursday, the U.S. military said in a statement.

Entrances into the city had been closed for about eight months due to the violence. "Commerce into and within the city stopped. The reopening of the bridge and other entry points is a direct result of improving security," the statement said.

Associated Press Writer Hamid Ahmed contributed to this report.

[elieelhadj]

Three events are noteworthy.
1. U.S. arming of 70,000 Arab Sunnis, called %u201CAwakening%u201D units, to not attack U.S. soldiers and fight Al-Qaeda.
2. Muqtada Al-Sadr%u2019s order in September to Mahdi militia to cease-fire. Also, American recognition of a decrease in Iran%u2019s help to insurgents.
3. NIE November report, which stated with %u201Chigh confidence%u201D that Iran had halted its nuclear weapons program in 2003 and has not restarted it; contradicting a 2005 NIE report.
How is one to read these events?
Today, Washington is happy; U.S. casualties dropped. Tehran is happy; the threat of a U.S. attack receded. Iraq%u2019s Arab Sunnis are hopeful to regain lost influence.
Al-Maliki government is uneasy. Its defense minister stated recently that Iraq would disallow %u201CAwakening%u201D units to become a %u2018third force%u2019 alongside police and the army.
If Al-Maliki grants Sunni demands, reconciliation could follow. If he rejects them, the violence would return.
On the long-term, calm is unlikely. Tehran and Washington are in conflict over who controls GCC oil. Iran has become the region%u2019s major power, thanks to U.S. destruction of the Talibans and Saddam. Iran has superseded the U.S. as the most influential power in Iraq (Chatham House, August 2006).
That Iran might encourage GCC Shiis to demand their human rights sends shivers in GCC circles.
The lull in Iraq is temporary.

Elie Elhadj blog:
http://journals.aol.com/eeh100/daring-opinion/

[poopusbuttus]

susan360, if you''''re hot and have to resort to the internet to sell your ware that I have to wonder what antibiotics you''''re also on.....


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Posted by FloydZepp

Now FLOYD, you dont often come up with good ones. But, in this case, that was damnn funny.

[susan360]

the Iraqi who murdered these two solders needs to be "interrogated" to determine if there are others that he knows about planning similar actions.

I am american, 26, very nice. A friend on the net tells me:"You are too hot!" I met many great men on interracialloving.com -diversely ethnic singles meet new friends, build lasting interracial relationships. I also uploads many my hot photos there. My username is xhot. Feel free to chat with me.

[brianbwb-2009]

As sad as it must be to the families of the dead soldiers, what is worse is that they shouldn''t even be there. Should never have been ordered in, and once the lies were exposed, should have immediately been withdrawn.

The fault lies ultimately where the buck stops (Bush), but there are a lot of politicians on both sides of the aisle who drink from the cup of innocent blood.

Their votes on continuing funding reveal who they are.

This is about corruption that costs lives, and instead of discussing ways to hold the politicians responsible, most of you are simply trashing the "other side" when even Ray Charles can see that there is no more "left" or "right", only corruption.

When the country collapses from the corruption, many of you suckers posting here will be standing on the deck of the Titanic, arguing about the color of the ice.

[annd2302]

FeelFree1, yongamerica

You both are perverts, why even mention young boys or for that matter, young girls? Do either of you have grandchildren? Thought not, you lame brains.

speakinup , you are coming close to these two. Thought at one time you had some reasonable comments.

again, off topic GEEEEEESSSSS now I find myself "off topic". Enough of that, Hang those murders by the b a l l s.

[feelfree1]

Re: "Go ahead, give me a licking. Ooooh!"

Posted by yongamerica

###

There you go "speakinup". You two can get a room, and talk about ***** some more. I don''t know how young "yongamerica" is, but I doubt that this will matter to you.

[yongamerica]

FeelFree1, always with the hate. Why is always you swinging hate like a dead cat? I go away for a while come back, and here you are name still calling other people names with venomous glee. Hissssssss. You snake you. A snake wearing lipstick that trolls for young boys on a children''s chat channel. Who else are you going to tongue? Go ahead, give me a licking. Ooooh!

[speakinup]

"Re: "You''''re here to play with the big dogs, right ? You can take it. I''''m sure. Probably have several times (dang - did I say that out loud ?)"

" There goes your subtle hatred/fear of women again. You should add that to your (long0 list of therapy topics. - feelfree.

Nah - that was a direct jab at you honey. You''re just too stupid to recognize it.

[speakinup]

FeelFree1 - nah - I just like irritatin you.

You, are my favorite target. You know why ? Because you like to make disparaging remarks about any US politician, and let folks believe you are from the opposite party. Now grated, they aren''t all good.

But, ain''t that sweet folks - this hugo lover is out there trying to use our media to **** us off at each other.

Yup - I like to point that out. I keep on pitchin to that question, and you keep on missin ''em, don''tcha ?

You far left socialists aren''t too bright are you ? Hah, talk about being redundant.

[feelfree1]

speakinup,

Re: "You''re here to play with the big dogs, right ? You can take it. I''m sure. Probably have several times (dang - did I say that out loud ?)"

There goes your subtle hatred/fear of women again. You should add that to your (long0 list of therapy topics.


Posted by

[feelfree1]

speakinup,

Re: "FeelFree1 - am I irritatin you again by bein off topic ?"

Were you on-topic at some point?

Do you have any original thoughts or ideas concerning the nearly 5 year long, self-defeating and criminal misadventure in Iraq?

Anything at all that is relevant to this article?

[speakinup]

joyous88s - wow - where do you go to get those covered ? Does Victoria''s Secret stock''em that large ?

A guy could smother...

[speakinup]

FeelFree1 - am I irritatin you again by bein off topic ?

Aw - ain''t that just nasty. I mean, WHY won''t people just see things your way, and do your bidding. After all, you are alpha commie, right ?

Ain''t life just a b|tch ? Oops - don''t take that personal, feelfree1. Wow, I just thought of something. It musta been really a bummer all those times I used to call you freefeel - I mean you being female and all. But, hey you are emancipated, right ?

You''re here to play with the big dogs, right ? You can take it. I''m sure. Probably have several times (dang - did I say that out loud ?)

[joyous88]

Come on!

What happened did they open the doors to the mental institutions?

Oh Wait! Reagan did that, the great criminal , Reagan
father of the axis of evil --- reagan,bush,bush.

Hear this idiots -it is not about you, the Iraq''s will keep killing Amerikans until we un-occupy their country. We -the Amerikans- are the aggresors the invaders the liars the theives, thank you conservative christians-

[speakinup]

You know - I''ve been told I was breast feed by my mother mcv, but I HONESTLY don''t remember. So tell me, is that thought fresh in your mind.

Uh, I almost hate to ask, I don''t REALLY wanna go there, but the last time you breast fed with yor mama, it wasn''t REAL recent was it ? ok, ok - I know it''s none of my business - I was thinkin - since you brought up the topic and yo claim it makes folks strange - we''ll, you can see where I was goin with this.

[feelfree1]

speakinup,

You seem to have a strange obsession with ***, as well.

I think that "sreenverify" is your man, if you can track him down.

He''ll find you, most likely, if you just tap...tap...tap...

Do you have anything relevant to add, or will you prefer to keep on talking about ***?

[speakinup]

"Do you feel threatened by women as well, in additional to your longlist of irrational phobias?
Posted by FeelFree1

"Well, there you go again." - Ronald Reagan

puttin words inta my mouth again aren''t ya ? I have no threat problems with women. What would make you think a thing like that Feelfree ?

jeeze some really frustrated folks out there tonight. One''s calling me a GAY Jew, and the other thinks I''m threatened by commies (be they women or men.)

[speakinup]

mcv57 - I don''t care if you call me GAY or queer either. I''m not, but if it does something for you - have at it.

So, let me make sure I understand your logic here, ok... I call you tweazer-d|ck, so I''m GAY. Care to explain that bit of logic ?

Before you do, I''d like to point out, you aren''t ANYWHERE in sight, and I merely called you an insult because you saw fit to do the same first.

Now, if you''re going to say I hit the nail on the head, so to speak - well, dang, I''m so sorry to have offended your lack of manhood. Geeze, mcv, I''d never say that about someone for real that I don''t even know.

What, did it git bit off in the Navy ?

[feelfree1]

speakinup,

Re: "Do ya suppose she left again."

I don''t like to encourage your tantrums.

Have you written anything that you feel is relevant and worthy of reponse?

Do you feel threatened by women as well, in additional to your longlist of irrational phobias?

[mcv57]

Are you Gay? What branch of service let you butt-polk your commrades in arms?