U.S. cordon following helicopter downing forces Iraqis onto killing field

[quaoar]

The Associated Press has been writing different versions of the same story for media outlets that want a different approach to the story. This is one of those different lead-ins. It is amazing that this was not the main story.

So far haven't found a website that is using this version. I'll add a link when I do.


By ROBERT H. REID
Associated Press Writer

BAGHDAD, Iraq (AP) — The horror began after American and Iraqi forces cordoned off part of a highway north of Baghdad following the deadly crash of a U.S. helicopter.

With traffic directed onto narrow dirt roads, insurgents turned the area into a killing field. They set up makeshift checkpoints, grabbed motorists and slaughtered about 40 over a two-day period, police said.

A local tribal leader, Mohammed al-Khazraji, told The Associated Press he saw “dozens of corpses” strewn over the ground Wednesday, victims of the insurgents’ culling.

< snip >

“Hundreds of people were detained by the militants and many were killed all because of a helicopter crash that killed two Americans,” al-Khazraji said.

[madeline_con]

1. Would you explain this...

am I misunderstanding what this says?

A U.S. helicopter goes down, so "insurgents" are killing fellow Iraqis because of it? Did I miss something? :shrug:

[ugarte]

3. Because traffic was detoured onto a smaller road

the insurgents were able to set up checkpoints and stop cars, then kill political enemies, presumably Shiites or other government sympathizers.

[brentspeak]

6. You've been missing

that the insurgents have been killing fellow Iraqis for the past three years.

[tkmorris]

11. You don't say?

If you and I know that you'd think the US military commanders might know that too. Which is of course the point. They know it, but still acted in such a way as to put Iraqi citizens into greater danger of being victimized by those insurgents. I'd say that's a problem, and I'd bet large amounts of money that the locals there are pretty pissed off that 40 of them lost their lives in part because the US military forced them off the main thoroughfare.

Of course to anyone who ONLY cares about US lives and doesn't give a fig about Iraqi ones that might seem just fine. I pity such people.

[daleo]

2. Missing a link

But this sounds very strange. Probably cover for something else, but what?

[stillcool]

4. a link....

Two Dramatic Ambushes Kill 11 in Iraq
Staff and agencies
18 January, 2006

http://www.localnewsleader.com/elytimes/stories/news-00126905.html


By ROBERT H. REID, 4 minutes ago

In the most gruesome development, police said militants used this week‘s downing of a U.S. helicopter to carve out a killing field north of Baghdad, slaying more than 40 people on remote roads that Iraqis were forced to use after American troops cordoned off the crash zone.

Since Monday‘s crash of a U.S. Army AH-64 Apache helicopter that killed its two pilots near Mishahda, 25 miles north of Baghdad, American and Iraqi forces cordoned off a large section of the main road near Dujail, police and eyewitnesses said.

The increased violence came as authorities prepare to announce the results this week of the Dec. 15 election. U.S. and Iraqi officials expect more attacks as religious and ethnic groups jockey for power in the new government.

[Name removed]

5. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[HysteryDiagnosis]

7. Name removed never has very much to say.... sort of a quiet

chap... nonchalant in his ways... unobtrusive and aquiescent... the silent type... standing in the shadows... spewing pro GOP crap.... or some derivative thereof.

[LynnTheDem]

8. Ever notice Name Removed is almost always an ignorant stupid

MFing idiot rightwingnut?

You'd think Name Removed would have learned some real facts by now. But nope. Dumb as a fucking rightwingnut still.

[HysteryDiagnosis]

9. Pretty much says it all.... after what is revealed on these pages,

how could anyone come in here and be so fricking dumb about what's really going down.... pity...


Rightwingnuts.....

[LynnTheDem]

10. Ya REALLY gotta be dumber than frigging dirt

to come to DU and still be so totally clueless.

the fuck are they so fucking frightened of simple FACTS?!

Fucking morans.