here are a few snips...this spinning is obscene...buildings just collapse all by themselves...huge explosions are simply 'traffic accidents'...nothing to see here, folks...move on...we'll look into it...
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GEN. KIMMITT:
As to the report of an attack in the vicinity of Abu Ghraib, we can't confirm that. We have read the press reports and have tried most of the afternoon to try to confirm that.
.....
We have an accident, an IED attack on a convoy further west of Abu Ghraib, in the vicinity of the town of Hit. That was a convoy from the 3rd ACR that was hit by an explosive device west of Ar Ramadi, just east of al-Hit. And we know that we have two wounded in action that were returned to duty.
But we have read that report through the press about an incident with a tanker in the vicinity of Abu Ghraib. We cannot confirm it although we have talked to all the units that are in that area and they can't confirm it either.............
And the other question is, do you guys have any information on the bombing early this morning at the -- what was probably a SCIRI office or a SCIRI location in Al Jihad?
GEN. KIMMITT: As to the second incident,
like the fuel tanker that supposedly was attacked this morning, we cannot find any evidence of a security building that has been attacked in Baghdad. I'm not saying it did not happen, but we've had all of the units who have responsibility for areas that include buildings belonging to SCIRI go out and check, and we can't find an evidence of that.
We would appreciate, because we don't know where that report had come from, we would appreciate if the news agency that put that out would contact us so at least we could go down and validate whether that event did or did not happen. Q If I could follow, just to make sure we're talking about the same thing, it was on -- it's been on networks and I went to it. I can't tell you exactly where, but it's Al Jihad.
And if you ask anyone there, they'll show you. It's like a pancaked building now. GEN. KIMMITT: Okay. Could I get together with you after this? Because I'd like that information.
Q Okay.
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And General, if I could just clarify your knowledge about this morning's bombing.
GEN. KIMMITT: On the SCIRI building, I've just been given a report here, and I think we need to validate it a little more. It said
the building did not blow up. The Iraqi Police Service reported to 1st Armored Division that
the building collapsed due to structural integrity flaws. I don't know what that means. I think we need to follow up on that.
Q I have two sort of unrelated questions. First,
you aware of any other buildings in town that have just spontaneously collapsed without any outside help?...
http://www.defenselink.mil/transcripts/2003/tr20031219-1041.html