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11 Killed in U.S. Raid South of Samarra
Ok... here is a dazzling display of balanced 'Journalism'..... And just so you know the writer is..... By ZIAD KHALAF, Associated Press Writer But first.. the tantilizing lead.... ISAHAQI, Iraq - Eleven people _ most women and children _ were killed when a house was bombed during a U.S. raid north of Baghdad early Wednesday, police and relatives said. The U.S. military acknowledged four deaths _ a man, two women and a child _ in the raid that they said netted an insurgent suspect in the rural Isahaqi area, about 50 miles north of the capital. The victims, some wrapped in blankets, were driven in the back of three pickup trucks to the Tikrit General Hospital, about 45 miles to the north, relatives said. Associated Pres photographs showed the bodies of two men, five children and four other covered figures arriving at the hospital accompanied by grief-stricken relatives. Riyadh Majid, who identified himself as the nephew of the killed head of the family _ Faez Khalaf _ told AP at the hospital that U.S. forces landed in helicopters and raided the home early Wednesday. Now... just before most people would leave the story... Tbe puppies and baby ducks line.... Khalaf's brother, Ahmed, said nine of the victims were family members who lived at the house and two were unidentified visitors. "The killed family was not part of the resistance; they were women and children," Ahmed Khalaf said. "The Americans have promised us a better life, but we get only death." "We waz innocent!" But wait.... wait for it.... The U.S. military said it was targeting and captured an individual suspected of supporting foreign fighters for al-Qaida in Iraq. Now... buried deep... deep... in the darkest bowels of the story.... "Troops were engaged by enemy fire as they approached the building," said Tech. Sgt. Stacy Simon, a military spokeswoman. Tada! I'm sure Ziad simply forgot that little factoid until now... no bias here... "Coalition forces returned fire utilizing both air and ground assets. The targeted individual was detained during this raid." Ok... lets see.. the person starts shooting at armed troops from an occupied house causing everyone in the houe to be killed yet he survived. Where was he hiding? The building and a vehicle were destroyed, the military said. Police Capt. Laith Mohammed, in nearby Samarra, said American warplanes and armor were used in the strike, which destroyed the house. The 11 people inside were killed, he said. An AP reporter at the scene said the roof of the house collapsed, three cars were destroyed and two cows were killed. Posted by: CrazyFool 2006-03-15 |
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