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Iraq
Dead US soldier hung on public display
2003-04-01
US Marines moved into the southern Iraqi town of Shatrah today to recover the body of a dead comrade which had been hanged in the town square. Hundreds of troops were dispatched on the operation after intelligence reports indicated the body of a dead American, who was killed in a firefight last week, had been paraded through the streets and hanged in public. "We would like to retrieve the body of the marine but it is not our sole purpose," said Lieutenant-Colonel Pete Owen, of the First Marine Expeditionary Force.
The hell it's not! Get the meal out of your mouth!
Military sources said another part of the operation was to arm local militias to fight against members of the ruling Baath party loyal to Iraqi President Saddam Hussein. Shatrah is some 40 km north of Nasiriyah, where Iraqi forces have been harassing US supply lines and putting up tough resistance for more than a week.

FOLLOWUP: Via The Agonist...
A U.S. Marine captured and supposedly strung up in the middle of the town of Shatrah is dead, military officials in Iraq confirmed Sunday.
Officials also said initial reports were wrong. The Marine was not strung up, though his body was left on the street.

The Marine was captured Friday during an attack on a 200-vehicle convoy that was traveling north, through Shatrah on Route 7.

"What we can confirm is that some villagers tried to help him - they didn't know if he was alive or dead - and they may even have tried to get him to a hospital," said Maj. Dave Holahan, executive officer of the 1st battalion, 4th Marine regiment.

"But the Republican Guard, or death squads, took him away from the villagers and dumped him on the street. They didn't string him up, as previously stated, they just dumped him in the street."
Posted by:Fred Pruitt

#1  Marines will get him - the officer was just keeping the reporters happy.

What his battalion commander told his staff was more like

"They hung one of our dead in there - lets get the bastards and teach them respect. SgtMajor and the S4 - get the troops supplied full up on class 3 and 5 ASAP. S1 - get the Company commanders and let them know I want their unit status in 5 minutes, and for them to be prepared for a fragord in 30, then get hold of regiment. S2 & S3 come with me, lets get the battle plan going. And XO, get rid of that reporter then report to me at the TOC"
Posted by: OldSpook   2003-04-01 17:41:18  

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