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Afghanistan/South Asia
Navy believes video shows SEAL's ID, weapon
2005-08-11
WASHINGTON (CNN) -- A purported al Qaeda video aired on an Arabic-language news network appears to show the photo identification card and weapon of one of the Navy SEALs killed in late June in eastern Afghanistan, a Navy official said. The card shows the name of Petty Officer 2nd Class Danny Dietz, 25, of Littleton, Colorado, who died on or around June 28 in the Afghan mountains while part of a four-man SEAL reconnaissance team. His body was recovered July 4. "We have no reason to believe it's not his," the official said.

The two-hour video, aired on Al-Arabiya satellite news network Friday, also shows an M-4 carbine -- the type Navy SEALs use in the field, he said. The official could not verify that a laptop computer shown on the tape was a Navy computer. But he said SEALs often take computers on missions to retrieve maps and information on locations, targeting insurgent activities. The video shows an apparent body from the shoulders up, with a helmet on the head. No face is shown. Navy officials said they could not confirm anything about that part of the video, except to say the way the body was dressed is not how SEALs dress in the field.

The video segment is part a propaganda film titled "The War of the Oppressed People."
Was that a film about their victims? Or the women and children of Afghanistan under the Taliban? I'm confused.
Other parts of it feature people described as militants showing off weapons, including surface-to-air missiles and possible bomb-making materials. There are interviews and anti-Western diatribes in Arabic, French and English. Al-Arabiya would not say where or how it obtained the video.

Dietz was one of four SEALs participating in Operation Red Wing -- a counterterrorism mission in Kunar province. Two other SEALs also died, but the fourth escaped to a village, where he was hidden by villagers and was later rescued by U.S. forces. An MH-47 helicopter en route to support the four-man team crashed June 28, killing all 16 aboard -- eight special operations soldiers and eight Navy SEALs. The U.S. military believes the helicopter was shot down by insurgents.
Posted by:Steve

#12  Al-Arabiya remains the same
Posted by: Frank G   2005-08-11 22:49  

#11  At this point we have his body back home safe from being poked and prodded at.
Thank God they didn't show his face, in keeping his family in mind.
Posted by: Jan   2005-08-11 22:48  

#10  Al-Aribiya becomes a known propaganda arm of our enemies - target as needed
Posted by: Frank G   2005-08-11 22:34  

#9  Lets see they (the bad guys) won exactly one engagement in the past two years and somehow that show they are "winning?" I think they are desperately trying to boost their PR campaign because recruits are lacking. Yes it sad that 16 good guys died in that raid but the press acts like they operate with impunity, not even close to the truth.
Posted by: Cyber Sarge   2005-08-11 21:41  

#8  Send a message loud and clear?

Nothing short of a take-down at this point.
Posted by: Captain America   2005-08-11 13:08  

#7  I thought it was standard for SEALs to bring along a military ID for the Geneva convention standards, unless they were on a black op.
Posted by: mmurray821   2005-08-11 12:39  

#6  I know Bobby, we 'CNN Viewers' are sleep at the wheel !
Posted by: smn   2005-08-11 12:35  

#5  Yeah, you know. The war where every incident is the worst since Aunt Mary's bake sale, where the death toll is up to nearly 60% of the deaths on 9/11, where the violence escalates or rages every day, except when it is spinning out of control, where all death counts are preceeded by "at least", suggesting somebody is hiding a few, and where the word 'quagmire' hasn't been used lately, but they're warming it up again for the upcoming constitution crisis... That war.
Posted by: Bobby   2005-08-11 12:23  

#4  Poison Reverse, the 'propaganda war' IS a war within a war! Don't underestimate the power of the MSM 'CNN Viewers, etc' the ebb and flow of this powerful persuasion can move mountains!
Posted by: smn   2005-08-11 12:00  

#3  "sent their message loud and clear!
You must mean, the CNN viewers.

"propaganda war"
I thought this was a real war where people really die.
Posted by: Poison Reverse   2005-08-11 11:32  

#2  It doesn't matter Chuck, the US has recovered the body and the rebels have shown that they killed the man; they have sent their message loud and clear! Now the US has to respond with an equalizing message , or the propaganda war will tilt to the insurgents favor!
Posted by: smn   2005-08-11 11:15  

#1  He took an ID card with him?? I don't believe it.
Posted by: Chuck Simmins   2005-08-11 10:46  

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