Baghdad Violence (pic heavy)

[Lonestar]

source

At least 37 people were killed in Baghdad alone. Many of them died when a U.S. helicopter fired on a disabled U.S. Bradley fighting vehicle as Iraqis swarmed around it, cheering, throwing stones and waving the black and yellow sunburst banner of Iraq's most-feared terror organization.

The dead from the helicopter strike included Arab television reporter Mazen al-Tumeizi, who screamed, ``I'm dying, I'm dying,'' as a cameraman recorded the chaotic scene. An Iraqi cameraman working for the Reuters news agency and an Iraqi freelance photographer for Getty Images were wounded.

Maimed and lifeless bodies of young men and boys lay in the street as the stricken U.S. vehicle was engulfed in flames and thick black smoke.

------------------------

I have to say, it's morbidly funny. How ****ing stupid do you have to be dancing around a damaged american vehicle (which you're looting), when Americans are known for blowing stuff up to prevent it from getting in the wrong hands, and then you Fire on orbiting gunships?

[Lonestar]

An U.S. Bradley Fighting Vehicle burns at Haifa Street in Baghdad, Iraq,

Sunday Sept. 12, 2004.


A U.S. Bradley armored vehicle burns in street following heavy clashes in the center of the Iraqi capital Baghdad, September 12, 2004. Strong explosions shook central Baghdad at dawn and heavy fighting erupted in a street notorious as a rebel stronghold, in violence that killed at least 22 Iraqis, the U.S. army and witnesses said.


Friends and colleagues of Mazen Tomeizi carry his coffin ahead of a memorial procession in front of the Al-Arabiya office in Baghdad, September 13, 2004. Tomeizi, a Palestinian producer with Dubai-based Al Arabiya TV channel, was killed on Sunday as a U.S. helicopter fired at a group of Iraqis around a burning U.S. Bradley armored vehicle in one of Baghdad's main streets, witnesses said.


An Iraqi boy throws a stone on a burning US Bradley during clashes in Haifa Street in the heart of the Iraqi capital.


A man is helped on to the top of a burning U.S. Bradley Fighting Vehicle at Haifa Street in Baghdad, Iraq (news - web sites), Sunday Sept. 12, 2004


People cheer as they climb up on a burning U.S. Bradley Fighting Vehicle at Haifa Street in Baghdad, Iraq


A supporter of Abu Musab al-Zarqawi displays his flag near a burning U.S. Bradley Fighting Vehicle at Haifa street in Baghdad, Iraq (news - websites), Sunday Sept. 12, 2004. Fighting broke out early in the morning between U.S. troops and insurgents and lasted for nearly 90 minutes as U.S. soldiers fired from positions behind walls and trees along Haifa Street. (AP Photo/Hussein Malla)


A supporter of Abu Musab al-Zarqawi, far right, holds his flag as a crowd of people cheer near a burning U.S. Bradley Fighting Vehicle at Haifa Street in Baghdad, Iraq


An Iraqi man checks a burning US Bradley vehicle during clashes between US troops and insurgents in Haifa Street in the heart of the Iraqi capital.









An injured man is carried away after U.S. helicopters fired missiles at a crowd of people cheering near a burning U.S. Bradley Fighting Vehicle at Haifa street in Baghdad, Iraq

[chequita guevara]

Already a thread on this.

[Lawrence of Arabia]

jesus christ, this could turn out to be pr nightmare. we coulda just lost the hearts and minds of iraq.

[Lawrence of Arabia]

do we know which terrorist organization did this? has anyone taken responsibility yet?

[self biased]

i had something to say on this, but i don't want to start a flame war... that, and i'm not the most informed person onthe intricacies of middle-eastern society. best to keep my opinion to myself.

[Lawrence of Arabia]

aaahhh, this is poly, where everyone is an expert in everything.

[self biased]

not i. i'll actually admit my ignorance to many things.

[notyoueither]

It's a surprise that gunships fired on the people dancing on the burning Bradley Fighting Vehicle at Haifa street in Baghdad, Iraq?

Who are they supposed to fire on during major combat? Those out for a picnic?

[Geronimo]

I don't blame them for firing on the people cheering the destruction of the bradley. Usually it's difficult to tell friend from enemy in this pointless war but when cheering people unfurl a terrorist banner and throw an impromptu party at the scene of an attack on your friends, suddenly it can be crystal clear.

Target of opportunity I'd say.

[notyoueither]

No ****. Opportunity to rid the world of a few of 'them'.

Good shot, I'd say.

[Sandman]

I have to say, it's morbidly funny. How ****ing stupid do you have to be dancing around a damaged american vehicle (which you're looting), when Americans are known for blowing stuff up to prevent it from getting in the wrong hands, and then you Fire on orbiting gunships?

The idea that they were looting a clearly burning and destroyed vehicle strikes me as profoundly unlikely. And the article does not say that they were looting it; only that US soldiers feared it would get looted. Which isn't the same thing at all.

And who says that the gunships were fired on? The military. That's what they always say when civilians get killed; the crowd fired first. Of course, there's conveniently no way to prove that's what didn't happen.

Still, with all the journalists in the area, you'd have thought that at least one of them would be able to corroborate this story that the helicopters came under attack.

[The Mad Monk]

Considering the amount of fuel and ammo they carry, dancing on a burning Bradley is grounds for a Darwin, whether you're fired on or not...

[notyoueither]

Originally posted by Sandman


The idea that they were looting a clearly burning and destroyed vehicle strikes me as profoundly unlikely. And the article does not say that they were looting it; only that US soldiers feared it would get looted. Which isn't the same thing at all.

And who says that the gunships were fired on? The military. That's what they always say when civilians get killed; the crowd fired first. Of course, there's conveniently no way to prove that's what didn't happen.

Still, with all the journalists in the area, you'd have thought that at least one of them would be able to corroborate this story that the helicopters came under attack.

Geez. We're in major combat. One of our vehicles is buring down there. Look! There's people waving a flag of the 'bad guys'. Let's let them have their peaceful gathering. NOT.

[Pyrodrew]

And who says that the gunships were fired on? The military. That's what they always say when civilians get killed; the crowd fired first. Of course, there's conveniently no way to prove that's what didn't happen.

You could conveniently start a conspiracy theory with, conveniently, no proof. Or chant "all military is evil".

Originally posted by notyoueither
We're in major combat. One of our vehicles is buring down there. Look! There's people waving a flag of the 'bad guys'. Let's let them have their peaceful gathering. NOT.

Exactly! It wasn't a solid white flag or an old Iraqi flag or some communist flag or a burning American flag... it was a flag for terrorism. They got their 15minutes of fame.