Troops kidnapped in 'planned snatch,' official says

[bemildred]

Source: CNN

BAGHDAD, Iraq (CNN) -- U.S. forces searching for three soldiers abducted in a Saturday attack south of Baghdad believe the troops were kidnapped in a "planned snatch," involving at least 10 insurgents, a senior U.S. military official said.

Insurgents targeted a "stationary observation post" -- where troops looked for people planting bombs, the official said.

The kidnapping was part of a "complex attack," meaning the attackers used many different weapons such as firearms and grenades, but the source wouldn't be specific on the kinds of weapons used.

A nearby unit heard explosions early Saturday "and attempted to establish communications, but without success." Later, an unmanned aerial vehicle spotted two burning vehicles and coalition forces arrived within the hour.

Read more: http://www.cnn.com/2007/WORLD/meast/05/15/iraq.main/index.html?section=cnn_latest

---

Gee, who could have predicted this?

[gratuitous]

1. Nobody could have predicted this!

Nobody, that is, in the Bush administration.

I wonder why the military is keeping the details of the "complex attack" secret? Surely the folks who attacked the outpost know what they did; the outpost is pretty clear on what happened to them. The only people who don't know would be the folks paying for this debacle. I wonder if the "complex attack" was such a simple maneuver that it was embarrassing that the military didn't think to defend against it? That is to say, I don't know what happened, but it wouldn't be outside the realm of possibility for the outpost to have failed to take what, in retrospect, would seem to be obvious precautions.

[underpants]

2. One of the great recent "successes" that was reported on a month or so ago

were the neighborhood outposts that the US military and Iraqi army/cops were running. It was cited as a great new strategy-getting people out of the bases and onto the street.

Not only should this have been the strategy from the beginning (hindsight) all I could think about was how this now left them wide open to attack. Yes they can radio in for support but there is no way backup can get there fast enough not when you have troops dispersed all over an area.

Sounds like the perps watched and learned. Sad to say and we obviously hope for the best for them but this was predictable.

[Igel]

3. I'd imagine a fair number of Russians,

Zulus, Aymara, and Chinese don't know ... so it wouldn't just be the people paying for it (oh, wait ... that would be the Chinese, right?)

However, it's the same in the US with some crimes for a couple of reasons. First, details spawn copycats. I think most here would prefer any copycats to not know how to pull it off. Second, when you find suspects and they know the details, if you (and they) haven't broadcast the details it's a hint that you have the right guys.

There are undoubtedly other reasons that they're not saying. It might be that the US military's embarrassed.

[bemildred]

5. Well, it's the second of these things overrun now.

That I've seen in the news now anyway. Small, stationary target, modest fortifications (at best), all the time in the world to prepare, and ammo dumps full of explosives to employ.

I expect that they want to prevent the tactics used from becoming common knowledge, at least until they figure out something to do in response.

I would wager it all starts with mortars or car bombs, then coordinated attacks with RPGs and other small arms to follow. Sounds like it was over fast too.

[coalition_unwilling]

8. Reminds me of one of my all-t8me favorite jokes:

Q: What were Custer's last words?
A: Where the fuck did all those Indians come from? :)

[youngdem]

9. My guess is that they keep the 'complex attack' details secret because

they are embarrassingly simple, and would show just how poorly trained, poorly equipped and absolutely outnumbered our kids are over there.

As with anything with this bunch, if it is secret, you know it is bad for the Cabal.

[MrPrax]

12. One can find enough details...

out there...

Al-Qaida says abducted troops won't be found

(at the end of the story) ... He confirmed that American officials believe "al-Qaida or an affiliate group" engineered the abduction on Saturday. He said it took 56 minutes for reinforcements to arrive at the scene of the ambush because the first and second units sent to assist discovered roadside bombs along the way. He also said that "elements of the same unit" that was attacked heard the initial explosion at 4:44 a.m., suggesting that the two Humvees burned at the scene had not been traveling alone.

Typically, American convoys include at least three vehicles. Two Iraqi security officials in the area said that five Humvees were on a rural road in predawn darkness when a roadside bomb exploded near the fourth, setting it ablaze. As gunmen stormed the fifth Humvee, abducting the three soldiers, the first three vehicles continued on.

American military officials did not confirm the account. Procedures for handling attacks vary; some commanders tell units to drive through ambushes and call for backup.

Birmingham News wire story

Longer version of same story with US military officials doing their utmost to make it look like a normal day at the office

...and avoid the fact that there were 5 vehicles, 2 got ambushed and 3 ran away and didn't come back for an hour.

[bemildred]

16. That doesn't sound like a "stationary observation post".

Not complaining, it's interesting what you put up there, but I'm having trouble reconciling that with this.

[klyon]

14. and proves that setting up small outposts will not work

Those troops will be sitting ducks.

[bemildred]

17. Sitting ducks.

That was the "Gee, who could have predicted this?" part; because I remember specifically reading opinion pieces when these loons decided to do this that said exactly that.

[MidMichiganBuckeye]

4. My nephew is in that area...

My last post on here was entitled "President Bush, bring my baby sisters baby boy home now". That was some months ago. I wish to god it had happened. My nephew is in the 10th Mountain, stationed in the Rushdi area. I thank God that we know he is ok and was not one of the 5 who died or the three taken. I hope all of you will say a special prayer for those boys.

I was fortunate enough to see him 2 weeks ago...he was home on his mid-tour leave, so my wife and I went to visit for the weekend. In groups, he is very quite, and really doesn't talk a whole lot about it. But there were moments when he and I were alone, and we would talk about how it really is over there. Not as uncle to nephew, but one veteran to another, one bro to another. He told me of hunting snipers, and getting shot at. He showed me a picture of his Humvee, badly damaged, and the bullet proof glass around his .50 gun shattered by the blast of an IED. In spite of the fact that he has lost most of the hearing in the ear closest to the blast, he is back there again, leading house to house searches for those boys. If you think you know how bad it is, trust me, I have pictures he gave me that show it worse than you think.

I still say that this has to end. And what I wrote months ago still stands, even more so. I want my nephew home now. I want every son and daughter out of that hell hole now. I want our democratic leaders to keep shoving bills at the president that he vetoes. I do NOT want a bill going to him that does not call for an exit. Period. And I will actively and vocally oppose, with my income and with my vote, anyone who votes for anything less. The time has come to stop this non-sense.

[bemildred]

6. I hope you get him back, safe and sound.

I've had a couple relatives in that meat-grinder, and they have all come back, so far.

[coalition_unwilling]

7. If we "detain" Iraqis, then these U.S. soldiers have been "detained."

Alternatively, if the Iraqi resistance "kidnapped" U.S. soldiers, then our soldiers have been "kidnapping" Iraqis since March of 2003.

[saigon68]

10. Nothing of the sort

They (the Iraqis) do physical exercise on a box with a sand-bag on their head, with electric wires attached to their genitals for stimulation

[liberal renegade]

15. In another world they would be considered prisoners of war..

[Orsino]

11. Anyone polling the troops...

...to see how they feel about the torture of prisoners now?

[uppityperson]

13. Thank you Mrbush, thank you StevenGreen

[The Stranger]

18. Kids (or at least civilians) are "kidnapped." Troops are "captured."

[daleo]

19. Was it a "planned snatch" or a "complex attack"?

The Pentagon has a way with words.

[rocktivity]

20. I thought they were captured in the midst of combat

you know, as in TAKEN PRISONER? "The attackers used many different weapons such as firearms and grenades?" Isn't that what combat IS?

On the other hand, if there was a "kidnapping" rather than a battle, then they couldn't have been caputured, which means they're not prisoners of war, so the image of our wonderful fighting force remains intact and since they're only detainees, we don't have to worry about them being tortured...

:crazy:
rocknation

[David__77]

21. It was a capture of soldiers.

How is this "kidnapping?" It's not like the US soldiers are just civilians going about their business - they are forces of a neo-colonial administration and were attacked, presumably by Iraqi citizens.