U.S. Soldiers Kill 2 Abu Ghraib Detainees

[Barrett808]

U.S. Soldiers Kill 2 Abu Ghraib Detainees
By TODD PITMAN, Associated Press Writer

BAGHDAD, Iraq - U.S. military police shot and killed two detainees and wounded five others in an effort to put down a massive brawl that broke out Wednesday at the notorious Abu Ghraib prison facility west of the Iraqi capital.

Troubles began when several detainees attacked another inmate with rocks and tent poles in a fight that quickly escalated, drawing in 200 inmates at a tented detention camp within the sprawling prison compound, said Lt. Col. Barry Johnson, the U.S. military's spokesman for detention operations in Iraq.

Detainees hurled rocks at U.S. soldiers, ignoring "verbal warnings" and then a volley of rubber bullets from U.S. military police, Johnson said.

The military decided to use lethal force because one detainee was at risk of being killed by fellow inmates, he said.

"A determination was made that if lethal force wasn't used, this detainee was going to be killed," Johnson said. "So lethal force was used in the form of aimed shots against those most involved in the direct violence against the individual who was being attacked."

(more)

http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/ap/20040818/ap_on_re_mi_ea/iraq_abu_ghraib_deaths&cid=540&ncid=1480

[russian33]

1. Abu Ghraib, Abu Ghraib...that sounds familiar...

..Isn't that a prison of some sort? prisoners were abused or something like that? I don't see anything on the news about it...so I forgot.

[Minstrel Boy]

2. No, I think that was Abu Giraffe. n/t

[frylock]

3. abu ghraib is a frat house..

ALPHA BETA GAMMA

[w13rd0]

5. HEY! Wasn't that place supposed to be torn down...

...to be replaced with s spankin new (no evidence left behind) prison to serve as a "symbol of Iraqi democracy" or somesuch?

[russian33]

7. no, this week's symbol of Iraqi democracy is an orchestra, i think

or is it the Olympic team?

[daleo]

19. I am pretty sure it's the soccer team

It has all been worth it, since they chalked up a couple of Olympic victories.

[Career Prole]

8. The basis for the misunderstanding, I guess, is they hadn't had time

to hang that new "Camp Redemption" sign. :shrug:

[Kukesa]

10. No, it's what Fred Flintstone used to say --

abu dabba do.

Yeah, that's it!

[merh]

20. "Abba dabba dabba dabba dabba dabba dabba"

said the chimpee to the press!

"Abu Ghraib"
said the press to the chimp.
"Abba dabba dabba dabba dabba dabba dabba"
said the chimpee to the press.
All night long they chattered away.
All day long they were happy and gay,
swinging and swaying in a honky, tonky way.

[Mari333]

4. oh christ/

[shraby]

6. Weren't all the prisoners

supposed to be turned over to the new authority there?

[Mari333]

14. No, Michael is still there, as an MP..I just emailed him

and asked him what the hell happened...hopefully they will allow him to write back.

[Red_Viking]

15. I sent him a care package

Hi Mari--

We sent off several boxes of stuff to him back in April; just wondering if it arrived. We sent books, socks, and tons of food. Any updates? Hope it all got there!

Your family is in our thoughts.

:dem:

RV

[Mari333]

16. Of course you are an angel...a very rare thing these days

I met some asswipe last night at a meeting I was at who tried to thank me for my stepson being in Iraq, blah blah blah about his patriotism..I almost puked..I got up and left the room when the guy started telling me "Abu Ghraib was just a bunch of guys fooling around"...I wanted to scream...
what an asshole..in my own town, so many assholes...
Today Im so disgusted Im too tired to be disgusted with the US populace, still in denial..Im just lying around today , drinking vodka and OJ and padlocking my door and hoping no one bothers me..Ive had enough ...people like you make me realize there are angels in the world..

[Red_Viking]

18. You're very kind

We were happy to help. Not having family there myself, it's nice to be able to do something for the men and women who are doing the hard work.

Sorry about your experience last night. People automatically assume if you are involved in any way with the military, you're a Nationalist zealot warmonger. Wrong! Lots of free-thinking, peaceful, progressive folks also have military ties. Like you, for example!

I appreciate your kinds words. Most people on DU care deeply about our military personnel and want them to come home safe and soon. Glad Michael received the goodies. Let us know what else we can do to help!

Good vibes coming your way...

:hug:

RV

[DoYouEverWonder]

9. This isn't the first time inmates have been killed

during and/or after an uprising.

This is why the US troops killed Mazen Dana. He was filming evidence of soldiers killing Iraqis in cold blood after (not during) other uprisings.

[Jack Rabbit]

11. BBC Link

From the BBC Online
Dated Wednesday August 18 18:38 GMT (11:38 am PDT)

US troops kill two at Abu Ghraib

Two Iraqi prisoners have been killed by US troops during a disturbance at the Abu Ghraib prison in Baghdad, the US military says.
The trouble began when guards saw a large group of detainees attacking a fellow inmate, a statement said.
"Lethal force" was used to bring the situation under control, it said . . . .
It is not clear what sparked off the trouble which left five other detainees injured, the US military statement said, without specifying how they were wounded.
The US military said guards had issued verbal warnings to stop the riot in which detainees were using stones and tent poles against the fellow inmate.

Read more.

They hate us for our freedom to abuse prisoners.

[Gregorian]

12. Incredible logic. Bush logic, if I may say so.

And the net result is.....dead people.

Who is running this show!?

[daleo]

13. They had to kill two prisoners to save one

I imagine these are very difficult situations, but given the history of the U.S. administration of this prison, you have to wonder.

- was the prisoner they saved a useful informer?
- were the prisoners killed unfortunate random victims, or were they potential trouble for the CIA or M.I. in the torture investigation?

It is just hard to take things at face value anymore.

[Dyedinthewoolliberal]

17. Ohhhhhhh, I get it!

Kill someone because someone else might get killed? Rubber bullets didn't work, I wonder if they have firehoses?

[Hogarth]

21. Thank God for LBN

I wouldn't have known about this had Mari333 not come out to the yard and told me. CNN seems to be assuming I'd rather read about the recovery of Paris Hilton's pooch.

[Moderator]

22. Kick

Kick