Military says American dies of non-hostile gunshot wound in Iraq 8/27/03

[NNN0LHI]

http://www.wtnh.com/Global/story.asp?S=1418660

(Baghdad, Iraq-AP, Aug. 27, 2003 7:21 AM ) _ The military is reporting the death of another American soldier in Iraq.

The soldier died from what's termed a non-hostile gunshot wound. No other details have been released.

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When I first seen this I thought it was from yesterday. But after reading this other AP story I see it is one from today. Rest in peace soldiers, no matter how you have died.

http://ap.tbo.com/ap/breaking/MGAO8DNFVJD.html

Two U.S. Soldiers Killed in Iraq; Aid Group Withdraws Staff Due to Heightened Peril

<snip>In the latest U.S. deaths, a soldier was killed and three were wounded in a roadside bombing in Fallujah, 30 miles west of Baghdad. The soldier was from the 3rd Armored Cavalry Regiment, the military said, providing no other details.

A second soldier was killed in another attack on a military convoy in Baghdad. The dead soldier from the 205th Military Intelligence Brigade, the military said.

A third soldier was reported to have died of a non-hostile gunshot wound in a separate incident.

The deaths brought to 281 the number of soldiers killed since the war began on March 20. Since President Bush declared major combat over on May 1, 143 U.S. soldiers have died - five more than during the heavy fighting.

As the U.S. death toll climbed, Bush said the United States would not back down in Iraq. snip

Military officials have declined to name the reservists, but family members identified them as Staff Sgt. Scott McKenzie, 37; Sgt. Shawna Edmondson, 24; Spc. Tim Canjar, 21; and Master Sgt. Lisa Girman, 35.

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[will work 4 food]

1. It's a combat zone death

I don't care how they color it. If he wasn't in the combat zone, he wouldn't of got shot, or much less likely to, anyway. IDIOTS:wtf:

[wryter2000]

5. Hunh?

How can gun fire be non-hostile? Lying bastards.

[Ripley]

9. Not that I believe there are that many accidents, but

I have heard these men and women are being given very low rations of food and water and they are under intense stress and intense heat. So it wouldn't surprise me if someone fell asleep on their rifle and it discharged hitting themselves or someone nearby.

However, it seems highly suspicious that the number of "accidental deaths" seems to be almost equivalent to "hostile deaths." Wonder if any of those reporters over there could think of a question...

[zbdent]

13. When a death in "combat" would give the widow more

Isn't that true?

[atreides1]

19. Not Exactly

It does not matter if a soldier on active duty dies in combat in Iraq,
or in a training accident at Ft Hood, Texas.

If they have signed up for SGLI, their families will get the insurance
payment that the soldier elected.

As for suicides, the actual term for non-hostile gunshot wound, it remains to be seen. If the military want to be pricks about it, then
the insurance payment can be voided.

This of course would be a PR nightmare for this administration, think
of the headlines if they do this.

"SOLDIER KILLS SELF"

I guess that there have been at least a dozen or more deaths from non-hostile gunshot wounds since May 1. Not totally sure about the numbers
but if the Army medical examiner lists the death as suicide, there will be no insurance payment, and if that was the case I believe we'd be hearing from the families of those soldiers that might have turned
their own weapons upon themselves.

[MountainLaurel]

15. Suicide?

Semantically, it's correct, and heaven knows it's not altogether out of the realm of possibility.

[saigon68]

12. BRING IT ON

This is a noble cause--- GEORGE W. BUSH

</SARCASM>

[underpants]

2. I was thinking last night -How many have died since they left Iraq?

How many (this whole thing is so sad) have not "made it" once they have been flown out and are they counted in the total?

[Serial Mom]

4. add one who died of heart attack

- there was one reservist who died of heart attack about 3 hours (don't know if I remember this exactly correct) after he returned home from Gulf.

He should be added to count too!

[MrBenchley]

3. Fragged?

Or suicide?

Either way, shame on this unelected drunk and his bloodthirsty goon squad..

[HereSince1628]

7. another possibility is accidental..

which I know in these times is suspicious.

[markus]

6. But if the cause be not good...

But if the cause be not good, the king himself
hath a heavy reckoning to make, when
all those legs and arms and heads, chopped off in
battle, shall join together at the latter
day and cry all 'We died at such a place;'
some swearing, some crying for a surgeon,
some upon their wives left poor behind them,
some upon the debts they owe, some upon
their children rawly left. I am afeard
there are few die well that die in a battle;
for how can they charitably dispose
of any thing, when blood is their argument?
Now, if these men do not die well, it will
be a black matter for the king that led
them to it; whom to disobey were against
all proportion of subjection.

-- Shakespeare, Henry V, Act IV, Scene I

[0007]

11. Shakespeare blows me away -

I was reading Emerson's eassy on "The Conservative" last night and was completely amazed at how nothing has changed
from Ralph Waldo's time until now with the convservative party.

The same with " Willie the Shake" cuz when he wrote he shook everyone and everything.

[MrBenchley]

17. OMG! Saw Branagh's Henry V

and couldn't help thinking of some parallels...especially between the Dauphin and our unelected drunk...

For example, concerning "Bring 'em on":

"And tell the pleasant prince this mock of his
Hath turn'd his balls to gun-stones; and his soul
Shall stand sore charged for the wasteful vengeance
That shall fly with them: for many a thousand widows
Shall this his mock mock out of their dear husbands;
Mock mothers from their sons, mock castles down;
And some are yet ungotten and unborn
That shall have cause to curse the Dauphin's scorn.
...tell the Dauphin
His jest will savour but of shallow wit,
When thousands weep more than did laugh at it."

[Bozita]

8. Sounds like a new term for "Friendly Fire."

[0007]

10. "Bring 'em on"

Can ya say swell? Everything is going swell in Iraq cuz this is a noble cause.

Why? O' Why?

[davhill]

14. This is not just weapons cleaning accidents

Young men tend to fight each other over young women. There are lots of young men over there and a lesser number of young women. All are far from their families and support systems. All of them are under tremendous stress. All of them have guns.

[PROGRESSIVE1]

16. What "Combat Zone"????

Bushie said that the war was over!!!! How can our Fearless and Noble Furher have been wrong????

[MostlyBlackCat2]

18. suicide

A non-hostile gunshot incident is usually a pentagon term for a suicide.