i hope this isn't true. http://www.mediainfo.com/eandp/news/article_display.jsp?vnu_content_id=1002764962 AP Embed Gets Scoop on Latest Alleged U.S. Atrocity in Iraq NEW YORK AP correspondent Ryan Lenz, embedded with the 101st Airborne Division in Beiji, Iraq, produced the latest news bulletin today concerning yetr another alleged U.S. atrocity in Iraq, and one of the worst yet. Lenz reported this morning that five U.S. Army soldiers are being investigated for allegedly raping a young woman, then killing her -- and three members of her family in Iraq. He learned this from a U.S. military official. The soldiers also allegedly burned the body of the woman they are accused of raping. Maj. Gen. James D. Thurman, commander of coalition troops in Baghdad, had ordered a criminal investigation into the alleged killing of a family of four in Mahmoudiya, south of Baghdad, the U.S. command said. It did not elaborate. Lenz was previously embedded with the 502nd Infantry Regiment in Mahmoudiyah. "The entire investigation will encompass everything that could have happened that evening. We're not releasing any specifics of an ongoing investigation," said military spokesman Maj. Todd Breasseale. "There is no indication what led soldiers to this home. The investigation just cracked open. We're just beginning to dig into the details." However, a U.S. official close to the investigation said at least one of the soldiers, all assigned to the 502nd Infantry Regiment, has admitted his role and has been arrested. Two soldiers from the same regiment were slain this month when they were kidnapped at a checkpoint near Youssifiyah. At least four other soldiers have had their weapons taken away and are confined to Forward Operating Base Mahmoudiyah south of Baghdad. The official spoke on condition of anonymity because of the sensitivity of the case. The official said the killings appear to be unrelated to the kidnappings but that a soldier felt compelled to report the killings after his fellow soldiers' bodies were found. The killings appeared to have been a "crime of opportunity," the official said. The soldiers had not been attacked by insurgents but had noticed the woman on previous patrols.
this article has more information: http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20060630/ap_on_re_mi_ea/iraq_soldiers_investigated_6 The official told the AP the accused soldiers were from the same platoon as the two slain soldiers. The military has said one and possibly both of the slain soldiers were tortured and beheaded. The official said the mutilation of the slain soldiers stirred feelings of guilt and led at least one of them to reveal the rape-slaying on June 22. According to a senior Army official, the alleged incident was first revealed by a soldier during a routine counseling-type session. The official, who requested anonymity because the investigation is ongoing, said that soldier did not witness the incident but heard about it. A second soldier, who also was not involved, said he overhead soldiers conspiring to commit the crimes, and then later saw bloodstains on their clothes, the official said. He also said the four people killed included three adults and a child, and one of the adults was the woman who allegedly was raped. One of the accused soldiers already has been discharged and is believed to be in the United States, several U.S. officials said on condition of anonymity because the investigation is ongoing. The others have had their weapons taken away and are confined to Forward Operating Base Mahmoudiyah.
The military needs to fly in some hookers for the male troops. From stories of female U.S. soldiers being sexually harrassed to troop allegedly raping, killing and burning an Iraqi female; man these guys need a sexual outlet.
Maybe put some DVD players in the vehicles with some of Eddie's favorites. Really sad though. I'd turn them over to let Iraq sentence these guys. I wonder if this is what caused the beheadings?
man I hope this isn't true. This is what happens when we put our soldiers in these type of situations. It happened in viet. and it's happening now.
welcome to the new and improved iraq...lemme guess its all for the greater good right? who else is going to be blessed with this type of freedom? iran, syria, north korea, venezuela???
I blame this on the Liberal Media. This is just another example of the them feeding off negative news...
If she didn't dress so provacatively, maybe the soldiers could control themselves. They just had to see what was under that black dress and head scarf. I just wonder how this idea came up. What kind of a person would do such a thing? Animals.
"what, you dont support our troops 100%" dumbasses need to not lose respect for themselves by doing such actions.
Yep lets bring back comfort women. I don't want to rush to judgement too fast but seriously though I find this terrible but unfortunately not surprising. War is dehumanizing which is why it should be avoided as much as possible. If this is true these soldiers need to be held to full account and have the book thrown at them but as long as there is war there will be attrocities committed. I fully believe our soldiers are the best trained, best disciplined and the vast vast majority of them are honorable and decent. Still it would almost be impossible to expect putting young men and women under long periods of life threatening stress and not have attrocities. I'm not saying this to excuse troops who do but just to point out that war is hell and there is no such thing as a clean war.
i'm glad they were able to catch this guy so quickly. http://www.theage.com.au/news/world/us-soldier-charged-with-murder-rape-of-iraqi-family/2006/07/04/1151778935981.html US soldier charged with murder, rape of Iraqi family THE Pentagon has charged a former US soldier with raping and killing a young woman in Iraq and killing three members of her family in what may become one of the most incendiary war crimes investigations since the invasion in 2003. Steven Green, 21, a former private with the 101st Airborne Division, based in Fort Campbell, Kentucky, was charged under military law with four counts of murder and one of rape. If convicted, he could face the death penalty.
I think anything less than the death penalty in this case won't be sending the right message to both the Iraqi people AND our soldiers that the U.S. military won't tolerate criminal thugs who happen to wear the uniform. I think it's time to come down hard on one or two of these rogue soldiers to make an example out of them for future reference. I think the vast majority of Americans have absolutely no idea how much press this story is getting or what's being said. Just reading through some foreign press (Russian, French, British, Aussie, Asian, Arab, you name it), massive damage control is going to be required here. The overall tone has been something along these lines: "This is what American freedom is, it's the freedom to steal, rape and murder; it's the freedom from life." It's sickening to say the least...
Yeah - if this guy and his cohorts are guilty then the death penalty is a fitting end for them. It does seem that the media has been playing this down quite a bit here in the states ~ embarrassment I guess.
I can't believe you guys are giving comfort to the terrorists on America Day by hating on rapists and murderers. The patriotic thing to do is to sweep this under the rug. Right, gwayne?