22 killed in attack on U.S. base in Iraq

[Guest trancepriest]

BAGHDAD, Iraq (CNN) -- Multiple rounds hit a dining hall at a U.S. military base near Mosul on Tuesday, killing 22 people, including U.S. troops, members of the Iraqi national guard, and Iraqi civilians, Pentagon officials said.

http://www.cnn.com/2004/WORLD/meast/12/21/iraq.main/index.html

[Guest bcnjunkie]

yup, this war was great idea !!!!! GO BUSH !!!!!

[Guest slamminshaun]

Running up to the election this thread would have been so heated with discussion... the largest single attack death toll in Iraq since the war started... and no one gives a damn... sucks for the soldiers... in another 3 years... the nation will care again.

I don't know about "nobody gives a damn" but i think these boards have grown tired with the Iraq debate. Not one person on here has changed their mind, so what's the point?

[Guest slamminshaun]

I mourn privately. I hope that doesn't make me an asshole.

[Guest saintjohn]

at least express some condolences

good point, although i'm feeling a mixture of sorrow, frustration, and rage right now.

i'm sorry for the folks who were killed or wounded, and i'm bitterly disappointed with the people responsible for putting them in harm's way.

i believe the attack hit fob marez, previously known as fob victory and/or fob strike. it's located directly across from the airfield, on a hill, and has been a target for mortar attacks for months due to its high visibility and the large number of soldiers and contractors who eat there. if it's the place i'm thinking about, there's a major roadway that runs along a large part of the perimeter. in other words, it was only a matter of time. someone didn't care enough about the troops under his or her command.

mostly, however, i'm angry, and i want the people responsible for this violence brought to justice.

[Guest LdySphynx]

Oh my, I am at a loss for words :'(.....can it possible get any worse for these familie? Especially so close to Xmas.

Well at least they are finally out of harms way, and i'm sure they are getting their rewards for trying protect our country....whether it was right or wrong to do it!!!

Do you guys think, that gods considers what our troops are doing a Sin??? Do they go to heaven??? Or are they breaking the some of the 10 commandments??? Even if they were sent by thier commander and chief, and not because they chose too??? How do you think they are recieved at Heaven's Gate???

[Guest LdySphynx]

Oh my, I am at a loss for words :'(.....can it possible get any worse for these familie? Especially so close to Xmas.

Well at least they are finally out of harms way, and i'm sure they are getting their rewards for trying protect our country....whether it was right or wrong to do it!!!

Do you guys think, that gods considers what our troops are doing a Sin??? Do they go to heaven??? Or are they breaking the some of the 10 commandments??? Even if they were sent by thier commander and chief, and not because they chose too??? How do you think they are recieved at Heaven's Gate???

No.. God is a Republican. Jesus maybe a Liberal.. but God is definitely a Republican.

Let me guess he told you last night over Tea and Crumpets :!!!!!

[Guest LdySphynx]

We really don't want to get into this again now do we !!!!!

[Guest bcnjunkie]

No.. God is a Republican. Jesus maybe a Liberal.. but God is definitely a Republican.

LOL ;D

[Guest LdySphynx]

Oh my, I am at a loss for words :'(.....can it possible get any worse for these familie? Especially so close to Xmas.

Well at least they are finally out of harms way, and i'm sure they are getting their rewards for trying protect our country....whether it was right or wrong to do it!!!

Do you guys think, that gods considers what our troops are doing a Sin??? Do they go to heaven??? Or are they breaking the some of the 10 commandments??? Even if they were sent by thier commander and chief, and not because they chose too??? How do you think they are recieved at Heaven's Gate???

No.. God is a Republican. Jesus maybe a Liberal.. but God is definitely a Republican.

We seemed to have forgotten that Satan has some say in the votes as well !!!!!

[Guest LdySphynx]

Oh and one more thing, St Peter is the one at Heaven's Gate....and he is definitely a Democrat ;D!!!!

[Guest mursa]

What I find just as tragic as news like this , is that many "wishful" thinking Americans think that the violence will almost disapear after the Jan 30th elections ....are they simply in denial or what ?

This administrations has shaken the hornets nets and we are now gonna get stung for the forseable future . :-\

[Guest bcnjunkie]

What I find just as tragic as news like this , is that many "wishful" thinking Americans think that the violence will almost disapear after the Jan 30th elections ....are they simply in denial or what ?

This administrations has shaken the hornets nets and we are now gonna get stung for the forseable future . :-\

yup, expect more tragic stories in the months to come ... thanks Bush !

[Guest slamminshaun]

What I think is tragic is the fact that Democrats feel like any bad news for our troops is good news for them. Don't anyone try to say this isn't going on, because it is. Anytime there's good news in Iraq, the Dems act like their best puppy just died....but when there's news like this, they are quick to say "see, i told ya so" and then ride the political coat tails that comes with the news. I've never, ever before seen a political party who's interest is based on how many of their fellow men get killed.

[ryan2772]

What I think is tragic is the fact that Democrats feel like any bad news for our troops is good news for them. Don't anyone try to say this isn't going on' date=' because it is. Anytime there's good news in Iraq, the Dems act like their best puppy just died....but when there's news like this, they are quick to say "see, i told ya so" and then ride the political coat tails that comes with the news. I've never, ever before seen a political party who's interest is based on how many of their fellow men get killed.

[/quote']

:

what the f*ck are you talking about?

[Guest slamminshaun]

Watch the news. All you need to know is there. It's pretty obvious that the Democrats in national politics become energized when bad things happen over there.

[Guest mursa]

Watch the news. All you need to know is there. It's pretty obvious that the Democrats in national politics become energized when bad things happen over there.

yes , yes your right.........we democratic folks are evil and aren't nearly as patriotic as folks like yourself . :

[Guest slamminshaun]

Now now...don't make chicken shit out of chicken salad. I never said democrat voters become engergized over bad things (man, i would hope not)....just the guys up in Washington who have a vested interest in what happens over there...and that vested interest is that things not go as planned.

[Guest mursa]

Now now...don't make chicken shit out of chicken salad. I never said democrat voters become engergized over bad things (man' date=' i would hope not)....just the guys up in Washington who have a vested interest in what happens over there...and that vested interest is that things not go as planned.

[/quote']

Washington democrats get energized when tragedy occurs and people are dying , while a few years back it was Washington republicans who got hot n bothered and wasted over 50 million US tax payer dollars in order to try and impeach a democratic president for lying about his personal life .

all this because of vested interests.

[Guest antonio]

Now now...don't make chicken shit out of chicken salad. I never said democrat voters become engergized over bad things (man, i would hope not)....just the guys up in Washington who have a vested interest in what happens over there...and that vested interest is that things not go as planned.

Washington democrats get energized when tragedy occurs and people are dying , while a few years back it was Washington republicans who got hot n bothered and wasted over 50 million US tax payer dollars in order to try and impeach a democratic president for lying about his personal life .

all this because of vested interests.

WERD !!!!!

[Guest slamminshaun]

Politics is politics. But you can hardly compare wasting taxpayer dollars to getting energized over people dying.

[Guest mursa]

Politics is politics. But you can hardly compare wasting taxpayer dollars to getting energized over people dying.

It's not Energized, more like " i told you so syndrome" , which most of world opinion shares with democrats .

Politics is Politics therefore you should be used to being critisized when your in control (congress and president) and not be so thinned skinned .

[Guest saintjohn]

from an army chaplain:

MASCAL

By the time I got back to our compound it was all over the news. It seemed like the thing had just happened when in reality I had been neck deep in it for several hours. And there it was on TV. Frankly, it's kind of a blur.

The day began early as I didn't sleep very well last night. Once I was awake I decided not to just lay there and stare at the darkness so I got up, got dressed, shaved and headed into the TOC, the heart of what goes on. In the TOC (Tactical Operations Center) they monitor several different radio nets to keep abreast of what is happening in the area. It's the place to be if you want up to the minute information. When I arrived it was fairly calm. I made small talk with the guys there and sipped that first cup of morning coffee. The day was clear and there was very little going on, or so it seemed. A very short while later we received the initial reports. In this area there are several "camps" or "posts" that house the various combat and support units that do the day to day fighting and working around here. The first report said that a mortar had just hit one of the nearby chow halls during the middle of lunch (I'm on GMT so my morning is actually the middle of the day). It's called a MASCAL or Mass Casualty event and it's where the rubber meets the road in military ministry. They said there were approximately 10 casualties. That was the extent of it so I kind of filed it away in the back of my mind and continued to sip my coffee. The next report wasn't so good. 10 dead and approximately 50 wounded. They were being transported to the Combat Surgical Hospital down the street. The Chaplain at the CSH is a good guy and I knew he'd be in need of help so I woke my assistant and we rushed to the hospital. I didn't expect what I saw.

The scene was little more than controlled chaos. Helicopters landing, people shouting, wounded screaming, bodies everywhere. As the staff began to triage the dead and wounded I found the chaplain and offered my assistance. He directed me to where he needed me and I dove in. I would be hard pressed to write about every person I had the opportunity to pray with today but I will try to relate a few.

[Guest saintjohn]

continued . . .

I found "Betty" on a stretcher being tended by nurses. I introduced myself and held her hand. She looked up at me and said, "Chaplain, am I going to be alright?" I said that she was despite the fact that I could see she had a long road to recovery ahead of her. Most of her hair had been singed off. Her face was burnt fairly badly, although it didn't look like the kind of burns that will scar. What I do know is that it was painful enough to hurt just by being in the sun. I prayed with Betty and moved on.

"Ilena" (a made up name. She spoke very softly and had a thick accent so I couldn't really hear her) had been hit by a piece of shrapnel just above her left breast causing a classic sucking chest wound. The doctors said she had a hemothorax (I think that's what they called it) which basically meant her left lung was filling with blood and she was having a very hard time breathing. For the next 20 minutes I held her hand while a doctor made an incision in her left side, inserted most of his hand and some kind of medical instrument and then a tube to alleviate the pressure caused by the pooling blood. It was probably the most medieval procedure I have ever been privy to. In the end she was taken to ICU and will be OK.

"Mark" was put on a stretcher and laid along a wall. A small monitor on his hand would tell the nurses when he was dead. Even a cursory glance said it was inevitable. Mark had a head wound that left brain matter caked in his ear and all over the stretcher he was lying on. I knelt next to Mark and placed a hand on his chest. His heart was barely beating but it was beating so I put my face close to his ear to pray with him. If you've never smelled human brain matter it is something unforgettable. I had something of an internal struggle. He's practically dead so why stay? He probably can't hear anything! A prayer at that point seemed of little value. But I couldn't risk it. I prayed for Mark and led him in the sinners prayer as best I could. There are few things in this life that will make you feel more helpless. After that, I needed some fresh air.

I stepped outside and found the situation to be only slightly less chaotic. The number of body bags had grown considerably since I first went inside. I saw a fellow chaplain who was obviously in need of care himself. I stopped him and put my arm around him and asked how he was doing. A rhetorical question if ever I asked one. He just shook his head so I pulled him in close and prayed for his strength, endurance, a thick skin, and a soft heart. Then I just stood and breathed for a few minutes.

[Guest saintjohn]

continued . . .

Regardless of what some may say, these are not stupid people. Any attack with casualties will naturally mean that eventually a very large number of care givers will be concentrated in one location. They took full advantage of that. In the middle of the mayhem the first mortar round hit about 100 to 200 meters away. Everyone started shouting to get the wounded into the hospital which is solid concrete and much safer than being in the open. Soon, the next mortar hit quite a bit closer than the first as they "walked" their rounds toward their intended target...us. Everyone began to rush toward the building. I stood at the door shoving as many people inside as I could. Just before heading in myself, the last one hit directly on top of the hospital. I was standing next to the building so was shielded from any flying shrapnel. In fact, the building, being built as a bunker took the hit with little effect. However, I couldn't have been more than 10 to 15 meters from the point of impact and brother did I feel the shock. That'll wake you up! I rushed inside to find doctors and nurses draped over patients, others on the floor or under something. I ducked low and quickly moved as far inside as I could.

After a few tense moments people began to move around again and the business of patching bodies and healing minds continued in earnest. As I stood talking with some other chaplain, an officer approached and not seeing us, yelled, "Is there a chaplain around here?" I turned and asked what I could do. He spoke to us and said that another patient had just been moved to the "expectant" list and would one of us come pray for him. I walked in and found him lying on the bed with a tube in his throat, and no signs of consciousness. There were two nurses tending to him in his final moments. One had a clipboard so I assumed she'd have the information I wanted. I turned to her and asked if she knew his name. Without hesitation the other nurse, with no papers, blurted out his first, middle, and last name. She had obviously taken this one personally. I'll call him "Wayne". I placed my hand on his head and lightly stroked his dark hair. Immediately my mind went to my Grandpa's funeral when I touched his soft grey hair for the last time. And for the second time in as many hours I prayed wondering if it would do any good, but knowing that God is faithful and can do more than I even imagine. When I finished I looked up at the nurse who had known his name. She looked composed but struggling to stay so. I asked, "Are you OK?" and she broke down. I put my arm around her to comfort and encourage her. She said, "I was fine until you asked!" Then she explained that this was the third patient to die on her that day.