US Helicopter Attack Leaves Many Children Dead

US Helicopter Attack Leaves Many Children Dead

news.bbc.co.uk

BBC breaking news graphic
An attack by a US helicopter against suspected insurgents in Iraq has killed a number of children at a primary school, Iraqi security sources say.

The attack took place in Diyala province north-east of Baghdad, the sources say.

A spokesman for the US military said there had been helicopter activity in the area but he was not able to confirm any other details.

The school is in the village of al-Nedawat close to the Iranian border.

(visit the link for the full news article)

This is just breaking news at the moment, so not much detail, but saddening none the less.

I understand the need for coalition forces to engage insurgents that are attacking them, but what rules of engagement do US troops operate under that allow them to open fire so close to a school full of children?

Still, details are sketchy, so I'm not going to jump to any conclusions, but I'm a parent to a young child and I just get upset when I see reports of such young innocents killed anywhere.

news.bbc.co.uk
(visit the link for the full news article)

Latest details on this:

One police officer said the helicopter was shot at from the ground during the morning.

The school was said to have been hit when the aircraft returned fire.

The officer said police had spoken to eyewitnesses and that six children had been killed and six injured but the figures have not been independently confirmed.

A spokesman for the US forces in Iraq, Lt-Col Chris Garver, said the US tried to do everything possible to avoid civilian casualties, which was why it was taking the reports seriously and conducting an investigation.

There has been an escalation of violence in Diyala in recent weeks.

On Sunday, a convoy of US armoured vehicles was hit by a bomb which killed six soldiers and a Russian journalist who was travelling with them.

more inacent souls destroyed by war
this will have just created a few more insurgents who will want to avenge the deaths of their loved ones


US tax money at work

If the enemy knows that our ROE's permit returning fire near sensitive areas then the might have attacked from near the school on purpose hoping for this very result. This will look bad and get negative comments in the Western world let alone on Al Jazeerand Al Arabiya.

Originally posted by bodrul
this will have just created a few more insurgents who will want to avenge the deaths of their loved ones

Kind of ironic and dumb when you really think about it, their death was a direct result of insurget activity, yet instead of hurting the insurgency this will actually help them... Pointless.

Originally posted by WestPoint23
If the enemy knows that our ROE's permit returning fire near sensitive areas then the might have attacked from near the school on purpose hoping for this very result. This will look bad and get negative comments in the Western world let alone on Al Jazeerand Al Arabiya.

Indeed and that is probably spot on, Westy.

Maybe a review of certain ROE's might be benifical. You don't need to forbid it, but maybe not be so trigger happy near a school. The helo could have asked for ground troops to go and investigate, possibly reducing the risk to the children. Local Police could also have helped by evacuating the school...

All maybe's and what if's, but actions like this help no-one but the enemy.

Also remember that the first rule of insurgency is to make the other guy look bad. an apache gunships' 30mm cannon is not completely accurate and also insurgents LOVE to hear news of civilians being killed by American forces.. Cause uproars like this happen.

Try looking at how many innocent victims insurgents killed. Oh wait. That may take some forethought and have to give some benefit of doubt on the side of the military.

Originally posted by AbitTweaked
Also remember that the first rule of insurgency is to make the other guy look bad. an apache gunships' 30mm cannon is not completely accurate and also insurgents LOVE to hear news of civilians being killed by American forces.. Cause uproars like this happen.

Indeed... So why not be that extra bit careful? for the sake of taking out 1-2 insurgents having potshots at an Apache, why not just ignore them? Come back later with ground forces instead of chewing up a school? (which, incidentally is a War Crime)

Originally posted by AbitTweaked
Try looking at how many innocent victims insurgents killed. Oh wait. That may take some forethought and have to give some benefit of doubt on the side of the military.

Just because the insurgency kills innocents, doesn't mean the military should not take care. They state they always go to great lengths to avoid civilian casualties, but the evidence says otherwise.

Now, I'm not saying the Americans deliberately shoot civilians, but they are obviously not as careful about it as they claim, as stories like this come out every other week.

A rethink of the ROE would not hurt, in fact, quite the contrary. The insurgents obviously love to draw the US forces into firing at them when they are in amongst innocents, so why do it?

Why play the game their way? Draw them away from the civilians, rather than going all gun-ho and killing everyone, insurgents and civilians alike.

It doesn't hurt them, as this sort of thing will give them another 10 new recruits for everyone that is killed, but it hurts the US position as it makes you out to be cold-hearted and careless, which your not, but in this day and age of the media that is how you'll come across.



[edit on 8/5/07 by stumason]

Im almost speechless...perhaps the 'School Crossing' sign outside the primary school should be changed for this one...

The last time that it was news like this it prove to be incorrect, I will check the Iraqi news and see if is anything in it talking about this incident.

Well after looking into the WN reports no even Al Qaeda news mention anything, at least not yet.

Who says children at school can not be terrorists? Last I knew, the children were being taught how to hate USA and attack us with cheap shots.

Too early to tell. I will urge, just positively urge everyone to please hold your opinions until all possible information has been shared. This is very grave indeed and children have died if this article holds truth. We will do everyone a great injustice by splurting out words in anger.

I say this because I have seen many a news articles do this to people. I have not yet made an opinion because information is so sketchy. In a time like this, we need to hold our thoughts and think before we speak.

But I can still feel a lot of flaming and bashing ahead.

Westpoint is most likely right too. The insurgents are probably exploiting our ROE.

Shattered OUT...

Originally posted by stumason


This is just breaking news at the moment, so not much detail, but saddening none the less.

I understand the need for coalition forces to engage insurgents that are attacking them, but what rules of engagement do US troops operate under that allow them to open fire so close to a school full of children?


news.bbc.co.uk
(visit the link for the full news article)

Americans are a trigger happy race...

they did this on purpose....

they are trained to kill..

and terrorize...

DID NOT WORK IN VIETNAM...

Pay no attention to the post above, nonsense deserves no response. Anyone foolish enough to think that way clearly does not know what they are talking about nor do they care for a logical or sensible argument... :shk:

this war needs an ending.
West point what if it were your kid in that school what would you do?
I mean come on, they blew up a school and you're still defending the guy in the chopter

Insurgents are just taxi drivers parents, usually people that had
nothing to do with violence before the war but that had some one dear and precious that was lost in the war.
Terrorism is another thing and insurgents is another.
This war will colect insurgents on and on, this war will never end

Originally posted by supply-ignorance
Who says children at school can not be terrorists? Last I knew, the children were being taught how to hate USA and attack us with cheap shots.

Last you knew?

What do YOU know?

Sorry, but that last post really got under my skin. Typical, catch all blanket statement meant to excuse any and all actions.

Pathetic.

Had we of never engaged in this illegial endevour, these childeren might of grown up in to experience life as we know it?

Surely the last 4 years have been a living hell compared to saddam, yet we still tell the masses they died for the cause...

These sort of reports really make me wonder.

Just how cosy is all that money Dick Cheney's making feel after he reads these reports?
Does he stare at the money bags and go,

Meh.... they were all the way over there.. and im all the way over here...

Such a pitty peoeple dont see whats going to happen from all this indisciminate killing.

these childerens friends, brothers, family are going to resent the west.. theyve got nothing to live for now... after just watching your son be blown to bits by the americans.. they arent exactly going to take up american values and democracy are they?

Jeer all of the critics of this war, because one day Iraq will have its revenge on the USA for all the 'terrorist' activities they are committing in Iraq.

And when they strike you, you cant say they were cold blooded killers.. because YOU started this bloody campaign..

I spit on the ground at anyone that still defends this haneous slaughter..

your are less human than saddam if you still follow this massacre.

blah blah blah who cares now ? Just a few more dead. Actually I think this means a few less insurgents. Because those kids would have taken up arms sooner or later.
Nip them in the bud.

This could also be part of the Muslim propaganda. Every terrorist killed is an innocent civilians who was running an orphanage or a child . Seriously, who give a F# ?

Typical bigoted response from you there IAF. To be expected from someone who see's the sun shining out of Israel's arse all the time.

These are kids, man!

Just because YOU think "who cares, they would have been terrorists anyway", doesn't make it so.

Muslim propoganda? it was on the BBC and the Iraqi police accept the fact the helicopter was being shot at. If it was propoganda, wouldn't they say it was an "unprovoked assault on a school by the US"

You'd be bleeting your heart out if it was an Israeli school, but we could say the same thing about them, surely? After all, service in the IDF is cumpulsory, isn't it?

Oh no, we can't say that though, can we?

If I had said "Jewish propoganda" or "Oh well, they're only jews", there would be hell to pay.

Honestly, I'm surprised you get away on here with the rubbish that flows from your mouth....