WAR: Iraq: US Friendly Fire Kills Bulgarian Soldier: Update

The same day US soldiers killed an Italian agent rescuing a hostage in Iraq, a Bulgarian soldier was shot dead, allegedly by US "friendly fire." Bulgaria's President Georgi Parvanov is demanding a full investigation. Authorities also are investigating the death of another Bulgarian soldier who was killed on December 27, 2003 in Karbala, Iraq.





It is difficult to understand why US allies are questioning deaths that occur in a war situation, particularly soldier's deaths. One expects fatalities in war. Yet at least three cases are under investigation. There seems to be something going on behind the scenes.



UPDATE: MSN is reporting that the shooting of the Bulgarian soldier probably resulted from the "lack of direct communication between Bulgarian and U.S. troops."


Bulgaria: Lack of communication likely caused friendly fire incident in Iraq

"The lack of direct communication between Bulgarian and U.S. troops was the probable cause of last week's killing of a Bulgarian soldier in Iraq in a suspected ''friendly fire'' incident, a top military official said Wednesday."


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[edit on 10-3-2005 by soficrow]

more info in this War on Terrorism thread: Sofia Claims US Troops Killed Bulgarian Soldier in Iraq

As more and more inexperienced soldiers are faced with combat, normal fears will cause them to shoot anything that moves outside their group before understanding their target. If the truth were known, we have probably lost much more of our own troops to friendly fire than we care to admit.
As for the investigations, they will go nowhere. If politics motivated any of these killings, noone will ever have proof. Kennedy was assignated, so I'll never take anything for what it seems, again.

One more poor victim of Bulgarian political prostitution. Bulgaria fighing Iraq...

Would sound hilarious was it not tragic.

this is the world opinion at work, it is popular to criticize America, even for things the complainers do everyday. A known communist agitator can be the forefront of world opinion by making a claim with no witnesses on her side to corraborate, and Big Media reports it as truth.

Big Media can allow even the smallest, most unstable, most corrupt nation-states to attack the USA with impunity. There will be no consequences of their rants and accusations, evn if proven totally baseless.

After all, the goal of terrorism is to force policy change on an enemy. To make them do what you want. The Media is a critical tool in this type of conflict. Manifestos and accusations can be delivered worldwide, instantaneously, without regard to the resources or legitimacy of the accusor.

Imagine this modern media mindset back in the late 1930's and late 40's. The coalition of forces led by a corrupt American and British regime, commiting actos of war on a tiny island nation in the Pacific, and a small state in eastern Europe, who simply wish to preserve their unique cultures against the imperialist West, by claiming more territory. No blood for oil, chanted, as Germany marches towards the Black Sea and tries to cut through Stalingrad for the oil resources there-and Japan needs to get to the oil-rich territories around Malaysia (where at the time oil exploitatin was greater than the middle east). The Evil America willing to sacrifice it's own sons only to protect their rights to exploit the oil. Pearl Harbor would never have occurred if it wasn't threatening the Japanese right to expand.

Afterwards, German "insurgents" fight to the last man, heroes to keep the imperialist Allies from taking their land, so rich in culture, art and science. Many innocents harmed in the bombing of Dresden.

Then, the Soviet Union expanding, to create a "buffer zone" to protect it's interests, swallowing up Easter Europe, moving towards the south, and reaching out to Cuba....unfairly blockaded by the paranoid Americans. The Cubans need ballistic missile capability to be respected on the world stage, and America would not need to fear these weapons if they weren't so evil..

Funny, there's no difference between news and propaganda anymore. No one will just print the truth, it has to be pre-spun to fit someone's agenda.

To "Phuged":

I only just heard that the Bulgarian solider was shot, and that's all. I don't see how these few bits of information are "pre-spun". Similarly, I am aware that Bulgarians are in Iraq, and that's it. I think it's a very plain fact.

What you suggest is somehow that media is a huge anti-US conspiracy. It is not. Surf the main channels here, you'll see evidence of the opposite.

originally posted by Phudgeboutit No Blood for oil

You're right it wasn't covered in the 40s like it is today, but it was happening along with a lot of other things that didn't get covered like they do today. Duh.

While The Germans were running roughshod over their neighbors the Bush and Harriman families were shipping them oil in their shipping liners with seamen that wore Swasticas on their arms. Plenty on Bush and the Nazi party on Google. Where you been.

Originally posted by kazi

While The Germans were running roughshod over their neighbors the Bush and Harriman families were shipping them oil in their shipping liners with seamen that wore Swasticas on their arms. Plenty on Bush and the Nazi party on Google. Where you been.

Do you have links on this Kazi? ...ATS or otherwise. Thanks.

Originally posted by Phugedaboudet
this is the world opinion at work, it is popular to criticize America, even for things the complainers do everyday.

Great post, well written. Doesn't address the dead Bulgarian soldier though...

Originally posted by mythatsabigprobe

Great post, well written. Doesn't address the dead Bulgarian soldier though...

Thanks. ...Not much else to say - he's dead, looks like it was friendly fire, there's an investigation, other similar cases. 'Bout it right now.


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Originally posted by soficrow
Thanks. ...Not much else to say - he's dead, looks like it was friendly fire, there's an investigation, other similar cases. 'Bout it right now.

Sorry, I meant Phugedaboudet's reply - should have made that clear. Well written but off topic since it's not really relevant to the article about the Bulgarian soldier.

Originally posted by mythatsabigprobe

Sorry, I meant Phugedaboudet's reply - should have made that clear. Well written but off topic since it's not really relevant to the article about the Bulgarian soldier.

...Looking back, it was kind of obvious - I was just being dim. Sorry.

...Phug's reply was good, and really, it was relevant if a bit obscure. ...The "hostage" is a writer with the Italian Communist press - altho, commie's don't have the same rep in Italy as they have here. ...Anywayt, Phug was using this as an illustration of how people, not just governments, can manipulate the media to serve their agenda.

...Maybe Bulgaria is playing a game, maybe not. Maybe the hostage Sgenda is telling the truth, maybe not. ....We don't know and we're getting different stories from everyone - which drives it home that we don't know.

...PHug says basically that no one ever would have fought against Hitler in WWII if terrorists and citizens had been manipulating the media. True - and in fact, business interests in the US kept this country out of the war for several years. ....The same amount of manipulation went on back then - it's just that it was more controlled by the elite, and unseen.

....IMO - although we're more subject to whole bunches of different manipulators, we're better off. ...We're on guard, and unlikely to get fooled. Plus, we 're learning to accommodate huge piles of often threatening or confusing information, and to think about it critically. These are super survival tools.

Not a bad situation IMO. ...I would rather everyone have access to the same tools - than only a select few.


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MSN is reporting that the shooting of the Bulgarian soldier probably resulted from the "lack of direct communication between Bulgarian and U.S. troops."


Bulgaria: Lack of communication likely caused friendly fire incident in Iraq

"The lack of direct communication between Bulgarian and U.S. troops was the probable cause of last week's killing of a Bulgarian soldier in Iraq in a suspected ''friendly fire'' incident, a top military official said Wednesday."

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