Two U.S. Troops Kidnapped by Insurgents - Merged

[1549]

Police: Masked gunmen abducted U.S. soldiers
Two soldiers reported missing after insurgent attack Friday

Sunday, June 18, 2006; Posted: 6:41 a.m. EDT (10:41 GMT)

BAGHDAD, Iraq (CNN) -- Police in Iraq told CNN on Sunday at least four or five masked gunmen seized the two American soldiers who had been reported missing after an insurgent checkpoint attack near Yusufiya on Friday night.

Police sources gleaned the information from eyewitnesses, who told police they saw gunmen in two cars whisk away the soldiers.

U.S. troops immediately embarked a hunt for the soldiers, and continue to scour the region on Sunday.

Also, a U.S. military official said one vehicle was found abandoned with blood in the back and boot prints were spotted on the ground.

Yusufiya, about 30 miles south of Baghdad, is in a dangerous area of northern Babil province known as the "Triangle of Death." Insurgents have been known to hit checkpoints in the area with small arms fire.

Another U.S. soldier was killed in the checkpoint attack.

Earlier, The New York Times reported in its Sunday edition that Iraqi witnesses said they saw the two U.S. soldiers being led away by masked insurgents to a pair of cars.

"There are intelligence indicators [that] they may have been captured alive rather than killed," a senior military official told CNN on Saturday night.

The paper cited Iraqis in the area, who were interviewed by telephone from Baghdad, as saying the attack appeared to have been intended to lure some soldiers away and separate the force. (Watch painful memories for mother of missing soldier -- 1:49)

The paper quoted Hassan Abdul Hadi, who said he was tending to his date palms and apple trees when he heard gunfire and explosions.

Hadi said that he walked to the road and saw an American Humvee, the Times reported.

"I was shocked to see the Humvee -- nothing seemed to be wrong with it," Hadi told the Times. "Then I heard the men shouting 'God is great!' and I saw that they had taken the Americans with them. The gunmen took them and drove away."

U.S. military reinforcements
When the checkpoint along a canal was attacked at about 7:55 p.m. (11:55 a.m. ET) Friday, soldiers at an nearby traffic control point heard an explosion and small-arms fire, Maj. Gen. William Caldwell said Saturday. (Watch how the military is using land, air and water resources in search -- 2:59)

Reinforcements arrived within 15 minutes and found one soldier dead and the other two missing, the general said.

The New York Times cited witnesses as saying insurgents had been firing at the checkpoint from fruit groves along the road, and that when Americans gave chase in two Humvees the insurgents retreated into the groves.

At that point seven or eight guerrillas attacked the checkpoint from another direction, the paper reported the witnesses as saying, adding that a team of Americans arrived minutes after the two soldiers were taken away.

The names of the two soldiers are being withheld pending family notification.

'We never stop looking'
The search for them has involved helicopters, unmanned aerial vehicles and divers, who have scoured the canals and the nearby Euphrates River.

Three raids were conducted Friday night and another Saturday morning, Caldwell said, and coalition troops have enlisted the help of local leaders and civilians.

"We are using all available assets," Caldwell said. "We never stop looking for our service members until their status is definitively determined, and we continue to pray for their safe return."

Caldwell also highlighted the case of another soldier missing in Iraq, saying the military is still looking for Sgt. Keith Matthew Maupin, who disappeared in April 2004 after his convoy was attacked near Baghdad International Airport.

Like the two soldiers who went missing Friday, Maupin's initial status was "whereabouts unknown." The military changed the Ohio soldier's status to "missing-captured" after the Arabic-language TV network Al-Jazeera showed a videotape of Maupin being held captive by insurgents.

Two months later, Al-Jazeera said it had received a videotape and statement from insurgents who claimed they killed Maupin, but U.S. officials were unable to identify him. His status remained "missing-captured."

Maupin's mother said her thoughts are with the families of the two soldiers missing after Friday's attack

"It's like reliving our first notice of when Matt's whereabouts (were) unknown," Carolyn Maupin said. "I can relate to the parents and I've been praying for them, so hopefully they will find them very, very soon, because I can relate to how they feel."

CNN Producer Mohammed Tawfeeq in Baghdad and Pentagon Correspondent Barbara Starr contributed to this report

Not good, I hope we are able to find them soon.

It seems obvious the intention was to abduct...they created a decoy and then swept in to capture those left alone.

 

[Annie]

Not good, I hope we are able to find them soon.

It seems obvious the intention was to abduct...they created a decoy and then swept in to capture those left alone.

http://www.usmessageboard.com/forums/showthread.php?t=32977

 

[1549]

http://www.usmessageboard.com/forums/showthread.php?t=32977

My bad, that is what I get for not having a careful eye

 

[trobinett]

My bad, that is what I get for not having a careful eye

Careful eye or not, what has happen is just another example of terror, and why we can't be mislead into believing we are fighting ANYONE but terrorist.

The whole "I'm against the war in Iraq" group, should be ashamed of themselves, when they see this kind of shit going on.

We CAPTURE people, we don't KIDNAPE people, what's up with that?

When, if EVER, will the MSM get it?

This should be reported as a CRIME, which is what it is.

Untill the difference is made clear, the terrorist will have a safe haven.

 

[Gunny]

Not good, I hope we are able to find them soon.

It seems obvious the intention was to abduct...they created a decoy and then swept in to capture those left alone.

They probably got snatched because they were afraid if they used their weapons in self-defense they'd be accused of war crimes.

 

[Annie]

They probably got snatched because they were afraid if they used their weapons in self-defense they'd be accused of war crimes.

Isn't that the natural outcome? Here is a video of the woman, Irey, running against Murtha:

http://vets4irey.com/

 

[Gunny]

Isn't that the natural outcome? Here is a video of the woman, Irey, running against Murtha:

http://vets4irey.com/

Cool. I hope his extremist politics costs him his seat.

 

[CSM]

Now that the bodies of the two soldiers have been found I am waiting patiently for the libs on this board to start the posts about their inhumane treatment ... you know, like they do about Gitmo, Abu Grhaib, etc. I hope they hurry and post because I am turning blue holding my breath here.

My sympathies to those two soldier's families.

 

[dmp]

I understand this guy's grief - but what he proposes would lead to the Death of untold OTHER americans in a similar fashion.

He said the United States should have paid a ransom for the two soldiers from money seized from Saddam Hussein.

http://www.breitbart.com/news/2006/06/20/D8IBVC3O1.html

 

[Annie]

I understand this guy's grief - but what he proposes would lead to the Death of untold OTHER americans in a similar fashion.




http://www.breitbart.com/news/2006/06/20/D8IBVC3O1.html

I agree, but for once, I gotta give a kudo to Matt Lauer:

http://newsbusters.org/node/5986

Lauer Challenges Uncle's Call for $100 Million Ransom for Kidnapped Soldiers
Posted by Mark Finkelstein on June 20, 2006 - 07:33.

For a TV host, there's nothing much more difficult than interviewing a family member of someone who has been killed or seriously harmed. So when the uncle of one of the US soldiers kidnapped and possibly killed in Iraq called for the offering of a massive ransom and a prisoner exchange, give Matt Lauer credit for having had the courage to challenge him.

Here's how it went down.

Lauer was interviewing Ken MacKenzie, a well-spoken, well-informed uncle to PFC Kristian Menchaca. Asked Lauer:

"A group linked to al-Qaeda on its website has claimed that they actually took Kristian and another soldier. What's your reaction to that?"

Replied MacKenzie::

"My reaction is the United States government should have immediately notified these Shura Council mujahadeen that the United States government was offering a $100-million reward and offering to exchange the 2,500 mujahadeen detainees that Prime Minister al-Maliki of Iraq plans to release several weeks from now. I think the U.S. government was too slow to react to this, they should have had a plan in place. Because the U.S. government did not have a plan in place, my nephew has paid for it with his life."

Lauer:

"Let me just interrupt for a second. Obviously the U.S. has a policy of not negotiating with terrorists. We do have reports that up to 8,000 troops, U.S. and Iraqis, are out searching for your nephew and also reward money is being offered in Baghdad or in the area for any information leading to the finding of your nephew. Are you suggesting that you think the U.S. government should pay a ransom?"

MacKenzie didn't mince words:

"Yes. The ransom is available from Saddam Hussein's Ba'ath party funds seized by the U.S. government. More than $100 billion in cash and gold, that the U.S. government apparently had plans to return to the government of Iraq. I would think that that money, part of it, could be used to pay ransom. That would not be coming out of U.S. taxpayer pockets, by the way. It could be paid out of the bank account where it now reposes. I think that that money should have been earmarked for this type of a hostage situation."

Lauer again challenged the suggestion:

"Mr. MacKenzie, obviously you are dealing with this as a personal and a family tragedy. I can certainly understand that, but wouldn't that then make it very profitable for terrorists in Iraq and other parts of the world to kidnap westerners because they could reap huge amounts of money from it?"
MacKenzie:

"Yes, but they are doing that anyway. I don't know if that would escalate or encourage them to kidnap more westerners and more U.S. soldiers. But I rather doubt it. My concern is the humanitarian concern. This money will be used of course by whoever's going to use it in the future and it won't go toward saving lives. I am more interested -- was more interested in seeing my nephew saved with some combination of ransom and prisoner exchange. Apparently the Prime Minister of Iraq planned to release these 2,500 mujahadeen without any so-called quid pro quo, something for something."

Lauer: "I'm sorry. Mr. MacKenzie, I'm sorry to interrupt. And I want to mention again there are some conflicting reports coming out of Baghdad. Our thoughts and prayers are with you and your family. We hope for a good outcome."

MacKenzie: "Thank you very much."

For all the criticism this column levels at the MSM in general and the Today show in particular, we're obliged to applaud Lauer for his courage in sensitive circumstances in standing up, politely but firmly, for a U.S. policy designed to prevent the taking of even more hostages.

 

[GotZoom]

I'm enjoying the in-depth interviews much more now that Katie is gone.

I wonder what would have been said had Katie done the inverviewing.

 

[dmp]

I'm enjoying the in-depth interviews much more now that Katie is gone.

I wonder what would have been said had Katie done the inverviewing.

Couric: So - You blame George Bush for this, don't you? that's understandable.

MacKenzie: Not directly, no.

Couric: But indirectly?

MacKenzie: I suppose, in a 6-degrees of seperation way.

Couric: That's understandable you'd hold the President PERSONALLY responsible for this tragedy...

MacKenzie: that's not what I said, really

Couric: You're suffering a terrible grief, it's okay you wish it were GWB instead of your newphew

MacKenzie: But Ms. Couric, I never said -

Couric: That's all the time we have discussing why Mr. MacKenzie says won't sleep until he personally avenges the death of his nephew with the blood of the president...Al - how the weather in Topeka today?

 

[manu1959]

http://www.comcast.net/news/index.jsp?cat=GENERAL&fn=/2006/06/20/417410.html

 

[CSM]

http://www.comcast.net/news/index.jsp?cat=GENERAL&fn=/2006/06/20/417410.html

I figured that was coming.

 

[Bonnie]

I figured that was coming.

I don't know whether to cry or throw up or both.

 

[CSM]

I don't know whether to cry or throw up or both.

It makes me angry; not only at the terrorist Muslim fanatics but also at the libs (who are noticeably absent in this thread so far). It makes me sad for the soldier's families and it makes me all the more determined that the Islamic fanatics need to get their wish....death. Not all Muslims may be terrorists but their silence is deafening to my ears. While they make a huge outcry about cartoons and the desecration of the Koran, their lack of humanity stands uncontested by our own libs and the MSM as well as the UN, the World Court, the Geneva convention and all those other "august" bodies that delight in portrying the US as the "great Satan". Screw em all. I have an exit plan for Iraq...withdraw the troops then nuke the hell out of the entire Middle East and every other Muslim nation on the planet. Civilization will be far better off without their medievil mentality. The Muslim culture is a pimple on the ass of progress and it is in dire need of removal.

 

[dmp]

Threads of like-subject merged.

 

[dilloduck]

It makes me angry; not only at the terrorist Muslim fanatics but also at the libs (who are noticeably absent in this thread so far). It makes me sad for the soldier's families and it makes me all the more determined that the Islamic fanatics need to get their wish....death. Not all Muslims may be terrorists but their silence is deafening to my ears. While they make a huge outcry about cartoons and the desecration of the Koran, their lack of humanity stands uncontested by our own libs and the MSM as well as the UN, the World Court, the Geneva convention and all those other "august" bodies that delight in portrying the US as the "great Satan". Screw em all. I have an exit plan for Iraq...withdraw the troops then nuke the hell out of the entire Middle East and every other Muslim nation on the planet. Civilization will be far better off without their medievil mentality. The Muslim culture is a pimple on the ass of progress and it is in dire need of removal.

Sounds good but we cant. It would screw up the global economy.

 

[Mr. P]

Sounds good but we cant. It would screw up the global economy.

Not much market for camels globally, is there?
Think of the glass supply that would be created.
Wait, oil..ok gotta have it.

So, it's time for some serious Special ops. Gloves off, Search and DISTROY!

 

[5stringJeff]

I'm sure that American soldiers will be much less likely to take terrorist prisoners now.