Here are some links:
It appears that the soldiers were killed in combat.
Fox News
Military personnel at Centcom who have reviewed the tape believe that the bodies shown on the tape were laid out on the floor, and appear to have been shot in the head. Those who were alive seemed frightened as interrogators taunted them.
Article 13 of the Geneva Convention:
CNN is saying that it’s a maintence unit. Anybody know the details on what unit? I’ve got a classmate who’s in one and over there now.
All networks report that they are from the 507th maintenance unit attached to the Army’s 3rd infantry.
NPR says there were KIA and POWs in the same room.
One of the guys I saw on Yemen TV kept looking at something off camera.
From Iraq.Net
It is not clear whether the Iraqi regime can be relied upon to observe articles of the Geneva Convention, given a statement by General Ali Hassan al-Majid on an audio tape recorded a few years before the 1991 war regarding official Iraqi treatment of the Kurdish population:
A new bombardment of Baghdad has started.
I know this is an update thread, but I want to just say that the news of the U.S. POWs just sickens me. My prayers for all of the soldiers over there and all of their friends and families here (and around the world).
[quote]
The Arab satellite station Al-Jazeera aired footage from Iraqi television Sunday of interviews with what the station identified as captured American prisoners, and also showed bodies in uniform in an Iraqi morgue that it said were Americans.
Secretary of Defense Donald H. Rumsfeld told CBS that if they are indeed coalition soldiers, “those pictures are a violation of the Geneva Convention.”
[quote]
You should read that whole article.
Grim-faced Rumsfeld declines comment on al-Jazeera prisoner videotape
US soldiers are 60-100 miles from Baghdad.
http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/afp/20030323/wl_mideast_afp/iraq_war_battle
Go to CNN.com right now and you see this message in big, bold black letters:
U.S. Marines destroy pocket of resistance in Umm Qasr
Clash ‘escalated from a skirmish into a full-scale battle’
At least some of that (the non-active part, at least) was broadcast on CNN, CNN Headlines News, FoxNews, and MSNBC.
http://www.cnn.com/2003/WORLD/meast/03/23/sprj.irq.umm.qasr/index.html
• One U.S. soldier was killed and another injured in a vehicle accident Sunday in southern Iraq.
• Jordan’s foreign minister said Sunday that airstrikes in Mosul killed four Jordanian students, adding that it is unclear who fired the missiles.
• At least 14 U.K. and 9 U.S. military personnel have died during the conflict, according to coalition military sources. Fewer than 10 soldiers may be unaccounted for in southern Iraq, Gen. Richard Myers said.
http://www.cnn.com/SPECIALS/2003/iraq/war.tracker/index.html (Scroll down to “Casualties”)
Poor fellas.
http://www.cnn.com/SPECIALS/2003/iraq/forces/casualties/index.html
Just from some of those links: International Red Cross has that the footage of POWs violates the Geneva convention. A BBC correspondent notes that U.S. video footage might also violate the convention, though not as egregiously, the problem being that the Conventions were written long before mass media news worked the way it does.
Contrary to the assertion that the KIAs were killed in combat, the wounds described sound not only like executions, but also humiliating wounds to the groin.
I should also note that Iraq has violated this particular convention before.
The reports also say that the captured soldiers were taken at Souq al-Shuyukh, southeast of the southern Iraqi city of Nassiriya. The major question is where they are now, and if they and their captors are within range of Coalition troops. That a videotape got out to central command at least shows that Iraqi communications and transport are not, after all, completely shut off. Nassiriya is under major assault, so if they are still there, they may not have long to wait.
BBC reports that Terry Lloyd, of the missing ITN has been reported to have died, and is in Iraqi hospital not currently controlled by our forces. No word on his two remaining missing collegues.
Huge abandoned arsenal of cruise missles discovered by British troops in the southern cities (Basrah?).
BBC reports that six Marines have been lost in Nasiriyah: Iraqi regulars are reported to be forced into fighting by more loyal troops, and there are reports of Iraqi snipers in the town giving us trouble.
BBC also reports: Iraqi and Kurdish troops are confirmed fighting each other in the North. U.S. Special Forces are working within the Kurdish militia.
Iraqi military claims 25 soldiers killed in Nasiriyah, U.S. confirms around 50 have been wounded there.
Doha, Qatar briefing covered on BBC.
First, a basic overview of operations, north, south, and central.
Confirms major resistance in Nasiriyah, with many killed and wounded. Confirms that the supply convoy was ambushed and twelve U.S. servicemen are reported missing.
British commander praises Patriot system as shooting down 4 incoming missles, and regrets the tragedy of the accidental shooting of the Tornado.
They are creating places in Basrah to house Iraqi prisoners and call Iraqi treatment of our POWs “disgusting.” No word on who the Iraqis involved were.
Praise for allies saving of most the oil fields.
A weapon called Stormshadow has been deployed and performed well.
Air forces have been focusing on Republican Guard outside Bahgdad, which is where the Tornado incident took place.
Nasiriyah:
The ambush destroyed the vehicles of the convoy: U.S. forces came upon the wreckage, took wounded to medical care, but could not find the 12.
Iraqis there have been fighting in plainclothes and modified commercial vehicles. There have also been reports of surrendering Iraqi troops being used as traps for ambushes.
There’s a CENTCOM briefing on now.
Here’s what I’ve picked out: Supply convoy ambushed, number of soldiers wounded, twelve missing. The POW treatment is in violation of the Geneva Convention. The downed British plane is under investigation; no word on the crew.
One link:
http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story2&cid=564&ncid=564&e=2&u=/nm/20030323/ts_nm/iraq_dc
CBS reporter asks why there haven’t been as many mass surrenders, and if not spending weeks bombing them was a problem. Response: Iraqi forces weren’t trapped in Kuwait in the same way as 1991. Here, Iraqi troops can simply abandon their posts and “melt away”
Reporter asks about 15 Marines reported killed in surrender ambush incident. Lt. General responds: There have been several “ruse” incidents. A collection of regular and irregular Iraqi forces have been used: not clear whether surrendering troops were in on it. Marines won the particular engagement, destroying eight tanks. Surrender flags raised, and then artillery fire given.
Reporter asks loaded question: “Are you facing a new Vietnam, or are you victims of overconfidence?”
Evidence of Mass Destruction so far: recieved leads from prisoners, but no conclusive evidence yet: confident that they will find it.
Reported: any encounters of Iraqis using human shields? Lt General responds that regular forces are purposefully fighting in civilian areas.
Hong Kong reporter asks about morale and the 101 incident. Lt. Gen Abazaid says that it is very high, as embedded media can attest, and the incident was isolated.
They will be much more cautious in the future with surrenders.
I saw the POW video again on Lebanese NBN. While some of the bodies had bandages on their chest, two had wounds on their foreheads and many seem to have bled where they were lying.
Reporter asks about human shields in Baghdad and explosive plants. Lt Gen reports that explosives have been planted in civilian neighborhoods and on bridges: very worrisome.
No U.S./British planes have been shot down by Iraqis and no one has parachuted.
Lt. Gen also notes that they have seen no coherent military plan. Small groups seem to be doing things on their own, which while bad, but doesn’t threaten overall mission in any serious way.
No WMD found: suspect that they have been removed to Baghdad. Still looking for evidence of SCUD missles.
More on Terry Llyod
http://www.cnn.com/2003/WORLD/meast/03/23/sprj.irq.itn.lloyd/index.html
Saw him reporting on TV last night. 