SloMax

>Iraq envoy accuses US of killing

Iraq's ambassador to the UN has demanded an inquiry into what he said was the "cold-blooded murder" of his young unarmed relative by US marines.

Samir Sumaidaie said his 21-year-old cousin was shot as he helped marines who were carrying out searches at his village in the restive Anbar province.

Mr Sumaidaie said the ramifications of such a "serious crime" were enormous for both the US and Iraq.

US officials said the allegations would be thoroughly investigated.

Meanwhile, a suicide bomber has killed at leat 20 people outside a special police recruiting centre in the capital Baghdad.

It is the latest in a spate of attacks targeting the country's security forces.

English exercise

In a letter to colleagues, Mr Sumaidaie explained in detail what happened to his cousin Mohammed al-Sumaidaie on 25 June in the village of al-Sheikh Hadid.

He said Mohammed, an engineering student, was visiting his family home when some 10 marines with an Egyptian interpreter knocked on the door at 1000 local time.

He opened the door to them and was "happy to exercise some of his English", said the ambassador.

When asked if there were any weapons in the house, Mohammed took the marines to a room where there was a rifle with no live ammunition.

It was the last the family saw him alive. Shortly after, another brother was dragged out and beaten and the family was ordered to wait outside.

As the marines left "smiling at each other" an hour later, the interpreter told the mother they had killed Mohammed, said Mr Sumaidaie.

"In the bedroom, Mohammed was found dead and laying in a clotted pool of his blood. A single bullet had penetrated his neck."

The US military said the allegations "roughly correspond to an incident involving coalition forces on that day and in that general location".

Maj Gen Stephen T Johnson said the allegations were being taken seriously and would be thoroughly investigated.

Acting US ambassador to the UN, Anne Patterson, had "expressed her heartfelt condolences" to Mr Sumaidaie, said a spokesman.

She has urged the Pentagon and state department to look into the matter immediately.

"All indications point to a killing of an unarmed innocent civilian - a cold blooded murder," said Mr Sumaidaie in his letter.

"I believe this killing must be investigated in a credible and convincingly fair way to ensure that justice is done, and the sense of grievance is mitigated, and to deter similar actions in the future."<

link: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/4643481.stm

This could hurt the US reputation (even more).

Leader

"I believe this killing must be investigated in a credible and convincingly fair way to ensure that justice is done"

"Maj Gen Stephen T Johnson said the allegations were being taken seriously and would be thoroughly investigated."

What else needs to be said?

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SloMax

I agree, but that's not gona be how the Iraqi public will see it.

Leader

It obviously a tragedy, but this isn't Earth shattering stuff.

Amled

You know it and I know it, but it is more grist on the mill for an already heavily biased media.

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When we blindly adopt a religion, a political system, a literary dogma, we become automatons. We cease to grow. - Anais Nin

Leader

Yep

Confed999

The inteligent ones will get it...

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No man is free until all men are free - John Hossack
I agree completely with this Administration’s goal of a regime change in Iraq-John Kerry
even if that enforcement is mostly at the hands of the United States, a right we retain even if the Security Council fails to act-John Kerry
He may even miscalculate and slide these weapons off to terrorist groups to invite them to be a surrogate to use them against the United States. It’s the miscalculation that poses the greatest threat-John Kerry

SloMax

"The inteligent ones will get it..."

...maybe, but they will be in minority. Recruiters for the insurgents don't usually target very intelligent people.

Leader

You might want to reconsider that. I don't believe most people in Iraq are idiots.

Confed999

Certainly not.

SloMax

"You might want to reconsider that. I don't believe most people in Iraq are idiots."

"Certainly not."

I didn't mean to say that iraqi people are idiots, what I meant is that people who join the insurgent's are motivated by religius fundamentalism or plain anger against the West, because they can't figure out why there are problem's in the arab world (lack of reforms).

Leader

People who join the terrorists don't want to hear good news about America anyway. I don't think this story is going to be a significant catalyst in anyone becoming a terrorist. After all, the kid was the relative of a government official. They probably think he what he deserved.

Confed999

So then this story will change nothing to them...