Two die as U.S. Abrams tank blown up; ambush wounds 7 Ukrainian soldiers

[Judi Lynn]

Two die as U.S. Abrams tank blown up; ambush wounds 7 Ukrainian soldiers
By Slobodan Lekic, Associated Press, 10/29/2003 08:53

BAGHDAD, Iraq (AP) Two American soldiers were killed when their Abrams battle tank was damaged by resistance fighters, U.S. officials said Wednesday, as the number of U.S. soldiers killed in combat since major fighting ended topped the wartime total.

In a separate attack, seven Ukrainian troops were wounded in the first ambush of a multinational unit in the Polish sector south of Baghdad, coalition officials said.

The latest deaths bring to 115 the number of American soldiers killed in combat in Iraq since President Bush declared an end to major fighting May 1. Defense Department figures updated on its Web site Tuesday show 114 U.S. soldiers died in the active combat phase, which began March 20.

The Abrams tank was disabled when it was struck by a land mine or a roadside bomb Tuesday night during a patrol near Balad, 45 miles north of Baghdad, said Maj. Josslyn Aberle, a spokeswoman for the 4th Infantry Division. A third crewman was evacuated to a U.S. hospital in Germany, she said. (snip/...)

http://www.boston.com/dailynews/302/world/Two_die_as_U_S_Abrams_tank_blo:.shtml

[northzax]

1. tanks, they're blowing up tanks now?

damn, those things are hard to kill, by very definition. and 7 Ukrainian soldiers? isn't that like 10 percent of their force in Iraq?

[onehandle]

2. "resistance fighters"

There it is. Our soldiers are the good guys. Sadly, being used by bad men for profit.

Bush is killing our bravest.

[jmcgowanjm]

3. returned fire with mortars/ shows weakness

Sabah said the U.S. troops returned fire with mortars and blocked all roads leading to their garrison.

Using mortars to defend the perimeter
like shooting at flies.

[NoKingGeorge]

5. No Abrams had been lost in combat prior to this invasion.

Not in Gulf War 1 ,not in Kosovo. Tough tanks. What are these guys using to take out these tanks? Home made explosives? Hand Grenades?

[TahitiNut]

4. duplicate

Seee http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=102&topic_id=189178

I'm locking this thread. Interested DUers are welcome to continue discussing this in the referenced thread.

Thank you for your understanding and cooperation,
TahitiNut - DU moderator