Stover said two "criminals" were shot dead by US troops

[NNN0LHI]

http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20080512/wl_mideast_afp/iraqunrestussadrcity

by Amal Jayasinghe
1 hour, 1 minute ago

BAGHDAD (AFP) - American troops fought street Shiite militia in Baghdad's Sadr City, killing three people, as a weekend ceasefire deal aimed at halting the bloodshed got off to a slow start, officials said on Monday.

US military spokesman Lieutenant Colonel Steven Stover said troops came under attack in three incidents in the first 24 hours since the deal was agreed between the anti-US cleric Moqtada al-Sadr's movement and the government. snip

Stover said two "criminals" were shot dead by US troops in two confrontations while the third was killed by a tank shell in overnight clashes in Sadr City.



I sure don't look forward to a day when the "criminals" are cleared out of my neighborhood with tanks. Imagine that.

[Poll_Blind]

1. See, I thought the term "criminal" was only valid if it is a conviction based on...

...the due process of law. Not: "We gunned 'em down. They were criminals."

PB

[Echo In Light]

3. An authoritarian's wet dream

[panader0]

2. Thanks Don for focusing on the war in so many of your posts

To me it is issue number one, the thought of what is going on there is heartbreaking.

[WCGreen]

4. So we are the policeman of the world...

Great, I thought that phase was over.

[Turbineguy]

5. That's the new term

They are no longer called "terrorists" or "insurgents". Perhaps it's too ambiguous and confused with "Freedom Fighters" or "the Resistance".

"Criminals" is less ambiguous. We can't confuse Fox News sheep any more than they already are.

[emperor124]

6. So am I to take it that

These three were arrested, tried and convicted, then set loose to be at the mercy of the US army? That's the only way I can think that they would be criminals