Russian ambasador : "Americans shoot at us on purpose&q

[chavvdarrr]

http://newsru.com/world/07apr2003/diplomaty.html
It's on russian.

 

[Joe DeFuria]

I this in reference to the Russian Diplomatic convoy?

http://www.cnn.com/2003/WORLD/meast/04/06/sprj.irq.russian.convoy.attacked/index.html

U.S. Army officials with the 3-7th Cavalry said coalition soldiers did not fire on the convoy and that the shooters were probably from Saddam Fedayeen, fighters loyal to Saddam Hussein.

A [Russian] journalist traveling in the convoy, however, reported they were caught in crossfire.

So, are the Russians now officially claiming that the Coalition purposfully attacked the Russian Diplomatic Convoy? Even if this was an incident of being caught in between coalition and Iraqi crossfire (and not an attack by Iraqi forces)....the fact that there were no serious injuries or destroyed convoy vehicles pretty much negates the possibility that there was any direct and purposeful attack on the convoy by coalition forces.

There would be no convoy left.

I guess the Russian position (again, is this an official Russian statement?)is an example practicing "good diplomacy", right?

 

[8ender]

well the coalition doesnt exactly have a good track record regarding trucks with people in them so far.

 

[Joe DeFuria]

well the coalition doesnt exactly have a good track record regarding trucks with people in them so far.

 

[epicstruggle]

well the coalition doesnt exactly have a good track record regarding trucks with people in them so far.

Im actually confused about this statement. what are you implying? is it like me saying if one or two people die on the toilet, the government should classify toilets as lethal weapons.

later,

 

[RussSchultz]

Well, they have had quite a few friendly fire accidents. However, I think that's par for the course, and the US doesn't have a systemic problem that isn't found in other conflicts or militaries.

 

[Gollum]

Granted there have been a number of tragic friendly fire incidents, but we just don't hear about those thousands of trucks that constantly drive by checkpoints peacefully without a problem. I think its exaggerated to put such a negative emphasis on the incidents that do happen...

 

[8ender]

That message wasn't meant as a slash to either side, just something I noticed which perhaps brings truth to what the Russian's are saying.

I've heard of a few convoys being fired on by Coalition forces so perhaps this is another case of the same thing.

I think you all need to calm the hell down.

 

[pascal]

More about it: http://www.guardian.co.uk/Iraq/Story/0,2763,931299,00.html

Russian diplomatic convoy attacked

Nick Paton Walsh in Moscow and Rory McCarthy in Camp as-Sayliya, Qatar
Monday April 7, 2003
The Guardian

A convoy of Russian diplomats was attacked yesterday en route to Syria from their embassy in Baghdad, wounding at least four officials and journalists.
US central command sources said the attack occurred in Iraqi territory where its forces were not operating, while Iraqi officials had no immediate comment.

A Russian television journalist with RTR, the Russian state TV channel, who was travelling in the convoy, said they were caught in crossfire between an Iraqi checkpoint and US troops.

The ambassador, Vladimir Titorenko, was in the convoy of cars but it was not known whether he was injured. The convoy was spending the night in the Iraqi-held town of Falluja.

The convoy left the Baghdad embassy at 11.30am, according to a witness report by the Interfax Russian news agency. A total of 23 people, including 12 diplomats and many Russian journalists, travelled in vehicles that carried the Russian flag, and left the city on exit roads heading north-west.

The US and Iraq had been told of the convoy's route, Russian officials said. Witnesses said the convoy deviated from its intended path when a firefight blocked the road ahead.

The RTR journalist said: "We were going through the last Iraqi positions, past tanks and trenches, and just as we crossed their lines, the Americans opened fire very heavily. Shells hit an Iraqi tank in front of us, and shells landed 50 to 70 metres away from us. The Iraqi car in front of us was completely destroyed, killing all four occupants."

He said seven other Iraqis were wounded.

"The Iraqis answered fire," he said, adding that a 30- minute battle broke out, during which they lay on the floor. A bullet passed between the heads of the ambassador and his driver. A Russian diplomat was hit in the stomach, and two others had bullet wounds. A fourth had neck abrasions.

The convoy was attacked again. Another witness told the Interfax news agency: "We bandaged [the wounded], abandoned one car, and went further. After 15km we saw a column of jeeps, and stopped so they did not shoot. We sent forward someone with a white flag so they would know who followed in the column. But they started shooting at us, wounding two more. Thank God no one was killed. Then the jeeps left."

The incident came as Condoleezza Rice, the US national security adviser, arrived in Moscow yesterday afternoon. A US embassy spokesman said she would discuss "long-term strategic positions". Relations had been seen to be improving. On Saturday, President Vladimir Putin said the Kremlin would hold talks with Washington over Iraq, despite its fervent opposition to war.

The US embassy said it had informed the Pentagon of the Russian plan to evacuate staff. Alexander Vershbow, the US ambassador to Moscow, and Abbas Khallaf, his Iraqi counterpart, were summoned to the Russian foreign ministry to try to explain the incident.

Looks like the soldiers are nervous.

 

[Joe DeFuria]

Looks like the soldiers are nervous.

That may very well be, though not enough to actually destroy the convoy.

You might be a bit nervous too if the enemy has a reputation for putting down the white flag and firing on you, or sending in pregnant women wired with explosives to kill you.

Coalition force performance has been exemplary.

 

[RussSchultz]

There were some reports (here) that the convoy was re-routed at the last minute at the request of the Iraqi's....into contested territory.