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Baghdad combat hospital busy again

Posted: Wednesday, September 12, 2007 11:36 AM
Filed Under:

By Robert Bazell, NBC News' Chief Science and Health Correspondent

This is one vantage point only. But according to the staff here at the 28th Combat Support Hospital in Baghdad’s Green Zone, the main military hospital here, the lull in violence they had seen for the last several weeks, appears to be over. 

Yesterday began with an entire infantry platoon being rushed in. One soldier had his leg blown off completely just below the knee, extensive damage to one arm and perforations in his intestine. 

The rest of the men suffered less serious injuries, many of them broken ear drums. The ones the medical staff suspected might be at risk for head injuries got examined and spent the night. Toward evening they told us their amazing story.

A sophisticated trap
They had been working in one of the Baghdad neighborhoods considered a hotbed of insurgents. At 3:30 a.m. they took up positions in a house to observe the area. Toward daybreak they heard somebody break in the house. When they went to check if the person was carrying a weapon, they saw a man with a gun run out.  It turned out to be a sophisticated trap.

Just as the men went out to pursue the armed man, one of the soldiers stepped on a hidden bomb that had been placed right where the insurgents knew the troops would go.  He was the one with the extensive injuries. Many others were knocked unconscious from the blow.

Just at that moment dozens of insurgents opened fire from positions well planned in advance. It was amazing that with some of the platoon returning fire and the arrival of a quick reaction force, no one was killed or injured more.

One of the soldiers, on his third tour of duty in Iraq, said the situation has changed dramatically. "It used to be they would fire at us and run away," he said. "Now we are facing an enemy that plans ahead and stays to fight. It is a much more scary out there."

Doing the job
Also yesterday rockets and mortars started landing in the Green Zone again. No one was hurt here.

But near the Baghdad airport, a rocket landed next to a Humvee. A 20-year-old woman who was driving lost her foot and the sergeant major she was driving had several injuries from shrapnel.

The medical staff here jumped into action and did their usual extraordinary job of saving lives, but they are not happy to be so busy again.

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Comments


Lets make America Safe!
Cut $100 Billion from the Iraq War Funding and allocate it  to DHS so they can DEPORT all Illegal Immigrants. This will DEFINITELY make America SAFER. General Petraeus stated he does not know if the $200 Billion per year in Iraq is making America Safer.
http://www.cnn.com/2007/US/09/12/deportation.cost/index.html

Jim Frego
Grants Pass, OR

Jim Frego, Grants Pass, OR Capt. US Army (ret.) (Sent Thursday, September 13, 2007 2:24 AM)

You people make me sick. You all sit in your homes b******g and yelling get out. And then let the sectarian killing  go unabated, and allow another country(Iran) walk in and start spawning another group of future terrorists that think to get to heaven you must kill westerners. They will not stop and ask if you were for the war or Bush or against. They will kill you. We need to find ways to start educating the children of these countries, and they will then be able to stand against the terrorists and radicals. Yet the schools will not be safe until our troops complete their job. If you hate our troops, then leave.

Rick-Fartgo-ND (Sent Thursday, September 13, 2007 2:57 AM)

This story has to be the biggest over exaggeration in existence of why the surge hasn't worked and no progress has been made.

A few soldiers getting booby-trapped then ambushed made the ENTIRE surge fail. Right....or maybe this story highlights one negative while failing to report on the positives (even Democrats who have visited Iraq say the positives far outnumber the negatives...thus why the Iraq war will continue)?

I'm going to have to use common sense and go with the latter!

Phil, Kansas City, Kansas (Sent Thursday, September 13, 2007 3:42 AM)

I knew from the get-go that Bush was not right. I am amazed at all the fox news lies loving people out there who agree with his destructive policies. I am so aggrivated at people that i am near deciding to move from this country. How on earth can you people be so blind? We are losing so much credibility with the world from this administration, that are now looked upon as the NEW Third Reich!
My blood just boils to hear you beer guzzling ,NasCar watching,uninformed hillbillies talk about so-called patriotism.
I really fear for my country because 1/2 the country STILL couldnt see through Bush's lies and voted him in the second time. What a bunch of idiots. We will get what we deserve from all this. God help us all, including Bush's sheep.

Jim Prescott (Sent Thursday, September 13, 2007 6:50 AM)

Do you think this is a song and dance Jack Fairfax?

Moe yoder (Sent Thursday, September 13, 2007 7:58 AM)

Iraq can't even provide power and water WITH our help.  It is a tragedy that a mass-murdering dictator was a more stable leader.  This war can't be about oil = it wouldn't even pay for the rebuilding.  Support our troops (even if this means bringing them home). If you think we need to fight for ideals, is that easier than conserving resources and building a better America? Remember that Weak magnets and heavy feet don't make patriots(it's not one finger I wave, but that's the salute I think of as drivers hurry by in bloated vehicles sporting flags and stick-ons.) We are Americans - at least act too rich to hurry and too smart to dawdle.  I'm sorry foreign wisdom is not so easy to capture.

gravityoverdrive, Charlotte NC (Sent Thursday, September 13, 2007 9:40 AM)

IT is a sad day when we as americans let people who do not belive in this great nation use public formats to voice there hatred for our country.
my answer to them is to please leave we dont want you or your type here. my oldes son is fightiong in baghdad to give you the right to voice your f@#$ED UP opinion.I would feel better about him being there if he was not fighting for those jerks who need to leave our great country any way.

GarryMcDonaldBranson Mo. (Sent Thursday, September 13, 2007 10:00 AM)

All you talking-point parrots, try reading something besides the scrolling text on FOX for your daily news.  You might learn something, like:

**70% of Iraqis want us gone yesterday.
**Petraeus says he doesn't know if the Iraq conflict [Congress declares war, not the Executive branch] is making us safer.
**Most of us don't feel safer.
**Cargo goes through our ports unchecked, chemical plants are unsecured, nuclear power plants might as well have big neon signs saying 'blow me up' on them for all the security they have, all because Republicans refused to fund the 9/11 Commission's recommendations...to make us safer.

Are they over there fighting for _my_ freedoms?  Hardly.  The neocon fringe has used Milton Friedman's shock treatment theory to push through legislation weakening and thus reducing our freedoms.  I guess since 'they' hate us for our freedoms, we should give them up and just be glad we have some strong daddy figure telling us what to do, right?

Who are we 'warring' against?  They are fighting _each other_ - are we letting our soldiers be killed just to referee a civil war?  Whose brilliant idea was that?  Oh, wait - we are bringing 'freedom' to Iraq - so much so that they now have ethnic cleansing, are fleeing the country in droves, women are getting raped or killed for 'honor' [something Saddam repressed] all because of violence we are perpetuating, and authoritarian followers just cheer it on, facts be damned, like this inconvenient one:  al-Qaida wasn't there before we went in. Or this one:  the majority of suicide bombers are Saudis.

We stir the pot, and now, after we have given them room and reason to work, al Qaida has a foothold there and is recruiting more followers every day.  It isn't Saddam's fault, he's dead.  We are the presence that is perpetuating the bloodshed.

If we leave, there will be chaos?  Well, what do you call that mess now, high tea at Windsor Castle?

K. Cook, Redmond, WA (Sent Thursday, September 13, 2007 10:18 AM)

I SUPPORT ALL OF THE MILITARY DIVISIONS, THEY ARE PUTTING THEIR LIVES ON THE LINE. YES, I WISH THEY WERE ALL HOME, BUT UNTIL THEY ARE, WE SHOULD PRAY FOR THEIR SAFE RETURN. SOME PEOPLE JUST NEED TO RESPECT OTHERS AND SHUT UP!

GENA, TULSA, OK (Sent Thursday, September 13, 2007 10:36 AM)

haha.. Bush is gone soon... I bet anything he concocts something right before he leaves office to get us in a deeper hole, and puts us right back into the draft.  Why wait, blow up another bulding and say Iran did it. So we can get to our next objective and get it over with. The inoluctability the we press into our minds. They say we cant change people cultures and ways because their engrained and instilled brainwashing ways of life...haha once again.. tell (Japan)!! that they beg to differ... they sure did conform quick..heh

sna antonio texas (Sent Thursday, September 13, 2007 11:07 AM)

Jomh omaha, Don't you realize that America is the only Nation on earth that ever use the atomic bomb that killed thousands of people in Hiroshima and Nagaszki?, no other nation ever done that, Saddam Hussein was not a threat to America, we invaded him because of oil, pure and simple

pclaude, the Bronx (Sent Thursday, September 13, 2007 11:51 AM)

One thing is for sure, before Iraq, when the opportunity for promotions for achieving objectives where completion was part of the necessary escalation process, there was time to think. Only if Americans can target a mutually exclusive time window.

James Flack (Sent Thursday, September 13, 2007 2:26 PM)

Well, I see alot of the Democrat WHINING BABIES on this web page complaining about our military.  If, You were MEN or WOMEN of this GREAT NATION you wouldn't be downing our military men & women that is doing their job to give your sorry asses the opportunity to sit at home to whine & be with your family if your family claim you since you're cowards in my book.  If the USA is so bad give up your citizenship and go to the Middle East to live, I'm sure the ones that you're supporting would love to have a dumb-ass American like yourself to practice their beheading on and target practice after beating you senseless.  You don't see our military planting bombs in common areas of innocent people to kill them in the name of Jihad do you idoits.

GOD BLESS OUR SOLDIERS AND THEIR FAMILIES.
PRAY FOR THE INNOCENT IRAQIS.

Jim, Ward. Arkansas (Sent Thursday, September 13, 2007 3:18 PM)

To Dan Ingram in Ala...thank you...let us NOT be afraid, we must stay strong.

afs in ohio (Sent Thursday, September 13, 2007 3:23 PM)

To "Concerned American" ....well said! It is gratifying to know some of our youth is intelligent, compassionate and concerned. We must all support this "war," visible and invisible against those (Al-Quaeda and radical Islamists) that would want to take away our (and our world's citizens) freedoms.

afs in Ohio (Sent Thursday, September 13, 2007 3:32 PM)

Dear Friends
I am not American but I follow the war in Iraq. The one point no one is taking into account is that nation’s sovereignty and her history. Iraq has always been a region in turmoil from the time of the Great Exodus. Babylon is Baghdad geographically and has always been a hot zone. I don’t believe America has any write to invade any country. Especially when the motive is “To Protect American Interests”. This policy of intervention created hostility between America and other nations. I travel quite a bit and the one thing I always notice is the dislike people have for Americans. I don’t think the American people are to blame directly, because of your Government’s foreign polices which creates this dislike, but then they are elected to Congress and Presidency. The sad part is that because of Americas oil = Economy = strong $ problem you had no choice but to “try” and save your currency. Unfortunately the world see’s the desperate state of the American Economy to secure oil and realizes that any country who has this resource is a target either Politically or in the case of Iraq Militarily. This has painted a very bad image of Americans as “Raids” of nations and not “Saviours”. So naturally people at a low level are hostile to Americans which given the write environment will breed violence. I thank God that I am not a American for the simple reason, American’s have become a target of this anger across the globe. No nation, not even Germany has bore a reproach like America, all because of the greed of a few the nation suffers. I hope that the American people will open there eyes to the reality of what there nation is doing to others before the world turns against her. Remember the simple saying “What you sow you will reap!“  

Jayson Dawson, Cape Town, South Africa (Sent Thursday, September 13, 2007 4:11 PM)

ive been in the us army for 2 yrs now my unit just got back from a 16 month tour i didnt join them in but now we are preparing to go for 15 months in my opinion we are fighting a war we cant win because every time a soldier dies the us is losing dont get me wrong when i go ill fight but thst dosent make it right i believe if that country want to tear it self a part then so be it why should we stop it. Well everyone who is over there u are in my pray hope u all come home god bless u all hooah

a us soldier !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!1 (Sent Thursday, September 13, 2007 4:12 PM)


  Too bad so many Americans are ignorant about most of the Middle East.Ask any of the Arabs living here about their Country's. And get the straight info on Islam too.

  Why did we put the Shah back in control in Iran? How would you feel if something similar was done to us?

Hankerin, Panama City, Fl (Sent Thursday, September 13, 2007 4:22 PM)

To John "the right-wing nut job, aka the liberator" from Omaha:  

"We have 'Liberated the Iraqi People' from":

1. their lives, over 100,000 dead Iraquis as a direct result of this "FIASCO."

2. their homes, over 2 million Iraquis have fled their country into Syria and Jordan, or to other parts of Iraq (and we have only allowed about 1,000 of them to immigrate to the U.S. disgraceful!);

3.  their oil, their sense of security and honor, etc.

Next time we feel like we are "Masters of the Universe" and arrogantly think we can "liberate" peoples willy nilly, lets please ask the people we are to free if they actually want to be "liberated."  

steve rogers, san diego, ca (Sent Thursday, September 13, 2007 4:54 PM)

To Deborah in Pgh, Pa...I also say well said! That is true compassion...would that all felt the same way.

A.F.S., Steubenville, Ohio (Sent Thursday, September 13, 2007 5:07 PM)

American soldiers are dying so we all could fatten our alredy stuffed belies, so we could continue to bicker,so our society as we know it continue to exist.
"Ask not what your country can do for you, but ask what you can do for your country" (Gibran)It is treachery to put the good of another country above one's own.    

Jacqueline Wiley (Sent Thursday, September 13, 2007 5:26 PM)

If the pilots of Air Force One were truly patriots and not in awe of the job they have, they would know what needs to be done.

fubar, ohio (Sent Thursday, September 13, 2007 5:29 PM)

My concern is that we take this war further to other countries. Now that we have created enough enemies in Iraq, it's time to end the practice of invading other nations and thus and recruit more soldiers for Al Qaida. America used to be a country of choice for many people around the world because the simple fact that USA stood for what they longed for in their own countries; namely freedom, justice , democracy , human rights and equal opportunity for everyone not invasion ,destruction, illegal detentions, torture  killing :The image of America as a beacon of freedom and good human values has change and Iraq is not making it any better.

Mario,Atlanta, Georgia (Sent Thursday, September 13, 2007 5:50 PM)

The truth is that the war is illegal and immoral, started on a lie and kept going by a series of lies. The nut in the Whitehouse doesn't have the sense or the morals to know any better. Most people in this country have come to realize this, only the minority with minimal brain activity still support it. I feel sorry for the Iraqi's. Those who support this crime should have to go over there and fight it, I'm sure like their mighty leader most of them would find a way out.

Steven, Minneapolis, MN (Sent Thursday, September 13, 2007 6:24 PM)

As a CSH soldier.. i personally believe this is now an Iraq Hospital instead of an Army hospital because of all the Iraqi's we do help and treat. (even the bad guys)  So do your homework, Adam, Sharjah, UAE, before making your comments.

And Saladin Al Hassan, If you don't like our country go somewhere else where you can get the same kind of freedoms and safety that America has to offer.  

Another CSH Soldier (Sent Thursday, September 13, 2007 8:31 PM)

Hey George . The war is a hell of a good idea and with your strong desire to send over all them young kids to fight it my question is when are your daughters due to do there tour and what are there thoughts.

AJW (Sent Thursday, September 13, 2007 9:51 PM)

Only Satan sanctions the blowing up of innocent people. God loves His creation. Big difference. Death is not the worst thing that can happen - for some of us.

Don't lose sight of the fact that if you are not a Muslim, the Muslims want to kill each of you and your children. Liberal or conservative - no matter. They will never stop trying to take over the world and have been very consistent with this intent since the 7th century. If they die in this process, they think they can achieve heaven. It's their religion. If we live for Christ, we can achieve heaven, and we want them to come with us. It's our religion. If you believe in neither position, they will try and kill you and Christians will try and love you. By all accounts you do not want to be loved so you will probably choose Islam, in which case you choose to die for your religion, or they will kill you for no religion. What a conundrum you are in! But our government's responsibility is to protect us from those who want to kill us. They call them terrorists, but it is the whole of Islam who is the enemy, but our government isn't in the truth business so they water it down, which makes them appear weak, which they are, which inspires the Muslims to increase the battle which makes our politicians wring their hands in indecisiveness only increasing the anguish of the people and further emboldening the Muslims. Beacuse we don't fight with B52s and do it right - and fast, we will bleed them and us ad nauseum, except for the Middle East wild card. Iran. Every day they are closer to nukes and Russia, N. Korea and China are helping them. Not very long from now it will be them or us, and finally, if we have a military and President and Congress with guts (which we don't have now)we will HAVE to win - or lose - once and for all. The whole thing is coming to a head in about 2 years. No more. So choose sides now because later will be too late. The end of our democracy is not upon us, but we will have to fight for it. There and here. Arm yourselves.

Art Simpson, Honolulu, Hawaii (Sent Thursday, September 13, 2007 10:35 PM)

It is amazing how a nation that is considered most developed,most civilised and most sophisticated can have a population that follows leadership so blindly. What happened to people's power to change the cpurse of events. Democrats form the majority in your two houses, but who is the lame duck. Even up to date some supposedly educated Americans speak of Saddam possessing weapons of mass destruction. How many of you failto see thru the presidents propaganda, the outright lies by Gen Betrayus? However, im positive that an increasing number of Americans can now see the light and see through the lies. Who doesnt know that Iraq was never involved in 911? Dont u know that AAmericans were outrightly lied to, to find grounds for starting the war. I bet those who still support the war have not been its victims in anyway. AMericans rise, get counted and stop the war, the suffering of both Americans and Iraqis, the looting and destruction. Iraq has had enough, so should yu.

Jam, Johannesburg (Sent Friday, September 14, 2007 9:36 AM)

The Vietnam War was lost in large part to dwindling public support of the war.  With support for the Iraq war already so low, its hard not to imagine that the war on Iraq may take the same route.  Right now in the US things are still comfortable, but enough people think that the war was a mistake that I feel anything could tip the scale.  
A huge problem has been the credibility of this administration.  As things have come to light, we see more and more questionable practices that the administration took, and it has hit their support from the public hard.  Thus, it is hard to believe the administrations positive outlook on the ground in Iraq when we see numbers that show the opposite.  
What I want is more candid information, not the sugar coated stuff we are getting from the administration and Petraeus.  Tell the American People just how things are.  Let the troops tell us.
Patriotism is a love for your country.  It is not about following a course of action blindly.

CC, Gaithersburg, MD (Sent Friday, September 14, 2007 11:01 AM)

I am amazed at the certitude that many people in the United States have when they talk about the war in Iraq yet the only knowledge they have of it is what they get from reading or watching on TV. I am on my second tour in Baghdad, doing the same thing I did in 2005 and that is patrolling the very neighborhood killing fields that you people think you know all about. If things were as black and white here on the ground as you people seem to think, I don't think there would be a mission here in Iraq any longer and I don't think the rank and file of the US military would continue to support this war, which for the most part, we do.
I am sadden by the terrible losses suffered by the Iraqi people as well as by our own soldiers and marines. I very rarely run into a soldier who is not moved by the plight of the Iraqis, especially the young Iraqis who have grown up in devasted neighborhoods and have never known anything but chaos and killing. I see these kids everyday, and their parents and all I see are people trying to get by, make ends meet and keep their families safe. I can attest that the vast majority of them in the two areas of Baghdad that I have worked extensively, welcome our presence because we keep the peace. When we aren't maintaining a presence in the neighborhood, the rival militia's and criminal organizations terrorize the civilians and the Iraqi Army and police are not up to the task of protecting them.
I dont know that a long term American mission here to maintain some sembelence of order will eventually pan out into a stable, peaceful and prosperous Iraq. But I can garuntee that if we withdraw now we are dooming Iraq to immediate chaos, what I believe will be a human catastrophe that will make genocide in Rawanda pale in comparison and make the Darfur seem insignificant. We also will have thrown away billions of US dollars and the lives of thousands of Americans for nothing.

If you had the choice of fighting on towards a uncertain future for your family or giving in and accepting their destruction, what choice would you make? That is the decision that is on the table now.

SGT Airborne, Los Angeles, CA (Sent Friday, September 14, 2007 11:12 AM)

Our "U.S. Soldiers" were sworn to fight for our freedom !!!! This country is NOT a country for hire to fight for someone elses freedom (like Iraq). If they can't fight for their own freedom then they should have and could have used their own (oil) money to hire mercenary soldiers to do the job. The US Military is not and should not be in the "Freedom Fighting Business"!!!!!!!!

Tim , Alexandria MN (Sent Friday, September 14, 2007 1:19 PM)

I can't understand why terrorists, Iran, Syria, and other dictator controlled groups like what the democrats have to say. I think they know more than we do. Why don't they like GW? I hope the left wins the White House then we can all live in peace happily ever after if we survive the first blast.

John Marchese (Sent Friday, September 14, 2007 7:26 PM)

It's amazes me, so much chat so much b.s.  and only a few inteligent people,  AMERICAN people!!! Some claiming to know so much, done so little and sarcrificed absolutely nothing. Oh let's run away and hide behind oceans. MORONS!!! We support our troops?? My rear! I hope and pray our soldiers don't have time read these messages, they have more to deal with. Like staying alive and taking care of each other, physically and mentally. And what of the Iraqi's that fight along side of our troops!! Truely brave soldiers> We abandone them??? We lose. PRES. BUSH, stay the course and let's finish this thing! However long it takes, and if we need more soldiers, I would be  more than happy to rejoin. It's been awhile, but I can still shoot straight.I love this country and sure it's messed up and I read this and wow , gotta wonder why, HISTORY!! One day we will grow as a strong nation. The most powerful nation yet ignorant. I say bring back GOD in our schools, and for the love of god please America discipline your children!!  

Dave Sosa (Sent Sunday, September 16, 2007 8:31 AM)

You can't support our troops by being against the war.  People like this are undermining the mission. Be supportive of the troops by supporting what they are doing.  People like this are saying "we don't believe in what you're doing but we support YOU!"  Ridiculous.

jack taylor pekin, illinois (Sent Sunday, September 16, 2007 10:39 AM)

I prayed for God to be in Iraq and to protect my son and I still pray for that, but I have read so many of these comments and I can not take any more of this criticism of our troops or the belittlement of this great country of ours. I am really beginning to wonder if we are still the Great Nation that I grew up in. Because my son and thousands of other soldiers,
1) I can worship any way I want or not at all
2) I do not have to wear a (Berka) or be beaten in the street because a little of my skin was showing.
3) I do not have to worry about being taken from my home or right off the street and used for sexual pleasure, and if I fight, I end up in a shoe box taken back to my parents.
4) My children and my grandchildren go to wonderful schools.
The list goes on and on and on. Too many things to list. This is what my son fights for, to preserve this way of life for ALL OF US, so please help me to understant these so called Americans who do nothing but tear apart everything this country stands for and our men & women of the Armed Forces. Are these people living undre repression, starving, being mistreated in any way? All I can say to all of you is PLEASE if you can not stand behind our troops then go stand in front of them!! Easy to live in this wonderful,free, and comfortable country and tear down others, but remember that Together We Stand, Divided We FALL!!!! I really believe that if this country had stood our ground from the beginning things would be different in Iraq now and maybe my son would not be there for the second time, maybe if we had more brave people in this country that were willing to stay free and would step up he might not be there for the second time, so put up or shut up!! WHAT HAS HAPPEN TO MY COUNTRY???

Lord, Keep watch over all of our brave troops, and give thier familys courage & strength against the attacks at home.

Patricia A. Gross, Marathon,FL (Sent Sunday, September 16, 2007 2:37 PM)

To Rick in Texas, Thank you so very much for your thoughts and prayers for our troops.
To Deborah Ann, be patient, I know that our troops are very busy and not always where they can access a computer. I am blessed if I hear from my son twice a month, but in this situation, the saying "No News is Good News really holds true. If you know what unit your friend is in, you can contact the FRG at his/her base. That is the Family Readiness Group and the Rear Detachment Unit. They will help you. I have contact with my son's and I get a lot of information and news that most people never see. Your friend is in my prayers, as is ALL OF OUR TROOPS.

Patricia Gross, Marathon, FL (Sent Sunday, September 16, 2007 10:20 PM)

To Mary Goral from PA. God is with our children, They are strong. I was an Army wife for 10 years which included the conflict in Vietnam, so I am no stranger to this, but I know it is a different playing field when it is your child. Please do not let the ignorant rantings of these people get you down, I guess this is what our guys are fighting for, so they can be ignorant!! At least they are free to be so. Your son is in my prayers also, everyday.

Patricia Gross, Marathon Fl (Sent Sunday, September 16, 2007 10:28 PM)



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