Wednesday, April 23, 2003

(I had to repost this story, I couldn't get the other post to cooperate)

While perusing some stories about Jessica Lynch's new movie (more on that later), I came across this story. It is an eyewitness account of what happened concerning the rescue effort, told by one of the doctors caring for her.

There are many statements in this story that bothered me, such as these hyperbolic statements; " With her blond hair, blue eyes and disarming manner, Lynch enchanted the hospital staff, the doctors said."

"Lynch was kept alone in a single room, where her nurses would sing her to sleep each night, the doctors said."

This bothered me too; "She was also very truthful," he went on. "I asked her if she liked the Iraqi people, but she said, no, she hated them."

But what bothered me the most were the huge inconsistencies in his account and the account we've all been hearing.

See what you think.

Lynch was kept alone in a single room, where her nurses would sing her to sleep each night, the doctors said. But as the fighting intensified near Nasiriyah, her doctors moved her to a crowded ward. It was better to hide her in plain sight, they said. As the Americans drew near, Iraqi intelligence agents were certain to take her away.

"When they showed up, I had the nurses tell them she was dead," al-Houssona said. "They asked the nurses, `So where is the cadaver?' They told them so many people had died at the hospital that we simply threw the bodies out the door."

Sensing the end was near, the doctors hired a driver to sneak Lynch in an ambulance to an American checkpoint. But when the driver drew near, the Americans stopped his car and turned it around before he could speak.

"So we waited," al-Houssona said. They did not have long to wait. Two days later, close to midnight, there was a deafening explosion near the hospital. American special forces had arrived.


Now, there's been a lot of speculation as to why the huge heroics to save PVT Lynch. Did we do it because she was female? Did we do it because she was blonde and female? Did we do it because, had it been made public that we had info on where she was and DIDN'T do anything, America would have a cow? Or were we just doing what American soldiers do, saving one of our own?

If this account is true, they drove our blonde, little female POW right up to a checkpoint and were turned away, for whatever reason. If true, this would be hugely mortifying news if it got out. If they did turn the ambulance around without checking the inside (which I find strange), I don't guess this would really be the fault of the soldiers. But it would reflect VERY badly on the war.

I know everything is still being pieced together. Just thought it was interesting.

Kansas @ 2:09 PM