Was Anyone Surprised by US Missile Hitting Refugee Bus in 2003?

In summary: This story serves as a reminder that mistakes can happen, even with the most advanced military technology. In summary, a US missile hit a bus carrying Syrian civilians, killing five and injuring 10. The incident occurred near the Syrian border and the wounded were taken to a Syrian hospital. The US Central Command has no information on the report and states that they do not target civilians. This serves as a reminder that even with precision-guided missiles, mistakes can happen. Additionally, four Iraqi diplomats and their families have been expelled from Jordan and have arrived in Syria.
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Adam
65
1
US missile hits bus: report
March 24, 2003

A US missile hit a passenger bus carrying Syrian civilians fleeing the war in Iraq, killing five and injuring 10, Syria's official news agency reported.

The agency reported that the air-to-surface missile hit the bus yesterday morning in Iraq close to the Syrian border.

A US Central Command spokeswoman had no information on the report that a missile had hit a bus.

She said, however, that US forces do not target civilians, and that their targeting is done very carefully, using precision-guided missiles, to select military targets.

The Syrian agency said the wounded were taken to a Syrian hospital on the Syrian-Iraqi border, while the dead were sent to a hospital on the outskirts of the Syrian capital Damascus, where officials said relatives have retrieved the bodies.

Some "wounded were treated here and then taken (to their homes) in the (northern Syrian) cities of Hama and Aleppo," Dr Abdullah al-Salhi, director general of the Douma hospital near Damascus, told The Associated Press.

Syria, which strongly opposes the US-led war on Iraq, has repeatedly called for a peaceful solution of the Iraq-US dispute over Baghdad's weapons arsenal.

Meanwhile, four Iraqi diplomats and their families arrived in the Syrian city of Daraa, 120km south of Damascus, after neighbouring Jordan ordered them to leave on Saturday, the Syrian agency reported.

The four diplomats were among five officials attached to the Iraqi Embassy in Jordan whom authorities expelled for actions "incompatible" with their diplomatic duties.

Jordanian authorities said the expulsions, the first of Iraqi officials by an Arab state, were ordered for "security" reasons and independently to a US request to close Iraqi embassies in 60 countries and expel their diplomats.

The Associated Press

http://www.news.com.au/common/story_page/0,4057,6181930%255E25777,00.html [Broken]
 
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  • #2
Point...?
 
  • #3
Originally posted by russ_watters
Point...?

I think the point is that American troops aren't some sort of perfect, magical force that cannot make mistakes.
 
  • #4
I think the point is that American troops aren't some sort of perfect, magical force that cannot make mistakes.
Oh, ok. Was anyone under the impression Americans were super-human?
 
  • #5
Originally posted by russ_watters
Oh, ok. Was anyone under the impression Americans were super-human?
Some people do seem to think that anything that has an American flag attached to it is infallible.
 

1. What exactly happened with the US missile hitting the refugee bus?

On [date], a US missile struck a refugee bus in [location], killing [number] of people and injuring [number] others. The bus was reportedly mistaken for a military target by the US military.

2. How did this incident occur?

The US military was conducting airstrikes in the area and mistakenly identified the refugee bus as a military target. The bus was hit by a missile, causing casualties and injuries.

3. Were there any casualties?

Yes, [number] of people were killed and [number] were injured in the attack. The majority of the victims were refugees seeking shelter in the area.

4. Has the US government addressed this incident?

Yes, the US government has acknowledged the incident and expressed their condolences to the victims and their families. They have also promised to conduct an investigation into the incident.

5. What are the implications of this attack?

This attack highlights the tragic consequences of mistaken targets in military operations. It also brings attention to the ongoing refugee crisis and the need for stricter protocols to avoid civilian casualties in war zones.

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