The soldiers, a Marine corporal and two army sergeants, told harrowing stories of their experiences Thursday at a military hospital here, where they are being treated for bullet and shrapnel wounds. They are among 24 soldiers who have been flown here from field hospitals in and near Iraq.
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These men were injured during two ambushes last weekend by armed Iraqis who were dressed in traditional robes. In the first attack, Sergeant Jamie Villafane said he captured four Iraqis, who took off their robes as they surrendered to reveal Iraqi army uniforms underneath.
In the second, a Marine unit patrolling a bridge in the southern town of An Nasiriyah came under fire from people in civilian clothes carrying AK-47 assault rifles. It was not clear who they were. Lance Corporal Joshua Menard, who was shot in the hand during that attack, said he was surprised, not just by the fact that his assailants wore civilian clothes, but by the ferocity of their resistance.
This war could get ugly for the Iraqis. If the line between civilians and military is blurred then everyone will be fair game. We've tried very hard to limit civilian casualties with our surgical strikes. At some point we may be forced to consider total war. Bush won't lose this war. He isn't going to have another Vietnam. He's neither ashamed nor shy about using the firepower that we have. Iraq can go quietly or face more destruction than necessary. It’s up to them.
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