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View Full Version : Another Disastrous Coverup


dana
10-22-2006, 07:11 PM
I found this in the comments section in a Huffington Post article on Colbert.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2006/10/22/politicians-get-wise-to-c_n_32243.html

If this is substantiated and actually did happen on Oct 10-11 and they actually did cover it up, then this is going to be the biggest news story of the election cycle. It's either that or this admin does not care what gets out, they've already rigged the elections and no investigation will happen as with all the other non-investigations under the repug rule of bush too (many).

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TBR News October 20, 2006

Forward Base Falcon Disaster

by Brian Harring

Baghdad's sky is illuminated by huge explosions in the Iraqi capital (pic AAP)

Late on the evening of October 10, 2006, Iraqi resistance groups lobbed mortar and rocket rounds into the immense ‘Forward Base Falcon,’ the largest American military base in Iraq, located 13 km south of the Green Zone in Baghdad. In addition to accurate mortar fire, Grad and Katyusha rockets were also used.

Falcon base was designed to house a large contingent of American troops, mostly drawn from the 4th Infantry Division, stationed at Fr. Bliss, Texas. At the time of the attack, there were approximately 3000 men inside the camp, which also was filled with ammunition supplies, fuel, tanks and vehicles.

Iraqi contractors had assisted in the construction of the camp, which occupied nearly a square mile and was surrounded with guard tower-studded high concrete walls, and it is now apparent that the Resistance movement had been given important targets from “sources familiar with the layout” of the base.

After the initial shelling, fuel and ammunition stores began to erupt with massive explosions that could be heard, and seen, miles away inside the Green Zone where U.S. military and diplomatic units were heavily guarded.

The explosions, all of them termed “immense” by BBC reporters, continued throughout the night.

In response, US aircraft indiscriminately rocketed and bombed various parts of the city, BBC and AFP correspondents eported, trying to knock out the launch sites of the rockets

The BBC's Andrew North, in Baghdad, said the explosions started at about 2300 (2100 BST) and were becoming "ever more frequent" as the huge fires spread throughout the base, punctuated by tremendous explosions as more fuel and ammunition dumps ignited.

“Intelligence indicates that civilians aligned with a militia organization were responsible for last night’s mortar attack,” said Lieutenant Colonel Jonathan Withington, spokesman for the U.S. 4th Infantry Division.

An after action report, issued by the Department of Defense, stated that: “On October 10, 2006, at approximately 10:40 p.m., a 82mm mortar round, fired by militia forces from a residential area in Abu T-Shir, caused a fire at an Ammunition Supply Point (ASP) at FOB Falcon. The ASP, containing tank and artillery rounds, in addition to smaller caliber ammunition, set off a series of large explosions. About 100 troops from the 4th Infantry Division were reported to be stationed at the base at the time, but no injuries were reported.” (Emphasis added.) "The damage to the area will not degrade the operational capability of MND-B (Multinational Division Baghdad),"

When the flames had been brought under control on the morning of the 11th of October, primarily because the entire camp had been gutted, nine large American military transports with prominent Red Cross markings were observed by members of the foreign media taking off, laded with the dead and the wounded.

Over 300 American troops, including U.S. Army and Marines, CIA agents and U.S. translators were casualties and there also were 165 seriously injured requiring major medical attention and 39 suffering lesser injuries 122 members of the Iraqi armed forces were killed and 90 seriously injured members of same, were also evacuated to the U.S. military hospital at al-Habbaniyah located some 70km west of Baghdad.

More....

http://www.tbrnews.org/Archives/a2547.htm#001


More links:

http://www.guardian.co.uk/worldlatest/story/0,,-6138607,00.html

http://abcnews.go.com/International/wireStory?id=2551948

Bill
10-22-2006, 07:24 PM
That was a very interesting event, and I've often wondered since why it disappeared from the news cycle so quickly.

I recall the official story - "The base was attacked earlier that night, but it's not clear if the secondary explosions were the result of that attack. There were no reported injuries."

This from the ABC website's report:

BAGHDAD, Iraq Oct 10, 2006 (AP)— A fire broke out at an ammunition dump at a U.S. base in southern Baghdad on Tuesday night, setting off a series of explosions from detonating tank and artillery shells that shook buildings miles away. The U.S. military said there were no immediate reports of casualties.

It was not clear whether the ammunition holding area at Forward Operating Base Falcon was hit by an attack. The cause of the fire was not immediately known, said Lt. Col. Christopher C. Garver, a military spokesman.

I'll be watching the news for any signs of further information on this.

Those were beautiful explosions. I was surprised to hear there were no casulties reported.

Bill
10-22-2006, 07:48 PM
Huh.

I don't know if this is source material - lot's of claims about the attack.

http://sf.indymedia.org/news/2006/10/1732758.php

A billion dollars in damage.

The lists of casulty names are chilling in this article http://www.tbrnews.org/Archives/a2547.htm#001 , but there's no reason yet to believe it's true.

Bill
10-22-2006, 07:51 PM
OTOH

http://www.blackanthem.com/News/military200610_1476.shtml

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Blackanthem Military News, FOB FALCON, Iraq – Less than 24 hours after enemy 82mm mortar rounds hit an ammunition holding area, causing a torrent of explosions and fires that continued to smolder through the next day, life on Forward Operating Base Falcon has retuned to normal.

Despite triggering multiple explosions and causing fire crews to work overtime, there were no casualties, and little damage was sustained to the buildings and vehicles positioned throughout the large military base located in Baghdad’s Doura neighborhood, said Col. Michael Beech, commander, 4th Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division.

With the help of seven Explosive Ordnance Disposal teams, the Soldiers at FOB Falcon were quickly able to locate and dispose of all unexploded ordnance near the explosion site, which enabled business to return to normal Thursday morning.

"Ultimately, this incident has had a minimal effect on my brigade's operations within the last 24 hours," Beech said. "This attack did not effect ongoing Baghdad security operations in our area of responsibility, and the loss of ammunition will not degrade the operational capability of the 4th Brigade Combat Team.”
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