Witnesses: U.S. Chopper Kills Iraqi Civilians, JournalistIn news from Iraq, at least sixteen people were killed Thursday in clashes between U.S. troops and Shiite militias in Baghdad. The dead included a photographer for the Reuters news agency and his driver. They apparently came under fire from a U.S. helicopter.
Quote:
Unidentified witness: “The U.S. soldiers randomly fired on cars and children, even journalists were not safe. Over here was a Reuters crew.”
Residents say the remaining dead were civilians, including at least two children. An Agence France Press journalist who interviewed witnesses on the scene said the helicopter appeared to indiscriminately fire on any gathering of people in the area.
U.S. Fingerprinting, Scanning Thousands of IraqisPrivacy concerns are being raised over a U.S. military program that is taking fingerprints and eye scans from thousands of Iraqi men and inputting them into a Pentagon database. USA Today reports Iraqis have been stopped at checkpoints, workplaces and sites of attacks and scanned by U.S. troops. Between five to ten thousand Baghdad residents have been scanned since March. Iraqis face being barred from their neighborhoods if they refuse the biometric scans.
UN Launches Urgent Appeal for Iraqi RefugeesIn other Iraq news, the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees has issued an urgent appeal for more funding to aid Iraqi refugees. Nearly four million Iraqis have been internally displaced or left Iraq. The UN says that number is growing by around two thousand people fleeing their homes each day.
Love the one about fingerprinting and retina scans.
I can see clearly now, the Reign is on. George can see all obstacles in his way. Gone are the proud ones who used to care, Gonna be a bright bright funshiney reign.
