600-700 Iraqi Troops Poisoned By Meal

Some of the policemen began bleeding from the ears and nose after the meal, said Jassim al-Atwan, an inspector for the Environment Ministry, who was serving as a liaison in the investigation between the Health Ministry and the base, located in the town of Numaniyah.
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"Hundreds of soldiers were poisoned after taking food and water in the iftar," Wasit Gov. Hamad al-Latif told the Associated Press, referring to the meal that breaks the sunrise-to-sunset fast during the Islamic holy month.
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Between 600-700 policemen were affected to varying degrees, and 11 who had the heaviest amount of the food had died, al-Atwan told The Associated Press. Some of the soldiers collapsed as soon as they stood up from them meal, others fell "one after the other" as they headed out to the yard in the base to line up in formation, al-Atwan said.
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http://wcco.com/...

There are a couple things I think would do this. None of them really nice things to put in someones food. My first thought was mustard gas in liquid form or coumadin because of the symptoms.

Whatever it was it is a sure sign of two things. That the damage to the insurgency has not been nearly as significant as stated by the government nor have they ever really tried to defeat the insurgency. The plan has always been to stand up Iraqi forces and leave.

The other thing it shows is that the enemy will do anything to win, but we already knew that. One side has a plan and a strategy and will do anything it takes to achieve victory and one side is sitting on their ass hoping things get better.

•  You are right

  There was a diary earlier tonight about this here.

  by iliketodrum on Sun Oct 08, 2006 at 10:24:19 PM PDT

  •  thanks

    I just recommended the other diary - this is a significant story and it's probably a good idea to allow the first diary to accumulate the recommendations & comments.

    ```
    peace
    
    

    by peace voter on Sun Oct 08, 2006 at 10:29:32 PM PDT

  •  Echoing comment because it's important

    For visitors to this diary, please go to previous diary on this topic here and recommend up. It has a very informative discussion thread.

    I think this is a very important story and should make it to the recommended diaries so more people see it. Might be hard to do what with the other quality diaries out there, but worth theb effort I think.

    This event points out the cost of the war on the Iraqis, and also further stresses the need for more competent leadership.

    by forbodyandmind on Sun Oct 08, 2006 at 11:28:32 PM PDT

•  Halliburton doing food these days? nt

  by borkitekt on Sun Oct 08, 2006 at 10:47:27 PM PDT

  •  I wondered.....

    ...where all that surplus, California spinach went!

    by Rex Manning on Sun Oct 08, 2006 at 11:16:28 PM PDT

  •  I know they were doing food

    at some point for US soldiers in Iraq, making a killing overcharging. No idea if they'd be at all involved with this.

    by jfern on Sun Oct 08, 2006 at 11:42:37 PM PDT

  •  I read that the food

    was supplied by the Australians
    http://news.yahoo.com/...
    but, according to the article, workers associated with the mess hall where the food was served are being investigated.

    by myrealname on Mon Oct 09, 2006 at 06:36:41 AM PDT

•  I remember...

    I can't remember the number two man under Osama, but a recent video, I remember his call for scientists to join their struggle against the Americans.  It was something about a way to fight against the permanent installations in Iraq. Sorry for the faulty memory, due to the overload of scandals pouring out of Washington these past years.
  A new tactic?  If it is , it seems to be a frightening escalation in effectiveness. You know that the insurgents have moles in the police, the army and gov for that matter. I know this is only specualation , but I was struck by something a scientist would come up with.

  by Blue Generalist on Mon Oct 09, 2006 at 12:43:44 AM PDT