U.S. Soldier Kills His Own Troops In Iraq
White "shocked & confused" - Reports say...
..the U.S. Pentagon, the Secretary of Defence and the White House are "shocked and confused" in what President Obama is calling a "terrible tragedy". Everyone in Washington is talking about the "Camp Liberty Incident". Others in the nations capitol are calling it "tragic and unexpected".
Question - "WHY?"
What could possibly explain the acitons of a soldier turning his weapon on his own companions?
Killing fellow soldiers in cold blood?
The sensless murder of comrades in arms?
Details are being held back until further investigation.
--- May 11, 2009 -- Camp Liberty, Baghdad, Iraq
A U.S. soldier fired on fellow troops Monday, killing five before being taken into custody, the U.S. command said.
The White House said President Barack Obama is shocked by news of the shooting.
White House spokesman Robert Gibbs said Monday that the shooting was a "terrible tragedy" and that Obama plans to meet with Defense Secretary Gates later in the day to discuss the matter.
Gibbs said the president's heart goes out to the victims' families and that he wants to know what happened.
The shooting occurred at Camp Liberty, a sprawling U.S. base on the western edge of Baghdad near the city's international airport and adjacent to another facility where Obama visited last month.
A brief U.S. statement said the soldier "suspected of being involved with the shooting" was in custody but gave no further details. It was unclear what provoked the attack.
"Any time we lose one of our own, it affects us all," U.S. spokesman Col. John Robinson said. "Our hearts go out to the families and friends of all the service members involved in this terrible tragedy."
Pentagon spokesman Bryan Whitman called the shooting an "unexpected and tragic event," adding that the incident is under investigation.
The names of the deceased are being withheld pending next-of-kin notification and release by the Defense Department.
