Big Shiite demonstration outside coalition headquarters, U.S. death toll s

[NNN0LHI]

http://www.boston.com/dailynews/237/world/Big_Shiite_demonstration_outsi:.shtml

Big Shiite demonstration outside coalition headquarters, U.S. death toll stands at 276

By Tarek Al-Issawi, Associated Press, 8/25/2003 15:53

BAGHDAD, Iraq (AP) Thousands of Shiite Muslims protested peacefully Monday night outside the headquarters of the U.S.-led coalition in Baghdad, charging the occupation force was lax on security and did too little to stop a weekend of ethnic bloodshed in the north and the bombing at the house of an important Muslim Shiite cleric in the south.

The U.S. military reported a soldier died of a non-hostile gunshot wound, bringing the number of soldiers killed since major combat was declared over to 138. A total of 276 soldiers have died in combat or by accident since the war began March 20.

The Baghdad protest moved, after about an hour, to the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan office in Baghdad. The protesters alleged the Kurdish organization started the fighting Friday night in Tuz Kharmato and continued attacks on Turkomen tribesmen the next day in Kirkuk, 115 miles north of Baghdad. Eleven people died.

The protesters dispersed quietly, ahead of the 11 p.m. Baghdad curfew.

more

[David Zephyr]

1. Don, Are They Waving Their American Flags in Gratitude?

:shrug:

[NNN0LHI]

3. I don't know?

I am afraid things are going pretty calm so far compared to what we are about to see in Iraq before this is over with. Really afraid. We got to get out of this place. If its the last thing we ever do.

Don

[Noordam]

2. Don't you hate those "of a non-hostile gunshot wound"

I thought all gunshot wounds were hostile.