Detecting 'Hostile Intent' in a Super-hostile Environment

November 17, 2007

Iraqi Tribal Group Says U.S. Killed Its Members, Not Insurgents

By CARA BUCKLEY

BAGHDAD, Nov. 16 — A tribal group tapped by Americans forces to root out extremists here said today that over four dozen of its members were killed during United States air and ground strikes north of the capital earlier this week. But the United States military insisted that the attacks were aimed instead At al Qaeda and had killed 25 of its insurgents.

“We had some people on the ground who identified these individuals as bad guys, basically,” said Lt. Justin Cole, a spokesman for the coalition forces. “That’s why we engaged. And there is really no change in our posture since then.”

The attacks were mounted late Tuesday near Taji, a restive town 15 miles north of Baghdad, after American forces said they spotted armed men in the area and detected “hostile intent.” Helicopters and airplanes strafed buildings, and ground troops later exchanged fire with men who had shot at them, according to th…