Been there, done that . The AP needs to work on their sourcing.
BAGHDAD - At least 14 people were killed early Thursday in a U.S. attack on a western Baghdad neighborhood, police and residents said.
The U.S. command in Baghdad said it was aware of the report but had no immediate comment.
[...]
"Three people were killed in that house," said a middle-aged man, standing next to a hole in his roof, as he pointed next door.
He waved a piece of shrapnel he had found.
"The Iraqi parties are quarreling over power and the people are dying," he told Associated Press Television News. "We are fed up."
A black-cloaked woman wailed against Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki's government as she picked through rubble next to her house.
"Damned be the government, curse be upon Maliki," she screamed.
[---]
A police officer, speaking on condition of anonymity for security reasons, said U.S. helicopters had attacked the area, killing 14 civilians and injuring 10 others.
There was confusion at the scene, however, as some residents said they thought it had been a mortar attack and said 27 people had been killed. Others said U.S. airplanes were involved.
Thanks AP, but I'll wait for verification before I buy this one. Anonymous woman, anonymous man, and anonymous "policeman." An Independent Panel has recommended that the Iraqi Police be disbanded and that the government start over from scratch in putting one together.
I'll wager that a) reporter David Rising wasn't anywhere near the neighborhood to obtain first hand accounts, and b) the policeman who wished to remain anonymous didn't speak to him directly. After all, there's a history of this kind of thing.
