The Hindu : Soldiers return in good shape

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Monday, Apr 21, 2003

International

International

Soldiers return in good shape

By Sridhar Krishnaswami

Washington April 20. Seven former American Prisoners of War arrived in Texas to a boisterous welcome. Debriefing specialists and psychological experts had accompanied the seven in their trans-Atlantic flight which was refuelled mid-air to avoid yet another stop enroute.

Five of the soldiers belonged to the 507th Maintenance Division out of Fort Bliss and the other two were Apache helicopter pilots based at Fort Hood. All were reported to be in good shape at the end of their week long ordeal of captivity.

The soldiers have said that they were kicked and beaten when captured, but were given medical treatment, regularly fed and were not subjected to torture. They were found on April 13 when the Iraqi captors abandoned their posts ahead of the arrival of the U.S. forces.

The Fort Bliss soldiers ended up in Iraqi hands on March 23 after an ambush near Nasiriyah that killed nine of their comrades. Another member of the 507th Maintenance Company, Private First Class Jessica Lynch was rescued in a dramatic commando operation on April 1. She is now recovering in a military hospital in Washington D.C.

According to the White House the President, George W Bush will be travelling to Fort Hood for Easter Services with soldiers and their families. At this time there is the possibility that he might meet the two Apache helicopter pilots and their families, it is said.

As the hostilities phase in Iraq is winding down the Pentagon has placed the official death toll at 128 — with 110 having lost their lives in combat and 18 others in non-hostile action; 495 have been listed as wounded in combat and another 59 injured in accidents. There are still two American soldiers listed as Missing.

Military ties

Meanwhile the New York Times is reporting that the United States is planning a long-term military relationship with the new government in Iraq and one that would give the Pentagon access to bases in the country. According to the paper, Washington is seeking to maintain four bases — at the international airport near Baghdad, at Talil near Nasiriyah, one at a western desert strip and a fourth at Bashur in the north.

"There will be some kind of a long-term defence relationship with a new Iraq, similar to Afghanistan. The scope of that is yet to be defined — whether it will be full of operational bases, smaller forward operating bases or just plain access'', an unidentified senior administration official has been quoted as saying.

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