[Marxism] 2 of the 7 soldiers who wrote NY Times op-ed die in Iraq

[Louis Proyect]

Two of Seven Soldiers Who Wrote 'NYT' Op-Ed Die in Iraq

By Greg Mitchell

Published: September 12, 2007 7:25 AM ET

NEW YORK The Op-Ed by seven active duty U.S. soldiers in Iraq 
questioning the war drew international attention just three weeks ago. 
Now two of the seven are dead.

Sgt. Omar Mora and Sgt. Yance T. Gray died Monday in a vehicle accident 
in western Baghdad, two of seven U.S. troops killed in the incident 
which was reported just as Gen. David Petraeus was about to report to 
Congress on progress in the "surge." The names have just been released.

Gen. Petraeus was questioned about the message of the op-ed in testimony 
before a Senate committee yesterday.

The controversial Times column on Aug. 19 was called "The War As We Saw 
It," and expressed skepticism about American gains in Iraq. “To believe 
that Americans, with an occupying force that long ago outlived its 
reluctant welcome, can win over a recalcitrant local population and win 
this counterinsurgency is far-fetched,” the group wrote.

It closed: "We need not talk about our morale. As committed soldiers, we 
will see this mission through."

Mora, 28, hailed from Texas City, Texas, and was a native of Ecuador, 
who had just become a U.S. citizen. He was due to leave Iraq in November 
and leaves behind a wife and daughter. Gray, 26, had lived in Ismay, 
Montana, and is also survived by a wife and infant daughter.

The accident in Iraq occurred when a cargo truck the men were riding in 
overturned.

The Daily News in Galveston interviewed Mora's mother, who confirmed his 
death and that he was one of the co-authors of the Times piece. The 
article today relates: "Olga Capetillo said that by the time Mora 
submitted the editorial, he had grown increasingly depressed. 'I told 
him God is going to take care of him and take him home,' she said. 'But 
yesterday is the darkest day for me.'”

One of the other five authors of the Times piece, Staff Sergeant Jeremy 
Murphy, an Army Ranger and reconnaissance team leader, was shot in the 
head while the article was being written. He was expected to survive 
after being flown to a military hospital in the United States.

***

Related: Deaths of Soldiers 'Brings It Home' For 'NYT' Editorial Page Editor

Greg Mitchell (gmitchell at editorandpublisher.com) is editor. A collection 
of his columns on Iraq and the media will be published by Union Square 
Press in March.


Links referenced within this article

Deaths of Soldiers 'Brings It Home' For 'NYT' Editorial Page Editor
http://www.editorandpublisher.com/eandp/news/article_display.jsp?vnu_content_id=1003638805
gmitchell at editorandpublisher.com
http://www.editorandpublisher.com/eandp/news/mailto:gmitchell@editorandpublisher.com


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