Chicago Times

BAGHDAD — U.S. officials said they were trying to confirm if a body pulled from the Euphrates River on Wednesday was one of three American soldiers missing since an ambush upstream May 12.

A pushcart vendor spotted the body while crossing a bridge on his way to market in the Shia town of Musayyib. He told police, who alerted American authorities leading a massive manhunt for the missing soldiers that has spread across the agricultural region south of Baghdad.

Four soldiers and an Iraqi interpreter were killed by gunfire and rocket propelled grenades in the May 12 ambush, the military has said. Three were believed kidnapped and remain missing: Pfc. Joseph J. Anzack, 20, of Torrance, Calif.; Pvt. Byron W. Foudy, 19, of Waterford, Mich.; and Spc. Alex R. Jimenez, 25 of Lawrence, Mass.

Mid-morning Wednesday, a body marked by tattoos and dressed in American military boots and trousers washed up against the bridge over the Euphrates that links the town of Musayyib with surrounding farmlands, said Muhammad Abd Ali, 23, a policeman at a checkpoint a few hundred yards from the bridge.

“I never imagined I would find a dead American soldier in this area,” Ali said.

Like a broken record I say again that we must let our Soldiers fight back with rules of engagement that are more reasonable to the situation they are in.

Other than that the only thing I can think to say is that I hate al-Qaeda and all the groups that are associated with it.

Jo’s Cafe has updates with more identifying information.

Michelle Malkin has no words but is providing updates.

Rhymes with Right seems to also think that we need to quit treating this enemy with kid gloves.

Also: Webloggin, Wizbang

UPDATE: via The Jawa Report the bodies of all three missing Soldiers have been found.

Three Bodies Found — May Be Missing Soldiers

““Babel police patrols today found two bodies believed to be from the two kidnapped U.S. soldiers near the Euphrates bank in al-Masayab area,” the source, who asked not to be named, told the independent news agency Voices of Iraq (VOI).

He added, “the bodies bore marks of torture with their heads smashed. They wore the U.S. military-style uniform.” The source said “The two bodies were handed over to the U.S. forces at the location where they were found.”

The US military has made no comment on this report.

A police source earlier reported to VOI about the first body recovered on Wednesday. “Babel police forces today found a body, believed to belong to one of the three U.S. soldiers who were kidnapped last week in al-Mahmoudiya region, south of Baghdad,” the source, who asked not to be named, told the (VOI).

“The body bore a gunshot wound to the head, the hand had a tattoo and he wore U.S. pants,” he added.

The reports say they were not in the river long.

Again, please, PLEASE quit treating this enemy as though they are not the cruel animals they are. Please let our Soldiers fight the war the way Americans know how to fight.

My heart is broken and I pray for the comfort of the families of these young men.