2 U.S. Congressmen hurt in Iraq

[Balta1701]

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The Macon (Ga.) Telegraph was apparently the first newspaper to carry news today that a military vehicle carrying U.S. politicians overturned on the way to the Baghdad airport on Saturday and injured two members of Congress.

 

The source was a Georgia congressman unhurt in the accident, Rep. Jim Marshall.

 

Rep. Tim Murphy (R-Pa.) was airlifted to a military hospital in Germany for an MRI on his neck, said Marshall, who was also in the vehicle. Rep. Ike Skelton (D-Mo.) was sent to a Baghdad hospital, Marshall told the Macon Telegraph.

 

Marshall, a Georgia Democrat, said he was not hurt.

 

The congressional delegation was riding in a box-like vehicle that troops call the "ice cream truck" -- it streaks through the middle of the road to deter oncoming motorists, Marshall told the paper. But shortly after dark, an oncoming truck refused to yield.

 

"Then, all of a sudden, brakes get slammed on. Then we hit something and go off the side of the road and tip over," Marshall said.

 

Marshall said as the vehicle toppled over, he held onto Skelton, who has limited use of his arms due to a bout with childhood polio. "Everybody sort of fell over to the side. There's no cushion to it. It's all solid metal with bolts sticking out," Marshall told the newspaper. "I feel like a fool. I didn't put my seat belt on."

 

The accident reminded Marshall of his first trip to Iraq with Skelton, when Marshall voiced concerns on the dangers of the high-speed driving strategy aimed at getting dignitaries safely through treacherous territory.

 

"It's so odd to me that I said, 'Shoot, this is more dangerous than the terrorists,' and dang if we don't flip over," Marshall said.

[Mercy!]

“Rep. Ike Skelton (D-Mo.) was sent to a Baghdad hospital, Marshall told the Macon Telegraph.”

Talk about little reassurance. Can you imagine being his wife getting the call at home and someone says, “Now don’t worry, Mrs. Skelton, he’s going to be fine. He’s in a hospital in Baghdad.” Yikes!