House Dems ask Defense IG to probe Iraq rescue

A British Broadcasting Corp. documentary casting doubts on the U.S. military's version of events that led to the rescue of Army PFC Jessica Lynch from an Iraqi hospital has led three House Democrats to ask the Defense Department's inspector general to investigate.

"We need to have an independent inquiry to look at what happened," Rep. Jan Schakowsky, D-Ill., told the Chicago Sun-Times last week.

Schakowsky joined Reps. Rahm Emanuel, D-Ill., and Louise Slaughter, D-N.Y., in making the request to Defense Department Inspector General Joseph Schmitz.

The BBC documentary says U.S. rescuers encountered little opposition because Iraqi troops had already fled and a BBC reporter described it as "one of the most stunning pieces of news management ever conceived."

Stories in the Toronto Star and The Times of London also questioned the U.S. version of events, which claims that Lynch was rescued after an Iraqi attorney tipped off U.S. troops as to her location and then went back twice to gather more information for the rescuers.

While Lynch's rescue was "emblematic of the courage and dedication of our Armed Forces," the Democrats' letter said they want an investigation to ensure that the rescuers' "selfless act of heroism is never questioned again."

The Pentagon discounted the BBC report.