JESSICA LYNCH RESCUE QUESTIONS

John Kampfner z Iráku: In the early hours of April 2nd reporters were summoned to Central Command in Doha for an urgent announcement. They assumed coalition forces had captured or killed Saddam Hussein. Instead they were given the story of the dramatic rescue by US Special Forces of Private Jessica Lynch whose company had been ambushed by the Iraqis more than a week earlier. The official version, caught on camera by a Pentagon crew, was that a rescue squad stormed the building and took her away under fire. Private Lynch was said to have received bullet and stab wounds. Once in hospital, she was said to have been beaten and stabbed. But doctors at the hospital in Nasariyah tell a different tale. They insist that while Saddam's Fedayeen Militia had been at the hospital at the beginning, they had long since left, and that the Americans knew it. They said that far from mistreating Lynch, they gave her the best treatment they could at a time of war. They made clear that by the time the Americans descended on the hospital by helicopter they were aware that they would face no resistance. VOCABULARYcoalition forces - koaliční síly to capture - zajmout, vzít do zajetí to rescue - osvobodit to ambush - nečekaně napadnout, napadnout ze zálohy a rescue squad - záchranná jednotka to storm - prudce zaútočit, vzít ztečí under fire - pod palbou treatment - ošetření resistance - ozbrojený odpor