US admits '8,000 Iraqis captured' claim was false
'Defence Department officials reported on Friday that they had won the surrender of the entire 51st Division, a regular Iraqi army unit deployed in southern Iraq to defend Basra, the nation's second largest city. On Saturday, officials backtracked, saying they had only taken a couple of commanders and the rest of the men had "melted away" - a term used for those who laid down their arms and returned home.

'On Monday there were reports that one of the "commanders" turned out to be a junior official who misrepresented his rank in hopes of getting better treatment. Then on Tuesday, British forces reported a tank battle with elements of the 51st outside of Basra... The US military has been forced to admit the 8,000 Iraqi soldiers they claimed to have captured last week are now battling British forces.'

US admits '8,000 Iraqis captured' claim was false
'Defence Department officials reported on Friday that they had won the surrender of the entire 51st Division, a regular Iraqi army unit deployed in southern Iraq to defend Basra, the nation's second largest city. On Saturday, officials backtracked, saying they had only taken a couple of commanders and the rest of the men had "melted away" - a term used for those who laid down their arms and returned home.

'On Monday there were reports that one of the "commanders" turned out to be a junior official who misrepresented his rank in hopes of getting better treatment. Then on Tuesday, British forces reported a tank battle with elements of the 51st outside of Basra... The US military has been forced to admit the 8,000 Iraqi soldiers they claimed to have captured last week are now battling British forces.'