Iraq: Think of Those the US Has Detained

[G_j]

http://www.commondreams.org/headlines04/0421-01.htm
http://ipsnews.net/interna.asp?idnews=23409

Published on Wednesday, April 21, 2004 by the Inter Press Service

Iraq: Think of Those the US Has Detained
We have heard of the U.S. soldier captured by Iraqi fighters. Think of the 20,000 Iraqis being held by the coalition forces.

by Aaron Glantz

BAGHDAD - Private First Class Matt Maupin assigned to the U.S. Army Reserve's 724th Transportation Company based at Bartonville, Illinois, became the first prisoner taken by Iraqi insurgents since the fall of Saddam Hussein.

The U.S. military is currently holding more than 20,000 Iraqis behind bars -- most of them taken during house to house searches by the U.S. military.

Take the village of Abu Siffa, an hour's drive north of Baghdad. Cattle graze on the side of the road and date palms sway in the wind. The mighty Tigris flows nearby.

Rejan Mohammed Hassen stands in front of the rubble that was her house and recalls the night last summer when the U.S. Army took her sons and destroyed her house.

..more..

[Mari333]

1. Abu Ghraib, Guantanamo on steroids.

Michael emailed me and told me once
"there are horror stories here I will have to tell you about when I get back. Horror stories"
He told me when they were shipped out, some of the assholes in his unit, (teenagers with guns) said
"cool..we get to go kill ragheads"/
Michael has to see all this, I know hes not a part of it. I have a bad feeling he is in bad shape psychologically, and I can only hope that his mind does not snap.
teenagers with guns. and their commanders must really suck.
this has to end. now.
http://www.bringthemhomenow.com
they are losing it, and when these kids get back, they will be insane for what they have done, and for what has happened.

[G_j]

2. there have been forces unleashed

unspeakable damage done, that will take years/generations to heal. We must not let this continue!! It is impossible to measure the depth of the wounds inflicted upon the Iraqi people, the troops and their families, and the population of the planet as a whole. Everyday adds to this.
Bush and his buddies are guilty of crimes against humanity.

[SquireJons]

3. The unfortunate part is...

From the perspective of the rest of the world, it's not really bush and the neo-cons; it's America. We - all of us - are guilty of war crimes committed by our government. That's how the world viewed Germany and Japan after WWII and that's the way they will see it now.

[G_j]

4. yes, and seeds of hatred sewn

http://www.commondreams.org/headlines04/0421-02.htm

Published on Wednesday, April 21, 2004 by the Guardian/UK

Arab Ally Snubs Bush Amid 'Unprecedented Hatred' for US

by Ewen MacAskill in Jerusalem and Suzanne Goldenberg in Washington

[ixion]

5. That's a salient point that I think most Americans miss

They see it like a sporting event, and they're just rooting for their team. They (somehow) fail to grasp the bigger picture, that this country aggressively invaded another soverign nation, plain and simple. Hussein is gone, indeed, and that's all well and good, but THOUSANDS of innocent people were killed.
But somehow those people's lives don't seem to count. They died because they were 'liberated'? That may work on paper, in some retarded and twisted way as long as you don't think too hard about it, but in the view of the world outside the US, it's not seen as a sporting event. It's seen as a threat to world stability.
What BushCo has done in four short years will take decades to heal. :-(

[G_j]

6. as Helen Thomas commented

we "liberated" the Iraqi people yet the Pentagon won't even count the Iraqis killed?

[Eureka]

7. Maybe soon, but not here, not now

In Aus, based on what/who I know not everyone obviously, there is a very clear distinction between the American people and the * Administration. This may be because we would like the world to take a similar view of the actions of this countries government, who knows. But, I don't get a lot of anti-American people feeling, but heaps of anti * feeling.

Hopefully we can all be friends again when that dickheaded resident is evicted from the WH huh?

Peace, and solidarity in a non-communist sortof way

:-)

[Karenina]

8. That line will blur

as Amis fail to rein in their gub'mint.

[Eureka]

10. Yes, the line in the sand

has been drawn around early November I think. If he* is elected (and by that I mean elected in the traditional sense, not "2000 elected") I think there may be some people prone to lumping all the Americans in behind his policies. If on the other hand we end up with President Kerry, then I think most will be able to put the * years behind them.

I don't think it would be right, but I think it might happen.

[TahitiNut]

9. The Aussies and Kiwis I've met ...

... as well as most Europeans, seem to know that our country is deeply divided. Even the tourists I often encountered in the Bay area were a bit reticent when the subject of politics arose. Then, when I expressed my disapproval/disgust with Dim Son and the Corporatist Cabal, they'd visibly cheer up and relax, explaining that they didn't want to offend. The French, of course, often take a different approach - voicing their disgust very aggressively and then switching from anger to cheer when I'd express agreement about the madminsitration. The rest of the world is nowhere near as ill-informed about politics as the average American. I've not met many Europeans, Canadians, Aussies, or Kiwis that didn't know as much or more about American politics as I do.

[Eureka]

11. Hi TahitiNut!

as an Aussie, I'm taking your words as a compliment, thank you!

We can probably understand that the country is deeply divided because our countries are also deeply divided. I think the difference is, we don't have 24hr propaganda networks trying to repress critical thinking.

[TahitiNut]

13. Well, I've had the great pleasure of meeting dozens of Aussies ...

... in my various trips to Tahiti and I must say I've enjoyed both their company and their role as dive partners ("dive buddies") somewhat more than my own countrymen. While I dislike generalizations, I've found, almost without exception, a greater candor, humour, wit, and casual honesty from Aussies and Kiwis than any other nationalities I've spent time with ... even Canadians. Both countries are at the top of my list for "next country to visit" (Sydney, Great Barrier Reef, and Outback in particular - maybe Alice Springs? - and Ruapehu Volcano, Wellington and environs).

[Eureka]

14. Cool, look me up when you visit

I'm in South East Queensland, about 3 hrs drive to the bottom (southern end) of the Reef.

Alice is cool too. BTW, they've just finished the train line from Adelaide to Darwin, so if you wanted to see the outback that would be a terrific way to do it. My parents did the trip East West, from Perth to Adelaide, which is three days on the train, and loved it. Your own first class bedroom and silver service food for four days four around 600 bucks US is pretty good value.

[Just Me]

12. My observations is that, "people" are against those "agents",...

that have delivered horror. My observation has been that humanity is joining against those "agents".

My observation is an evolved sense of responsibility that can no longer be manipulated by power-mongering leaders.

That is my observation.