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by Robert Fisk
Thursday, Mar. 27, 2003 at 10:07 PM
Is this what America has become?
Civilians Slaughtered Robert Fisk, The Independent BAGHDAD, 27 March 2003 — It was an outrage, an obscenity. The severed hand on the metal door, the swamp of blood and mud across the road, the human brains inside a garage, the incinerated, skeletal remains of an Iraqi mother and her three small children in their still smoldering car. Two missiles from a single American jet killed them all — more than 20 Iraqi civilians, torn to pieces before they could be ‘liberated’ by the nation which destroyed their lives. Who dares, I ask myself, to call this ‘collateral damage’? Abu Taleb Street was packed with pedestrians and motorists when the American pilot approached through the dense sandstorm that covered northern Baghdad in a cloak of red and yellow dust and rain yesterday morning. It’s a dirt poor neighborhood — of mostly Shiite Muslims, the same people whom Messers Bush and Blair still fondly hope will rise up against Saddam — a place of oil-sodden car repair shops, overcrowded apartments and cheap cafes. Everyone I spoke to heard the plane. One man, so shocked by the headless corpses he had just seen, could only say two words. “Roar, flash,’’ he kept saying and then closed his eyes so tight that the muscles rippled between them. How should one record so terrible an event? Perhaps a medical report would be more appropriate. But the final death toll is expected to be near to 30 and Iraqis are now witnessing these awful things each day; so there is no reason why the truth — all the truth — of what they see should not be told. For another question occurred to me as I walked through this place of massacre yesterday. If this is what we are seeing in Baghdad, what is happening in Basra and Nassiriyah and Karbala? How many civilians are dying there too, anonymously, indeed unrecorded, because there are no reporters to be witness to their suffering? Abu Hassan and Malek Hammoud were preparing lunch for customers at the Nasser Restaurant on the north side of Abu Taleb Street. The missile that killed them landed next to the westbound carriageway, its blast tearing away the front of the cafe and cutting the two men — the first 48, the second only 18 — to pieces. One of their fellow workers led me through the rubble. “This is all that is left of them now,’’ he said, holding out before me an oven pan dripping with blood. At least 15 cars burst into flames burning many of their occupants to death. Several men tore desperately at the doors of another flame-shrouded car in the center of the street which had been slipped upside down by the same missile. They were forced to watch helplessly as the woman and her three children inside were cremated alive in front of them. The second missile hit neatly on the east-bound carriageway, sending shards of metal into three men standing outside a concrete apartment block with the words “This is God’s possession’’ written in marble on the outside wall. The building’s manager, Hishem Danoon, ran to the doorway as soon as he heard the massive explosion. “I found Ta’ar in pieces over there,’’ he told me. His head was blown off. “That’s his hand.’’ A group of young men and women took me into the street and there, a scene from any horror film, was Ta’ar’s hand, cut off at the wrist, his four fingers and thumb grasping a piece of iron roofing. His young colleague Sermed died the same instant. His brains lay piled a few feet away, a pale red and gray mess behind a burned car. Both men worked for Danoon. So did a doorman who was also killed. As each survivor talked, the dead regained their identities. There was the electrical ship owner killed behind his counter by the same missile that cut down Ta’ar and Sermed and the doorman, and the young girl standing on the central reservation, trying to cross the road, and the truck driver who was only feet from the point of impact and the beggar who regularly called to see Danoon for bread and who was just leaving when the missiles came soaring down through the sandstorm to destroy him. In Qatar, the Anglo-American forces — let’s forget this nonsense about “coalition” — announced an inquiry. The Iraqi government, who are the only ones to benefit from the propaganda value of such a blood bath, naturally denounced the slaughter which they initially put at 14 dead. So what was the real target? Some Iraqis said there was a military encampment less than a mile from the street, though I couldn’t find it. Others talked about a local fire brigade headquarters, but the fire brigade can hardly be described as military target. Certainly, there had been an attack less than an hour earlier on a military camp further north. I was driving past the base when two rockets exploded and I saw Iraqi soldiers running for their lives out of the gates and along the side of the highway. Then I heard two more explosions — these were the missiles that hit Abu Taleb Street. Of course, the pilot who killed the innocent yesterday could not see his victims. Pilots fire through computer-aligned coordinates and the sandstorm yesterday would have hidden the street from his vision. But when one of Malek Hammoud’s friends asked me how the Americans could so blithely kill those they claimed to want to liberate, he didn’t want to learn about the science of avionics or weapons delivery systems. And why should he? For this is happening almost every day in Baghdad. The truth is that nowhere is safe now in Baghdad and as the Americans and British close their siege of the city in the next few days or hours, that simple message will become ever more real and ever more bloody. We may put on the hairshirt of morality in explaining why theses people should die. They died because of Sept. 11, we may say, because of Saddam’s ‘weapons of mass destruction’, because of human rights abuses, because of our desperate desire to ‘liberate’ them all. Let us not confuse the issue with oil. Either way, I’ll bet we are told that Saddam is ultimately responsible for their deaths. We shan’t mention the pilot, of course. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- http://www.aljazeerah.info
www.aljazeerah.info
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by fresca
Thursday, Mar. 27, 2003 at 10:32 PM
Thanks for the report but I guess no one told you that there was a war going on and these things often happen in war. You just seemed so shocked I thought maybe you hadn't heard. By the way, does anyone know when and where the massive street mobilizations will happen in order for all the "anti-war" crowds to applogize for there gross mischaracterization of the war. I mean, seeing as how it doesn't look like that UN sanctified figure of 600, 000 civilian deaths is going to be ANYWHERE NEAR correct. (it'll probably overshoot the mark by about, oh almost 600,00) and the fact that the aid to the people is already flowing I guess the righteous "peace protesters" will want to do the right thing and admit they were wrong. Just wondering where those marches are going to be.
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by Bob
Thursday, Mar. 27, 2003 at 10:47 PM
Not too sure if 600,00 is what you mean. But the UN did mention 600,000 possible refugees.
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by fresca
Thursday, Mar. 27, 2003 at 11:07 PM
I'll find a reference but the UN has repeatedly put the estimate of the number of casualties sustained during the first 48 hours of "shock and awe" bombing at approximately 600,000.
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by fresca
Thursday, Mar. 27, 2003 at 11:11 PM
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by Diogenes
Thursday, Mar. 27, 2003 at 11:13 PM
...your humanity on display fresca.
Can't make an Omelet with breaking eggs eh?
Can't have a war without killing innocents huh?
Hey mister "fill it up please".
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by fresca
Thursday, Mar. 27, 2003 at 11:18 PM
"Can't have a war without killing innocents huh?"
Not as far as I know anyway. Tell me Rupert, how can one do this bit of magic?
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by Diogenes
Thursday, Mar. 27, 2003 at 11:24 PM
...intelligence to avoid war.
I always liked Isaac Asimov's comment: "War is the last resort of the incompetent."
There are times one must act to protect others. I see no evidence that proves that in this case.
This war is not about liberating the Iraqi people. It was planned before Bush took office. The intent is Geostrategic domination of the Middle East and control of the resources i.e., Oil. It is about small and venal ment who could care less about human lives or suffering.
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by fresca
Thursday, Mar. 27, 2003 at 11:32 PM
"I always liked Isaac Asimov's comment: "War is the last resort of the incompetent."
You would wouldn't you. Clears everything up and paints it all black and white. Hey, if that's what you need.
And by the way, what is exactly so inherently wrong about fighting for oil? We sure do like it alot and need it for just about EVERYTHING we do. Just wondering.
Anyway, if you could steer clear of bumper sticker platitudes for a moment and answer the original question.
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by Oscar
Thursday, Mar. 27, 2003 at 11:50 PM
la.indymedia.org/news/2003/03/40641_comment.php#42089
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by bunny
Friday, Mar. 28, 2003 at 2:15 AM
9. The Bush administration says it wants to bring democracy to Iraq and the Middle East. Which of the following is true?
a. If there were democracy in Saudi Arabia today, backing for the U.S. war effort would be the first thing to go, given the country's "increasingly anti-American population deeply opposed to the war."
b. The United States subverted some of the few democratic governments in the Middle East (Syria in 1949, Iran in 1953), and has backed undemocratic regimes in the region ever since.
c. The United States supported the crushing of anti-Saddam Hussein revolts in Iraq in 1991.
d. All of the above.
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by American Public
Friday, Mar. 28, 2003 at 5:50 AM
IDIOTS! You have made us so MAD!. Go to hell for what you've done. IDIOTS!
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by fresca
Friday, Mar. 28, 2003 at 5:59 AM
I am a moron. That's why I named myself after a cheap softdrink. Why? Because I hear that it's Fuhrer Bush's favorite.
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by useful idiot
Friday, Mar. 28, 2003 at 7:38 AM
I'm a useful idiot with an ususually small penis. I will mock you all into submission.
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by Eric
Friday, Mar. 28, 2003 at 7:39 AM
Wow! You know how to copy and paste the same message over and over on multiple threads? I was never able to master that. It is beyond my mental capabilities. Wait a second. I'll get my third grade buddy to show me how. After that, I'll screw his tight little butthole.
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by R
Sunday, Mar. 30, 2003 at 7:21 PM
Once again, I'm ashamed to be an American. Thanks for such intelligent talk. Just a comment from one of the people who is only concerned with being righteous and not concerned with the ones who have to experience the horrors of war first hand. Oil for life? What a great idea? Who the hell are you? Governor Bush might be a little confused about where to find the axis of evil, whatever that is.
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by Skinner
Sunday, Mar. 30, 2003 at 7:24 PM
I'm ashamed to live in America with people like you, so why don't you pack your shit and move to France, don't let the door hit you in the ass on the way out!
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by R
Sunday, Mar. 30, 2003 at 7:40 PM
Peace to you and to all who have that much anger and hate in them. Free speech is still my right here in America, is it not? Maybe not for long. Or, would you control me so I don't threaten you? Do you want everyone to just agree with you to support your views? What was it I said that made you so angry? I would love to hear your viewpoint on the content of what I said. I'm not planning to move to France right away. It's seems there is more work to do here.
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by R
Sunday, Mar. 30, 2003 at 7:48 PM
Peace to you and to all who have that much anger and hate in them. Free speech is still my right here in America, is it not? Maybe not for long. Or, would you control me so I don't threaten you? Do you want everyone to just agree with you to support your views? What was it I said that made you so angry? I would love to hear your viewpoint on the content of what I said. I'm not planning to move to France right away. It's seems there is more work to do here.
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by Q
Sunday, Mar. 30, 2003 at 8:03 PM
To announce that there must be no criticism of the president, or that we are to stand by the president, right or wrong, is not only unpatriotic and servile, but is morally treasonable to the American public. --Theodore Roosevelt, 1918
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by Impeachment is for Liars
Monday, Jul. 21, 2003 at 10:38 AM
USC Title 18, Section 2331, (Patriot Act, a new category) - "domestic terrorism" - has been created and means activities that:
"involve acts dangerous to human life that are a violation of the criminal laws of the United States or of any State; appear to be intended to intimidate or coerce a civilian population, to influence the policy of a government by intimidation or coercion, or to affect the conduct of a government by mass destruction, assassination, or kidnapping, and occur primarily within the territorial jurisdiction of the United States."
Bush KNOWINGLY lied about Iraq's WMD to intimidate and coerce the public and congress to get his oil war in Iraq. Bush is, by definition of his own Patriot Act, a terrorist.
Mr. Bush, the country awaits your impeachment and free trip to Guantanamo.
www.votetoimpeach.org/
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by stop reading British trash
Monday, Jul. 21, 2003 at 7:03 PM
a. If there were democracy in Saudi Arabia today, backing for the U.S. war effort would be the first thing to go, given the country's "increasingly anti-American population deeply opposed to the war."
And If all the degerate protesters killed themseleves the world might just be a better place
b. The United States subverted some of the few democratic governments in the Middle East (Syria in 1949, Iran in 1953), and has
No Brits did it in Iran and the French in Syria
backed undemocratic regimes in the region ever since.
No shit Serlock, other than Turkey they are all like that. So what makes the US different that any other country that "backs" the regimes in the middle east. We need oil, Give up your car, or shut up!
c. The United States supported the crushing of anti-Saddam Hussein revolts in Iraq in 1991.
The only aid was allowing the Iraqi's to use thier helicopters to crush any possible of a indpendent Kurdish republic which would have lead to a Turkish invasion of norhern iraq and a greater war. Saddam killed all the Shi'tey Arabs by himself. And do you know why? Because none of the peace loving activsts could be bothered to raise a protest sign for the welfare of Arabs 12 years ago. But don't feel bad, after all they are only just Arabs and are not entitled to the same basic rights us.
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