{"article":{"id":39576,"heading":"As Night Comes Steppin' In...","author":"Daniel Mossberg","created":"2003-03-24 23:56:31","modified":"2003-03-24 23:56:31","last_modified":"Tue, 25 Mar 2003 06:56:31","article":"\r\nAs Night Comes Steppin' In...<\/b>

\r\n\r\nI've been sitting here like this in front of my computer for four - five nights staring out
\r\ninto the night, through the news reports, photos and videos into hell. War is in so many
\r\naspects the essence of hell. The pictures of dead people enter my body, people that
\r\nstare back at me from the distance of the screen. And all of this for what? They
\r\nhaven't found any long range missiles, no chemical or biological weapons and off course,
\r\nno nuclear weapons. They have not found or killed Saddam Hussein. War is hell and the
\r\nfact that it's an illegal, unjustified and idiotic war just makes the whole thing seem like
\r\nan even greater tragedy. Why do people have to die for the madmens oil and power
\r\nwishes? Why? One of the American soldiers captured by the Iraqis last night said in
\r\nresponse to the question: \"Why have you come to Iraq?\" - \"I follow orders.\" Another
\r\nAmerican soldier said: \"I was told to come here.\"\r\n

\r\nThe people killed in Basra, all of the 77 killed according to Iraqi officials, they don't ask
\r\nor answer any questions any moore. They are gone. They are dead. And for what? And
\r\nwhat words should one use? Were they - Killed? Massacred? Collaterally damaged? And
\r\nwhat kind of use of words is - Friendly Fire? To those British journalists missing,
\r\nwounded, killed outside of Basra, the fire sure as hell weren't friendly. I haven't seen
\r\nthis many pictures of dead, bloody, wounded, burnt people for years. My fear is that it
\r\nwill only get worse from here, as the fighting reaches the outskirts of Baghdad. \r\n

\r\nSo what are we to do? We've continued protest and demonstrate. There were huge
\r\ndemonstrations in London (500 000 - 750 000), New York (300 000 - 400 000) and San
\r\nFrancisco (75 000). In Norway they had the biggest ever demonstration. I think all of
\r\nthis is putting pressure on the military planners and politicians not to harm civilians. In
\r\nthat aspect the demonstrations makes all the difference. Despite that fact, the war
\r\nrages on, but I sincerely believe and hope that in protesting one can in some sense hold
\r\non to some kind of sanity and remain human in the midst of all the madness and killing. \r\n

\r\nThursday night before the first bomb wave for that evening rolled in, the BBC were
\r\nbroadcasting live pictures from Baghdad. Cruise missiles were expected any minute.
\r\nThere was basically no traffic and the streets were almost quiet, except for one very
\r\ndistinct sound. Sitting there in front of the TV I heard birds singing from Baghdad and
\r\nthey sounded just like any birds one hears when spring has come. They were singing
\r\neven at night, in joy. Seconds later missiles came crashing in and the birds were
\r\nsilenced, only the sounds of explosions were heard. I wonder what the birds were
\r\nfeeling? And the people in Baghdad? I don't know what they're feeling, but I know one
\r\nthing, as tears are filling my eyes, I'll be here tommorrow, as night comes steppin' in... \r\n


\r\n[To get the full story with pictures and all go to - As Night Comes Steppin' In...]<\/b>

or...\n","contact":"","link":"http:\/\/www.theMuskratLodge.tk","address":"","phone":"","parent_id":0,"mime_type":"text\/html","summary":"I've been sitting here like this in front of my computer for four - five nights staring out into the night, through the news reports, photos and videos into hell.","numcomment":0,"fileurl":"\/uploads\/","filesize":null,"article_url":"\/news\/2003\/03\/39576.php"},"attachments":[],"comments":[]}