From a Friend

I wrote a story last night about people mourning their victims in Sadr City: a child wounded by shrapnel from a U.S. military air strike, a man who lost his wife and daughter. I explained that the U.S. military was going after armed people in the area and these people were not targeted, but victims caught in this battle.

But they were still wounded or killed and their families blamed the U.S. military. It is important to tell that story.

But a conversation with a friend in the military moved me. He read the story with sadness and some outrage. The two men in the piece who said they were shot by a U.S. sniper may very well have been hit by a stray bullet, he said.

When he read that Haider Jassim, a four-year-old boy, was wounded he was moved to tears. He thought of his own child that he had to leave behind to serve in Iraq.

But he also knows how difficult it is to make the decision on whether to strike or not to strike. Sadr City is a crowded urban area and militants use rooftops and backyards to fight the U.S. military and fire rockets and mortars that kill both Americans and Iraqis.

The Mahdi Army, a militia who has been blamed for much of the sectarian violence in Iraq in the past two years, feel it is their right to resist the occupation.

"Why are they putting their families and friends and neighbors in danger," he asked me. "Why are they shooting from rooftops of civilian buildings?"

In an email he made a valid point.

"I think you know that I am personally saddened to read about the innocent victims of war - particularly children. I am a father myself and can't help but think of my own little boy," he wrote in an email. "I am a U.S. serviceman and I know that our troops do not fire indiscriminately...I'm sure that the men that were firing mortars and rockets from rooftops knew that they were endangering those who lived in those buildings. These people often put others in danger by their actions. If we are being fired upon, we must fire back. We have a right and an obligation to protect ourselves and our troops. I would hate to be the company commander that has to make those life and death decisions every day."

The point of the piece today was to show the general anger and sadness felt in Sadr City. Today our bureau will tell another story and tomorrow another. Everyone of them will anger someone, everyone will shine a light on a different struggle in this war.

Comments

[realitybites]

According to the Winter Soldier testimony, which was blacked out by all corporate press in the U.S., including McClatchy, free fire zones are now a reality in Iraq - meaning that commanders will tell their troops to "shoot anything that moves." it's Vietnam all over again - complete with the lies and propaganda put out by military public relations officers.

The Winter Soldier testimonials are at http://therealnews.com/web/index.php?thisepisode=127

Shame on the U.S. press for refusing to cover that story!

[dwg]

Weak argument from U.S. servicemember. I don't think one should blame urban militias/insurgents for injuries due to crossfire (in which innocents are maimed or killed). If there was no occupying force to shoot at, or hide from - there would be no reason for the crossfire and strays.
It's extremely difficult to buy the U.S. military perspective that we should blame an urban insurgent force that has no planes, tanks, helicopters to counter massive U.S. military presence.
They need to get real.

[Susan - NC]

"If we are being fired upon, we must fire back. We have a right and an obligation to protect ourselves and our troops."

Now, just imagine that coming out of the mouths of Russian troops that were sitting all over the USA.

And the Winter Soldier hearings held last month pretty much prove that indiscriminate fire happens a lot. I agree with other posters - shame on the US media for not covering that event! SHAME!

[Susan - NC]

"If we are being fired upon, we must fire back. We have a right and an obligation to protect ourselves and our troops."

Now, just imagine that coming out of the mouths of Russian troops that were sitting all over the USA.

And the Winter Soldier hearings held last month pretty much prove that indiscriminate fire happens a lot. I agree with other posters - shame on the US media for not covering that event! SHAME!

[Susan - NC]

Invading a country that did not attack or threaten the invaders is a war of aggression. This was true for the Nazis going into Poland, France, other countries. It was true of the US going into Iraq. That makes this invasion of Iraq, and everything that happened afterwards, a WAR CRIME.

And the lies that we are doing it to 'free' the Iraqi people make as much sense as Hitler's claim to 'free' the people of Austria or Saddam's claim to 'free' the people of Kuwait.

This war was started to control the resources (oil) and Hitler's war against Poland was started to control the resources (land) too.

To any Americans reading this - you need to stop participating in, and funding, a WAR CRIME.

[frank bonas jr]

Some of the Winter Soldier testimony was covered by democracynow.org with Amy Goodman.

[frank bonas jr]

I love the "we have a right to protect ourselves" line. As one of the vets said, we would carry AK-47's, shovels, etc. just in case we killed an innocent civilian. We could then plant it on him and say he was an insurgent. Or the one where we were told to shell a building that supposedly housed insurgents. So we fired mortor rounds into the town and weren't sure what we hit, or who we killed.

If you don't know who you're shooting at, or have a clean shot, you don't take it. You pull back until you're sure.

[Bob Gaines]

Ms. Fadel - I have really appreciated your clear-sighted reporting, which brings home the human costs of war. I hope you will continue to present what you learn about both the Iraqi civilians and the US soldiers.

Your last two posts help make clear that, however well-intentioned, our soldiers are occupiers in a foreign land, with all the tragic results that entails.

[Proud Wife of an American Soldier]

For four long months, my Husband, an American Army Soldier has been stationed in Iraq. Communications with him suggest to me that he was a part of these so called "attacks" that took place in the region of Sadr City last week. As the wife and mother of his children, I have been on the edge of my seat waiting to hear news of the safe return of him, and his fellow soldiers. Upon returning to his camp, he was able to slip in a quick phone call, to let his loved ones here know that all soldiers were safe and accounted for, a response that I pray to hear each and every day he is gone. I know that there will be casualties, and that does not make the death toll right or fair, but to say that innocents are gunned down in the streets by American Sniper fire is wrong and misleading. My husband, a Christian, and a good man, a loyal husband, and wonderful father, the love of my life, is in Iraq to help people. He has sacrificed his freedom, his family, and his time to help others. This American soldier was so happy to be able to tell me that many of the former residents of Sadr City have returned to their homes, and neighborhoods. "They (the iraqi people) are so happy that we are here to rid their neighborhoods of the "gangs" that have taken over. They are returning home," he commented to me over the phone. I am proud of him, I love him, and I know that whatever he is doing it is good.

[dwg]

Torquemada was a Christian too.