At the morgue

We were asked to send the next of kin to whom the remains of my nephew, killed on Monday in a horrific explosion downtown, can be handed over. The young men of the family, as was customary, rose to go.

“NO!” cried his mother. “Isn’t my son enough?? Must we lose more of our youth?? You know there are unknowns who wait at the Morgue to either kill or kidnap the men who dare reach its doors. I will go.”

So we went, his mum, his other aunt and I.

I was praying all the way there.

I never thought a day would come when it was the women of the family, who would be safer on the roads. All the men are potential terrorists it seems, and are therefore to be cut down on sight. This is the logic of today, is it not? To kill evil before it even has a chance to take root.

When we got there, we were given his remains. And remains they were. From the waist down was all they could give us. “We identified him by the cell phone in his pants’ pocket. If you want the rest, you will just have to look for yourselves. We don’t know what he looks like.”

Now begins a horror that surpasses anything I could have possibly envisioned. We were led away, and before long a foul stench clogged my nose and I retched. With no more warning we came to a clearing that was probably an inside garden at one time; all round it were patios and rooms with large-pane windows to catch the evening breeze Baghdad is renowned for. But now it had become a slaughterhouse, only instead of cattle, all around were human bodies. On this side; complete bodies; on that side halves; and EVERYWHERE body parts.

We were asked what we were looking for, “upper half” replied my companion, for I was rendered speechless. “Over there.” We looked for our boy’s broken body between tens of other boys’ remains’; with our bare hands sifting them and turning them.

We found him millennia later, took both parts home, and began the mourning ceremony.

Can Hollywood match our reality?? I doubt it.

Comments

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[Ubaid]

Hi Jospeh,

I feel so sad about Jason. I am sure he was a great soldier and he died doing what he wanted to do. It's really heart breaking for me to see tears in Micheal's eyes (Jason's father). He is a great friend of mine and i feel helpless that i cannot do any thing for him.I have a son and can imagine the pain of losing a son.

May Jason's family have the patience to bear this great loss.

I appreciate you wrote

Regards
Ubaid

[JOSEPH BUTKUS]

AS I SIT HERE CRYING THINKING OF A MAN WHO I SEE AS A KID. I NEED TO SHOUT OUT THAT IT IS WRONG THAT MY NEPHEW HAS DIED. NOT DIED HE WAS KILLED IN IRAQ. HE WAS WITH ME AT CHRISTMAS THEN WE SAID GOOD BY. I KNOW HE HAD TO GO. HE CALLED FROM IRAQ TO SAY HI I SPOKE TO HIM BUT INSIDE I KNOW HE WAS GOING TO DIE. I TOLD MY SON TO TALK TO HIM ON THE PHONE MY SON WHO WAS 7 AT THE TIME, THAT THIS WAS THE LAST TIME HE WOULD SAY HI AND BY TO MY NEPHEW WHO WOULD DIE. MY NEPHEW WAS GUNHO TO GO HE WAS THE BEST SOLDIER WE ALL KNOW. I WILL GIVE HIS NAME TOMMOROW BUT NOW I MUST CRY. I LOVE YOU BUDDY GOOD BY. MY NEPHEW STAFF SEARGENT JASON BUTKUS DIED 08/30/2007 THANK YOU FOR POSTING

[JOSEPH BUTKUS]

MY NEPHEW WAS KILLED TODAY IN IRAQ HE IS MY HERO BUT BUSH KILLED THIS KID WITH FAKE INTELLIGENCE HE WOULD NOT HAVE BEEN THERE

[Verne D. Fukawi]

"Rainman" claims to have read "some" of the comments posted to this article, and says: "You people need to get a life. Don't blame the American soldier for every horror that happens...If you do not support the war that is your choice but leave the military out of it."

Well, I have read all 20 comments posted before Rainman's contribution, and not one even mentioned the American military. Where blame was laid, it was laid on the American politicians for instigating this evil war, or on the American people for allowing them to do it. Many of the comments were merely heartfelt expressions of condolence. "Rainman" would do well to reread them all.

"Rainman" also said "if you are ashamed of being an American pack your bags and leave." I have a better idea: If you are one of those of our countrymen who have made us so ashamed, YOU pack your bags and leave.

"Need to get a life?" We all have lives, even "Rainman." But "Rainman" needs to get a heart, a soul, and, above all, a brain.

Sincerely,
Verne D. Fukawi

[Rainman]

You people need to get a life. Dont blame the american Soldier for every horror that happens. I have read some of the comments posted and if you are ashamed of being an American pack your bags and leave but you will not because you have it made living in the USA. We did not ivade for the oil. If you do not support the war that is your choice but leave the military out of it. If we do not kill the terrorist in Iraq it will follow over to the streets of America.

[Scorpio]

Oh my senators, being body-and-soul Rethuglican minions, would scarcely notice.

[Pook]

I invite you all to send this article to your senators. I'm sure they won't care. They have no soul, but it would be good to see if they have the balls to read this. Don't waste your time sending it to Dubya. He could care less.

[ChezzaJT]

Words can not express the sadness that I feel for you. My eyes are full of tears and my heart is aching. All I can do is send you my love and wish for peace.

Hugs and love,
Cheryl in Australia.

[Aunty Ism]

May your heart stay strong, and someday know peace. May your country someday know peace. May the false divisions between your people someday be seen for what they are: tools of evil people to arouse the basest of instincts, to create fear and to form a basis by which "leaders" may insight us-ism versus them-ism in order to increase their own power and control.

I am so sorry that my country has been the foremost instigator of the chaos that you must endure. May we also someday be rid of the despicable despots now in power.

Keep writing your stories. This must be known.

[Grant Fehr]

That little george, etc. are war criminals is no issue with me.

Nor is it an issue that we Americans as a people are primarily to blame for allowing them to indulge their ignorant fantasies.

But I think it is also important to note that the reality described in this post is Iraqis -- the equal of any degenerate (such as little george) that we can provide -- against Iraqis.

"Blood and destruction shall be so in use
And dreadful objects so familiar
That mothers shall but smile when they behold
Their infants quarter'd with the hands of war;
All pity choked with custom of fell deeds:
And Caesar's spirit, ranging for revenge,
With Ate by his side come hot from hell,
Shall in these confines with a monarch's voice
Cry 'Havoc,' and let slip the dogs of war;
That this foul deed shall smell above the earth
With carrion men, groaning for burial."

Needless to say, the above is Shakespeare, from "Julius Ceasar".

[annie]

how utterly horrendous. what could anyone possibly say. i am so very sorry for your pain and grief, for all the loved ones in your family, and for all of iraq. i feel my country is to blame, of course .

[Patrick Michels]

Has anyone noticed that while such horrors occur daily in the real-world Iraq America remains fascinated by the adventures of maniacal serial killers and sociopaths. Just look at how many films have come out recently whose plots revolve around the exploits of sadistic murderers. And look at how all of the CSI variant TV shows feature plotlines that involve elaborate serial killer themes. And in both formats the killer is, if not the hero, certainly fetishized. I've begun to wonder if despite the newsmedia's undercoverage of the carnage in Iraq the American psyche isn't expressing through its interest in slasher movies that it is well aware of the real violence we've unleashed.

[Brian]

Meanwhile most Americans are more concerned with who is on American Idol, than this woman's, and her nation's absolute hell. It's damn time Americans did something to hold those responsible for setting this nightmare into motion.

For what it's worth writer, I'm really sorry that we couldn't stop this madness, because a lot (certainly not enough) tried.

[Teresa Nielsen Hayden]

I am so very sorry for your loss of your nephew, and for the horrible circumstances under which you retrieved his body.

So many of us tried to stop Bush, but he stole two elections, and his own people are too busy robbing the country to impose any restraints on him.

[Ninbus]

I'm ashamed to be an American.

[Rosemary Molloy]

Why is this report, with pictures, not in every daily newspaper, on every television channel, on billboards and posters and flyers in every city in the country?

[1millionmonkeys]

President Bush, when queried about the horrors at the Baghdad morgue, joked "Where do they keep the giblets?! He he he . . . them folks ought to use them resources and make a nice stew!" Mr. Bush then proceeded to kill a small cat and began feasting on it's still warm flesh.

[Susan]

It is a horror you are living, and I am so very sorry. I will send it on to the White House also - maybe if they get hundreds of copies, it will sink in, this horror they created.

I am so sorry the American people did not stop them. I tried.

[TuiMel]

My condolences to you and your family. They are sent with sincerity and profound shame.

[Steve Jones]

For what it's worth, I sent a link to this article to the White House, under the title, "Read it and weep, you sumbitch".

I received in return:

"On behalf of President Bush, thank you for your correspondence. We appreciate hearing your views and welcome your suggestions. The President is committed to continuing our economic progress, defending our freedom, and upholding our Nation's deepest values.

"Due to the large volume of e-mail received, the White House
cannot respond to every message. Please visit the White House
website for the most up-to-date information on Presidential
initiatives, current events, and topics of interest to you. In order to better receive comments from the public, a new system has been implemented. In the future please send your comments to comments@whitehouse.gov.

"Thank you again for taking the time to write."

Sumbitch.

[Charlie Millson]

The war criminals who started this illegal war should be put on trial and punished. This is murder, this is foul, this is evil. God help us.

[Robert P. Ewing]

I know that nothing I could say could lessen your grief. I am so sorry that my country has created a situation in which such losses occur with such horrible regularity.

[bobeedee]

Iraq was invaded so that the US could steal the oil. It was always about the oil. It will always be about the oil.

My wish is for the Americans to leave now.

[Laura]

My heart goes out to you and your family, for the loss of your dear nephew, and for the horrors you have had to endure. I am so very sorry.

[Ben Rosengart]

Nobody and nothing can match your reality.

I'm so sorry.