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TechnoratiKABUL, Afghanistan - The bodies of at least 10 children and many more adults covered in blankets and white shrouds appear in videos obtained by The Associated Press on Monday, lending weight to Afghan and U.N. allegations that a U.S.-led raid last month killed more civilians than the U.S. reported.
The sounds of wailing women mixed with the voices of men shouting inside a white-walled mosque in the western village of Azizabad, where an Afghan government commission and U.N. report said some 90 civilians - including 60 children and 15 women - were killed.
The two grainy videos, apparently taken by cell phones, showed bodies lying side-by-side on the mosque floor, covered by floral-patterned blankets and black-and-white checkered shawls. One young boy lay curled in a fetal position; others looked as though they were asleep. One child had half its head blown off.
Turbaned men walked around, gently lifting the blankets covering the faces of the dead. At least two elderly men were among the dead. There appeared to be several dozen bodies lying on the mosque floor, though a precise count was difficult because of the poor quality of the images.
The videos do not provide proof that 60 children died in the operation, but the images do appear to contradict a U.S. military investigation that found only seven civilians were killed in Azizabad, along with up to 35 militants.
The U.S. said Sunday it would reopen the investigation because of emerging new evidence. On Monday, a Pentagon spokesman said new "imagery evidence" came to the attention over the weekend of Gen. David D. McKiernan, the American commander of the NATO-led force here.
"There is some evidence that suggests that the evidence that the U.S. military used in ... its investigation may not have been complete," Pentagon spokesman Bryan Whitman said.
He said a general to be sent to Afghanistan by U.S. Central Command will review the initial investigation. But it is also possible there will be a new inquiry into the raid in Azizabad - this time conducted by Central Command, said Lt. Cmdr. Bill Speaks, a spokesman for the command in Tampa, Fla.
The Afghan government has agreed to a joint U.S.-U.N.-Afghan investigation, said Sultan Ahmad Baheen, spokesman for Afghanistan's Foreign Ministry. It's not clear when or how that will be conducted.
In the videos, several dozen bodies covered by blankets were lined up in two rows, some with their feet protruding. Veiled Afghan women were seen shrieking in grief, alongside a young boy who squatted and rocked back and forth, sobbing beside one of the bodies.
One video showed three young children wrapped in white shrouds. A fourth child had gruesome head wounds, while a fifth appeared to be a girl lying on her back, her head resting on a red blanket.
It was impossible to verify conclusively that the videos showed the aftermath of the Azizabad attack, but the contents appeared to back claims by Afghan and U.N. officials that the U.S. operation killed far more civilians than the military has acknowledged.
U.S. special forces and Afghan commandos carried out the operation.
Afghan President Hamid Karzai has repeatedly warned the U.S. and NATO that it must stop killing civilians in its bombing runs, saying such deaths undermine his government and the international mission. But the Azizabad incident could finally push Karzai to take action.
Karzai says the Azizabad bombings have brought relations between the Afghan government and the U.S. to one of its lowest points since the ouster of the Islamic militia from power in 2001.
Shortly after the Azizabad attack, he ordered a review of whether the U.S. and NATO should be allowed to use airstrikes or carry out raids in villages. He also called for an updated "status of force" agreement between the Afghan government and foreign militaries. That review has not yet been completed.
Afghan officials say U.S. special forces and Afghan commandos raided the village while hundreds of people were gathered in a large compound for a memorial service honoring a tribal leader, Timor Shah, who was killed eight months ago by a rival, Nader Tawakal.
The U.S. investigative report released last week said American and Afghan forces took fire from militants while approaching Azizabad and that "justified use of well-aimed small-arms fire and close air support to defend the combined force."
The report said investigators discovered evidence the militants planned to attack a nearby coalition base. This included weapons, explosives, intelligence materials and an access badge to the base, as well as photographs from inside and outside the base, the U.S. report said.
Associated Press reporters Jason Straziuso in Kabul and Pauline Jelinek in Washington contributed to this report.
66 Comments so far
Show AllWhat a bunch of self gratifying comments. Shame on most of you.
"We the people" pay the taxes which fund our military.
"We the people" give our children for your greedy war.
"We the people" would like full disclosure of all conduct.
"We the people" are still your Commander in chief.
"We the people" are as important as our military.
"We the people" are as patriotic as our military.
"We the people" are always supportive of military.
"We the people" know war is tough to end, easy to start.
"We the people" know what happens during battle,even if their is a news black out.
"We the people" know why the surge worked, during the news black out.
"We the people" know because winter soldiers have told us.
"We the people" know you will end the war in Iraq, move all our soldiers to Afghanistan,have and another news black out.
" We the people" know what our military must do to win.
" We the people" will see this madness through to the end.
"We the people" will conduct International war crimes tribunals for Bush/Cheney.
Thousands of lives have been lost due to a pack of lies, and mistruths.
"We the people" demand real Constitutional American justice.
BornFreeMen
How can these U S A F personnel go back home and face their family and the public?
Do they brag about murdering helpless innocent people ?
If they returned home and found their family blow ed to hell would they figure some hero did a good job ?
The people in the path of hurricanes should be thankful it isn't the U S A F bearing down on them.
"What the horrors of war are, no one can imagine.
They are not wounds and blood and fever, spotted and low, or dysentery,
chronic and acute, cold and heat and famine.
They are intoxication, drunken brutality, demoralization and disorder
on the part of the inferior... jealousies, meanness, indifference,
selfish brutality on the part of the superior."
-Florence Nightingale 1820-1910, British Nurse
"There is hardly such a thing as a war in which it makes no difference
who wins. Nearly always one side stands more or
less for progress, the other side more or less for reaction."
-George Orwell 1903-1950, British Author, ''Animal Farm''
"The more we sweat in peace the less we bleed in war."
-Vijaya Lakshmi Pandit 1900-1990, Indian Diplomat
"Voice or no voice, the people can always be brought to the bidding
of the leaders. That is easy. All you have to do is
tell them they are being attacked. Then, denounce the pacifists
for lack of patriotism and for exposing the country to danger."
- Herman Goering Nazi Air Force Commander
"The real trouble with war (modern war) is that it
gives no one a chance to kill the right people."
-Ezra Pound 1885-1972, American Poet, Critic
"Wars are made to make debt."
-Ezra Pound 1885-1972, American Poet, Critic
"To call war the soil of courage and virtue is like calling debauchery the soil of love."
-German Proverb Sayings of German Origin
"More than an end to war, we want an end to the beginnings of all wars."
-Franklin D. Roosevelt 1882-1945, Thirty-second President of the USA
"War is a contagion."
-Franklin D. Roosevelt 1882-1945, Thirty-second President of the USA
"How fortunate for governments that the people they administer don't think."
- Adolph Hitler
"In the arts of life man invents nothing; but in the arts of death
he outdoes Nature herself, and produces by chemistry
and machinery all the slaughter of plague, pestilence, and famine."
-George Bernard Shaw 1856-1950, Irish-born British Dramatist
Yup! asa is correct, the army relied on corroboration for their side of the story from none other than Oliver North - embedded FOX reporter. Well, that seals the deal for me, after all, Ollie is a man who can be trusted with telling the truth....right?
How about that other old standby, "they hate us because we are free". This usually works to remove doubt.
Over 10 years ago, I envisioned the internet as being the means to end all war. I figured that with the democratic and rapid global distribution of images from the front, people would be horrified and take away all support for war. Those early days were well-represented on the website ogrish.com.
Today, with the explosive spread of cell/video phones, you KNOW that images are being recorded daily, but where are they? Yes, we have this video of the murders in Afghanistan, but atrocities such as this are happening every day, and are being recorded by hundreds of people. Where are the images? Why don't we see this every day?
I contend that some form of censorship is occurring, whereby these images do not make their way to the mainstream internet user. Why isn't youtube full of this stuff? Some will claim "self-censorship", but if it was your family that just got vaporized, then you would want proof of the atrocity out in the public domain.
Of course, ogrish.com was "tamed down" for western consumption, and is now called liveleak.com. We also saw nowthatsfuckedup.com closed down at gunpoint by the Florida Police. Many other sites that once showed promise of showing us the truth have disappeared or now receive a PG-rating for Americans raised on Disney and Britney Spears.
Starting with recent US law to not show photos of returning dead US soldiers, your Government is complicit in preventing you from seeing the truth. Images such as we saw with this article are the exception, but they should be the rule because war sucks.
As in China, news is highly filtered and dumbed-down here in the US (and presumably the rest of the west).
We become what we hate.
I know that some who comment here do not believe in an after life or a supreme being. That's alright with me personally, everyone has the right to make that choice. That choice of belief is our choice and perogitave. From personal experience, I happen to believe therer is an after life and a God and I'd sure hate to be standing before him as Bush and Cheney and so many others in their corrupt and evil cartel will stand someday. Bush and Cheney lied and planned their unjust wars in the Mid-East region and they did it for personal gain or profit, greed, revenge, power and pride. There will be no profit for them when their lives are over here on thiis Earth.
"Any who have harmed one of these little ones, ___ better a mill stone were placed around their neck and they be cast into the sea." ___ Words spoken by God's only son.
~Kem Patrick~
Not to start a debate or anything, just curious, but when you say "personal experience" what do you mean? I thought the whole nature of the god/afterlife thing is that it is based on faith, and by default the existence of such things is not something that can be experienced. Otherwise, wouldn't they be in the realm of science?
And if you are speaking about "experience" meaning, just the way your life has unfolded, I can see you coming to believe in some "higher power" or something, but how's the afterlife come into play there? Near death experience or something? And if you speak of transcendental experiences, I've had plenty of those... they've given me some interesting ideas about the nature of the Universe, but I still don't believe in "God" as it is commonly known. Again I'm just curious; I don't care that you believe in these things.
But as for your comments: I am of a different mind. If there is any kind of judgment by an anthropomorphic deity going on after we die, it seems that God would pat Cheney and Bush on the back for living their lives just the way he knew they would when he created them.
In my opinion, the existence of Bush and Cheney prove there is no God -- or at least one that takes interest in the affairs of human beings.
For shits and giggles, I will rephrase the below quote:
"Is God willing to prevent Bush and Cheney, but not able? Then he is not omnipotent. Is he able, but not willing? Then he is malevolent. Is he both able and willing? Then whence cometh Bush and Cheney? Is he neither able nor willing? Then why call him God?" -Epicurus
I've just seen this video. Some say I read too many history books, but to me the relentless logic of any authoritarian state (US and UK) is that when their armed forces bomb and invade other peoples, it's only a question of time before those armed forces are used against their own people in their own country, too.
Best to you, Cindy. Norway's national anthem is, "Yes! We love this land". For its traditions of peace and humanity. Something both your country and mine needs to discover - urgently.
z -- "Where's SnowWolf?"
Wolf called. He's stuck in Bush's colon, he should be out any minute now. Traffic's backed up to the maze.
One source of military's low count - None other than FOX NEWS - OLIVER NORTH.
http://www.humanevents.com/article.php?id=2827u
SnowWolf "These things can be doctored you know..."
rocyahsoul@yahoo.com
www.lamegame.name
Daniel Vincent Kelley
Till when ?
"You don't need a reason to help people.."
staying-sane-in,
I watched your videos as I watched those of the Winter Soldiers with all of it adding up to consummate nausea and disgust. Especially when people so recently were saying at the Republican convention that there had never been a day in their life "when they weren't proud to be an American." Who was it specifically who said that, Giuliani or the Fred Thompson oaf? I heard the words but wasn't sure who said them since I was half asleep by then. Anyone who looks at these videos and at the same time feels proud to be an American should be rocketed to the Andromeda Galaxy or worse.
But I can't see where you get off on trashing Common Dreams and claim that it has no impact. You (and I) have no rational way of assessing impact any more than a teacher does at the head of a classroom.
If you think that material such as you just offered doesn't have enough impact, why not try posting it at the Barack Obama website as well and maybe in six other places at the same time.
Personally, I greatly admire most of the posts attached to the articles you disparage. For all you know, maybe some of the content is inspiring people to go the print journalism route and write letters to the editor-- the second most read part of any newspaper.
Whatever your misgivings, staying-sane-in, you just need to press for larger readership. Common Dreams, however, is a good start.
I'd like to know what this fake lefty CD site's advertising budget and methods are... personally. I'm pretty sure if you don't stumble across this place or get put on to it by a friend that you'll never hear of Commondreams.
CD is MSM. CD didn't start posting these civilian death stories until a few people raised a bit of stink about how bogus their reporting is. For the longest they would run these stories with pictures of who was at a news conference talking about this stuff... That their bogus leftism was laid bare by comments is why they hid the comments and started to publish real images of what's happening.
It's not because of their dedication to democracy or care for people. It's because they got called on being bogus by so many people they were loosing all credibility.
Anyhow, I agree with you on this point, now that you know where the evidence is, it's up to you to put people on to it. Because if you wait for commondreams to do what's sensible and advertise, you'll be nuclear evaporated before it happens.
What's worst about the fact that CD doesn't advertise is that it doesn't just make sociopolitical sense, it makes financial sense toward building a greater donor base. How "in your face" is CD about letting people know they need money to advertise to push truth? Not very. Check out how prominent their donate link is... Most of what they push here isn't truth in any case. It's democratic party apologetics and alarmism and division.
rocyahsoul@yahoo.com
www.lamegame.name
Daniel Vincent Kelley
After the second World War the United States forces, forced good German Citizens to visit the death camps and look upon the bodies of the people tortured and starved to death.
I find it unbelievable that any people could not have known what was happening or supported such atrocities.
Very much the same happens here. Children are being slaughtered in "self defense". They are being labeled as legimate Targets , their corpses called "Taliban Terrorists" and millions of people nod sagely and say it for the greater good.
If these people that support such actions were forced to walk through the bodies of the dead children with heads and limbs blown off , would they still vocally support such actions and cheer on another air strike?
Fly over a target of Children, drop a bomb on them , kill them and you are a hero. Be at the other end of the bomb as a child or mother or father and you are a "regretable" incident.
I read pro-war sites as well. Just to get a perspective of what that group is thinking. On those boards you will read "Muslims hate Americans...they want to kill us..they want to kill our children and force us all to become Muslims...You can not negotiate with "that type".
This causes me to shake my head in wonderment. MILLIONS of Muslims have been killed by the West in the past decades. They are not safe anywhere as the US and other countries has launched Air strikes on Yemen, the Sudan, Irag , Libya, Afghanistan , Pakistan....too many countries to list.
Just who is out there killing who?
Buy hey..if they DO manage to set some bomb off someplace it proves what beasts and barbarians they are!
How do you convince one human being to kill other human beings?
There are psychopaths and sociopaths who don't need convincing. But for most 'normal' human beings, they won't do it.
To create people who will do this, you need to do two things. One is to make them stop thinking of the people they will kill as other 'human beings'. That's why the sites you refer to call them "muslims' or 'islamofascists' or something like that. The goal is to start people thinking of them in terms of the group, instead of thinking of "Omar, father of five."
The next step is also generate hatred against the group. That's the goal of the propaganda that says 'all muslims hate America' or 'all muslims want to kill us'.
Anyone with any sense knows that's nonsense. You can't take 2 billion people and assign the same crass motives to every one of them. But that doesn't matter to either the propagandist or the killers they are trying to condition. Once they've got people thinking of a group like 'muslims', then they get them conditioned to believe irrational hatred against the group.
Succeed with that, and now you've created a monster who can drop a bomb on children, or gun down innocent people in cold blood.
At Nuremberg, some of the Nazi propagandists were convicted and sentenced to death for their role in the death and destruction.
----------------------------
"To know, and not to do, is not to know"
www.samsonsworld.blogspot.com
i am increasingly ashamed to be an american. mr. obama pledges to send more killers, er, troops to afghanistan, thus, expect more of the same...
"The U.S. said Sunday it would reopen the investigation because of
emerging new evidence. On Monday, a Pentagon spokesman said new
"imagery evidence" came to the attention over the weekend of Gen.
David D. McKiernan, the American commander of the NATO-led force here."
Well, the only real change that came out of the Abu Garaib exposure
and "investigations" is that cameras became totally forbidden. They
found better ways of covering up and preventing future exposure.
Problem hidden - problem fixed.
I bet what comes out of this is that the Military will come to
regard civilians with cameras the same civilians with guns.
Right.
Thus pre-emptive strikes by the American police and military against civilian journalists - taking away our cameras - our non-violent weapons against the violence of our false "peace keepers."
More civilians murdered by United States Military.....Nothing new here.
Ask John McCain about the civilians he bombed in Viet Nam. Of course they put him in prison - he was/is a war criminal.
The Americans who murder civilians should be put in prison now. The Americans who gave the orders that caused the death of civilians should be in prison now.
No accountability. No Integrity. Thank god you are not teaching my children.
The women in the back ground are saying “mashallaah” it was the will of god they are consoling each other ‘the men are numb’ shocked they are in a state of bewilderment’ they are saying “glory be to god” they are saying “there is no power except god and he has power over all things’ they are in utter disbelief they are asking why? The question that should echo around in your numb skull of a brain is the same why? Why for one should you even consider that they are terrorist and deserved to be bombed? You cannot even speak their language you assume them to be what your army says’ so they do not speak yours’ so you kill them! They deserved to die because your army is occupying their land’ so they where fair targets? It doesn’t matter that they are not your enemy’s or combatants’ they could be according to American military logic’ so to absolve yourself of guilt you talk as though they are lying’ they’re towel heads they don’t have soul’s the mere fact that they are Muslims by faith has absolved you of any feelings of foul play ’ since according to American doctrine of killing’ they were not Christian and are their fore heathen liars’ the children were “sons of terrorist’s ” no need for a military apology that’s why we are here to make America safe? After all these children were not born when 9/11 happened but they will be punished for having the wrong dress and skin or for not understanding American military doctrine’ do I hate America yes! Do I blame all Americans yes! for those who think they can bow out you should know if there was one ounce of sincerity in you would publicly execute’ on the white house garden your president’ and those in command of your army for war crimes against humanity’ these children were killed for nothing other than greed and self preservation and since they are the laws that govern the animal kingdom’ then I guess that make you a nation of monkeys sorry no offence to gorillas and chimpanzees
I see the trolls are here today.
Truth is as soon as I come in this forum I contribute to the chain of pain. As soon as I start observing these conditions I feel terrible. Just as terrible as you feel. I consider all human beings my fellow brothers and sisters. It doesn't matter what religion one practices or where they live.
If someone says something negative to me and in return I say something negative back what "good" does it do? Who does it benefit.........no one? How does this help? What does this resolve? Truth is all the person has done is contribute to the chain-of-pain. This is exactly the way negativity perpetuates.
I am not evil and I am an American. Truth is the most powerful thing both sides could do is hold thoughts of peace....not hate.
I'm vegetarian, haven't driven a motor vehicle in about 7 years, I've been protesting the US federal government since before 9/11, I haven't paid federal taxes for about 7 years. I've been calling for the prosecution of Bush and cronies loud enough to be regularly harassed by the police. What would you have me do to absolve your hatred of me? Maybe I should go arrest Bush myself. I'm sure I'd merely be tortured more. Some fine solution that is. I'd get myself tortured and accomplish nothing. I'd actually have to start eating meat again to survive in jail, where they will not provide me a vegetarian diet. Seriously, get a grip. Spout solutions not hatred.
rocyahsoul@yahoo.com
www.lamegame.name
Daniel Vincent Kelley
I'd be careful about not paying taxes. A close friend and his wife were arrested just last week. Their property has been seized. They have lost everything. They are awaiting trial and it is expected they will get 2-5 years.
Is God really blessing America? Judged by its works I think not! I believe that 92% of Americans believe in God or a Higher Power. There seems to be a strong connection between religious belief and killing.
How can we get rid of God? Check my blog.
www.dangerouscreation.com
"The videos do not provide proof" - Way to go AP. Governments don't lie AP. Maybe we can send HRW to investigate and they can claim it was Russian cluster bombs.
CommonDreams has created an irritating slogan: "To inform. To inspire. To ignite change for the common good." You've got to be kidding! Re-printing mainstream media articles is igniting change? Americans voted/allowed Bush back into office for a second term - sites like this have no impact whatsoever.
CommonDreams has hidden the comments section to keep the readers that complained happy, thereby protecting its revenue stream. WE ARE AS DIVIDED AS ANYTHING! We don't want to hear each other's views, to unite and resist. Most of us just want news that entertains us.
Entertaining news? Not so friend. People want news that guides them. They haven't had it all their lives. The people out here don't decide what news sources get pushed on them. The news pushers do. To burn change for the common good... CD is btw MSM.
rocyahsoul@yahoo.com
www.lamegame.name
Daniel Vincent Kelley
NEWS THAT ENTERTAINS US?? Maybe you should brush up on your history Bush wasn't voted in for the second term, but on the other hand, if you're looking for entertainment,you might want to find another site
FrederickJohnson wrote:
P.S.: I'll be voting for Ralph Nader although I know his chances of winning are a long shot.
Hi Frederick. This is not a personal criticism of you, but of the culture we were all brought up in. Also, my point does not apply exactly to you, but your statement does bring up an opportunity for me to make it.
Most people in America will say, “I would vote for so-and-so but he/she has no chance of winning, so I won’t.”
What does that sentiment really mean?
Perhaps it means, “I would like to live in a democracy, but since everyone else feels differently, I will vote for a fascist dictatorship.”
In a true democracy the concept of a candidate’s prospects of winning should not even enter the thought process of choosing a candidate. In a true democracy you vote for who you think is best, not for who you think will win. Indeed, if everyone votes for who they think will win, the best candidate has no chance of winning.
Of course, Frederick, you do say you WILL vote for Nader. Thank you for your honest vote. This country needs more people like you. But don’t bother mentioning Nader’s low chance of winning. Instead, mention the personal pride that you will enjoy knowing that you have voted for the best candidate. Also, over the next four years revel in the satisfaction that you can never be held responsible for America’s downward spiral towards its own destructions as it attempts to control the world through preemptive invasions and crimes against humanity.
I also will vote for Nader. I will vote Nader because he is the best candidate, and I’m damn proud of it.
An election is not a contest or test. There is no prize for picking the winner. Indeed, because of this general American sentiment towards voting for the most likely winning candidate, if you do happen to vote for the winner then chances are we have all lost. In my experience we have all lost every election that I have seen in my lifetime.
I believe that voting for the most likely winner is one of the cultural reasons why America consistently blindly elects fascists as their leaders. And I believe our consistent bias to vote in that manner has been ingrained in us all from an early age by a culture that treats the election process as a popularity/ sports event. Yes, even Obama is a fascist. He will continue America’s policy of terror and fear throughout the world. After an Obama presidency the one billion dollar embassy in Iraq will still be there as proof that he has no intention of acting ethically.
I previously wrote:
I will vote Nader because he is the best candidate, and I’m damn proud of it.
I need to correct myself. I should have written:
I will vote Nader because HE SEEMS TO ME to be the best candidate, and I’m damn proud of it.
There is a big difference. Of course many may conclude that another candidate is better. I previously thought of “writing in” Dennis Kucinich, but I changed my mind when I saw his speech at the DNC. I think that Dennis would still make a better president than any I have seen in my life so far, but his speech changed my mind. After some sole searching I think I will feel more satisfied with myself after the election if I vote for Nader.
The way I see it, since Nader is the one who put seatbelts in cars, maybe he can put seat belts on America’s spiral fall towards its own destruction.
I fear that the majority of people in the country who will vote for McCain or Obama will do so not because they believe that they are the best candidates, but because they want to vote for whoever will win. What’s all this talk about disgruntled Hillary voters? They can still vote for Hillary. That is what a “write in” is for. Indeed, if they do not vote for Hillary, it proves my observation about how most people in this country vote. The fact that Hilary is not an OFFICIAL candidate and therefore cannot win should not matter. If in their hearts they truly feel that Hillary would make the best president, then they owe it to the country to vote for her.
Nader is owned by the richest lawyers in America, the Plaintiff Bar. He's on the big money side. He's the best candidate to derail the Green candidate McKinney, who IS the best candidate. She's so antiestablishment she gets shook down by the cops like a war protester...
rocyahsoul@yahoo.com
www.lamegame.name
Daniel Vincent Kelley
Your comment is rather puzzling and displays a complete lack of knowledge of what it is that Nader does when not campaigning to make this a better nation. You are, whether consciously or not, spreading propaganda and lies. Does that make you happy?
I would urge you to spend a bit of your valuable time with any reputable search engine delving into the words and works of Ralph Nader, as you owe yourself the truth. McKinney may be an admirable candidate, and the Green Party is certainly worthy of support ( I am a registered Green in fact), but Nader has gotten my vote twice now and will get it once again this time around. He is simply the best candidate for the job as you would discover if you used intellect rather than testosterone to make decisions, and research instead of vitriol in commenting about him.
We see things, not as they are, but as we are.
Anais Nin
OREZ_ENO - Very well said.
"The U.S. killing children? Doesn't happen! I won't believe it! More Arab lies! God Bless America!"
The U.S. people sticking their heads in the sand like ostriches as usual. Here is a video of a U.S. pilot blowing up a group of UNIDENTIFIED Iraqis walking down the street - many of them look like children!:
http://www.globalresearch.ca/articles/BUN410A.html
Another U.S. helicopter strafed a primary school, killing several small children. The pilot's excuse for doing so: someone shot at us from down there!
Fallujah: males from 15-55 were prevented from leaving, then the U.S. military blasted anything that moved, including sheep. 60% of the city was destroyed.
And here's a British mercenary company picking off Iraqis as they drive down the road:
http://www.globalresearch.ca/index.php?context=va&aid=1382
This is a war on the Iraqi people. Americans wouldn't tolerate being treated like this, so why should anyone else? Iraqis and others have every right to fight back when their country is brutally occupied.
Bush has banned oil unions in Iraq, as well as unions in the state sector - and he had no intention of giving Iraqis free elections. Bush planned on APPOINTING the government to maintain control. Iraqis protested, violence flared, and Bush caved in; he then took credit for the elections he had no intention of holding.
"White House fears free elections":
http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2004/jan/24/usa.iraq1
Anyway, I just waste my time posting to this site. Said I wouldn't do it again. Only done so a few times now just to reply to comments left by others I felt needed a response.
Thanks Staying Sane.
I had seen those videos, but I didn't think to download that egregious mercenary shootem up on Iraqi civilian drivers, when I first saw it. Now I have it and hopefully I'll find an opportunity to spread the knowledge.
rocyahsoul@yahoo.com
www.lamegame.name
Daniel Vincent Kelley
My only comment to these obscenities is "winning hearts and minds"
What are our leaders on?
Where's SnowWolf? Just yesterday it wrote,
"These propaganda pieces about bombing weddings and shooting unarmed civilians are becoming WAY Tiresome
Either produce the bodies or SHUT UP...and I say that to every bleeding Heart Journalist in the world...
Show me that they are targeting civilians...or stop buying the enemies propaganda".
Not only that,- "stop buying the enemies propaganda" is the most ridiculous comment too.
As if the Afghanis sods who trying to wear down a foreign military occupation
were somehow our enemies.
As if the dirt poor Afghanis could somehow even reach us with propaganda.
Our own propaganda, on the other hand, is all pervasive and all powerful. It
completely swamps us. Even if you tell the truth by protesting in the street,
people by and large wont really trust or believe you. The will go home and
watch the TV. If the protest wasnt shown on the TV then it never really
happened, despite the fact that they saw it with their own eyes. If, on the
other hand the TV says that the protester were violent, then they will
believe that even if they saw police beating up peaceful protesters.
It is said that the first casualty of war is the truth, and 'Wolfie' is only too happy to believe that it is only the 'enemy' who lies. He is wrong of course as he lies to himself.
We see things, not as they are, but as we are.
Anais Nin
Bingo!
I was going to post this exact same response, but it seems that, when presented with facts that oppose his usual uber patriotic and xenophobic opinions and theories, he absents himself.....
We see things, not as they are, but as we are.
Anais Nin
My heart truly goes out to Ms. Shehann, Ms. Tillman, just to mention two outspoken mothers who have sacrificed their beautiful sons to an illegal war of aggression. And this is extended to the 4000+ others and the thousands of parents of those wounded and maimed for life, physically and mentally in this illegal war of aggression.
For all of you, on a personal level----my only child has been missing for over twenty years, I know at least something of your loses.
But she did not sacrifice her life, willingly, for a fantasy that the USA is given the task by providence to bring "freedom and democracy" to a waiting world-----and kill or maim thousands of them to make them "free".
I would hope that the people who have lost their children---some of them their only child---would come together and begin to raise the level of conscientiousness of the American people to a higher level. That to sacrifice so much innocent life as these here in this report reveals, because the world that is controlled by fools, can show their disdain for the lives of innocents.
That American service personnel who die in combat die here---on their own soil, defending their own soil----and not somewhere else defending someone else's.
That no more innocent blood be shed by the USA, or young lives lost---to bring freedom to others.
The cost is too great.
For the USA and for all those others----where ever they may be.
This is a very revealing report----how many others have not been reported?
I am so sorry for your overwhelming loss. You have the imagination, empathy and intelligence that helps you reach out to see and to feel the losses of others. Thank you for your posts, which inspire and inform.
Joe
thousands? Try tens of thousands with debilitating injuries. Last time I checked which was more than a year ago it was at 40,000 soldiers blasted and survived. The survival rate is high this time around because of the body armor they're wearing. They're however loosing limbs and living mangled.
rocyahsoul@yahoo.com
www.lamegame.name
Daniel Vincent Kelley
I believe you can make a strong argument that no soldier has died DEFENDING America since WW11. Even our involvement in WW11 is debatable.
Funny how it showed up during an election time. THE USA MURDERS INNOCENT PEOPLE, wow a news flash. Their task masters do the same thing.
Wow there's moral equivalency. So the U.S. is no worse than the Taliban? That should make you proud. But don't worry mainstream media will never show this. It's offensive to show children blown to bits. It okay to blow them to bits, just don't show it. USA, USA, USA.
Paul Siemering
This has been going on for seven years now, and it should be getting reported all the time.
John Pilger visited some villages and talked to many people. Then, in Kabul, he visited a bombed out school. The headmaster told him the kids can no longer learn anything "because the young have been emotionally invaded and left with only anguish. They constantly worry about shell or bomb attacks, or stepping on a mine; they are terrified of aircraft. These wars have taken away our minds, and the spirit of our lives, and left us with only the shells of our bodies"
the book is called "Freedom Next Time".
What's amazing to me is the total American control of the propaganda machine. I saw one of the father's on Democracy Now saying something about the children not being Taliban. I've seen distraught Iraqis crying about their loved ones, and asking if this is the democracy that America brings them.
This shows me that the US propaganda machine reaches even those whom we are attacking! Why would an Afghan peasant know to point out that an 8 month old baby can't be a Taliban fighter? Why would Iraqis think that the US had any intention of bringing them democracy?
And this is an AP report, yet the reporter bends over backwards not to call the official US report a pack of lies. Yes, there are tiny dead bodies, but maybe they're not the ones that their families claim they are. And there aren't as many in the pictures as families claimed. So maybe we can believe the US government after all
Great Liberation from the Taliban By US
More innocent people are being killed
Go with your strengths, I guess.
I wonder who the Afghans and Iraqis think are the terrorists?
As I have often said: What's the difference between flying airplanes into buildings filled with people, or dropping bombs from airplanes onto buildings filled with people.
George Bush and his band of neocon killers are the worst terrorists in the world today and the US military should quit following orders from these murderers.
I am also reminded of Michele Obama's speech at the DNC when she was exploiting her children and saying how much they mean to her and the Senator...well, her husband wants to increase troops levels in Afghanistan and you can bet that we will be hearing more of these stories. The carnage has leveled out in Iraq due to several factors (including ethnic cleansing, voluntary cease fires, and paying the Sunni's not to kill Americans), so the US has to go and exterminate more Afghans.
Our "leaders" and right-wing Christian fanatics don't seem to get the fact (and never have since we began a genocide of our indigenous peoples) that every human is precious, not just white-Christian-American ones.
We must stand up to these people so we can protect the babies of the world from our military and protect OUR babies from becoming trained assassins for the parasite class.
;(
Cindy
www.CindyforCongress.org
FWIW, Obama doesn't strike me as especially compassionate, despite his success in coming off as warm and wonderful to his supporters, and his noble, gentlemanly refusal to get down & dirty as a campaigner.
I think he's quite capable of personally escorting his daughters to their first day of school, and coming back to the Oval Office and rationalizing photos and videos of this kind of deplorable and reprehensible Amerikan homicide as collateral damage.
It's just the proverbial "felt intuition".
Anyway, congratulations on your latest award, Cindy! ♥
"Obama doesn't strike me as especially compassionate, despite his success in coming off as warm and wonderful to his supporters"
O'Bama's supporters think he is "compassionate enough", as they are not universalists, but rather fraternalists. When O'Bama speaks, his supporters think: "He'll look out for our interests, because he's truly one of US".
In contrast, the universalists ask: "Will he look out equally for the interests of all?" The answer is of course NO because the fraternity of elites require a large pool of human slaves to do the heavy lifting to make possible the fraternal privileges.
Good point.
BTW, since I've occasionally been informed (or chastised) by those who prefer a weaker brew of comments that I can be "unacceptably" snide or angry at times, I sometimes worry afterwards if a particular comment will truly press people's buttons beyond my intentions.
Translated into English, I just mean that I wondered if opining that Obama isn't the "Mr. Nice Guy" he seems to be would provoke scathing rebukes.
Even factoring in the given that the rest of the CD world isn't exactly hanging on my every comment, I'm mildly surprised-- but not a bit disappointed-- that no one showed up to argue.
Cindy, some of us are hoping that Obama who was described by David Michael Green in one of today"s CD articles as being too soft, will as president actually turn out to be the liberal the Repugs are calling him.
You probably know by now that to be elected in this country of idiots where the 63% believe in angels and 20 something percent in evolution, you will have to pander to them. Nader and McKinney don't. They are our best progressive voices but very unlikely to win, at least in our rigged system.
Obama needs us to push him, but it is a better strategy to wait until after he is elected, or else we could all end up dead or slaves under McCain/Palin.
All the best.
ezeflyer, don't waste your breath trying to convince someone like Cindy Sheehan that electing a two-faced Democrat like Obama is "a better strategy." If she believed in electing two-faced Democrats, she wouldn't be running against Pelosi, now would she.
Hey - good to hear from you, Cindy. Good luck on your race. Always on your side, sister . . . swan . . .
http://goodwordswan.wildflowerstew.com
Why must we fly halfway around the world to maim and murder civilians? Now America is working over Pakistan. Nuclear arms and all. What do our video game players in the Mohave Desert think they are doing with their remote controlled war crimes? Or those that build these RPV child killers...
This is upsetting many people who have every right to strike back at the American People in any way that they can. Be it a nuclear surprise in a plane Brown Truck or bags of poisoned pistachos - all's fair and these people can wait for half a century for their revenge. Taxpayer financed bribes will not work forever.
'A spokesman for Pakistan's army, Major Murad Khan, has slammed Washington for killing Pakistani civilians, warning of retaliatory action.
"Border violations by US-led forces in Afghanistan, which have killed scores of Pakistani civilians, would no longer be tolerated, and we have informed them that we reserve the right to self defense and that we will retaliate if the US continues cross-border attacks," Khan said in an exclusive interview with Press TV.'
Hi Cindy,
I'm glad to see you on the forums. Is it possible for you to run for president in 2012, after 4 years in the House, as a Progressive Independent? America very badly needs a 3rd/Independent party leadership on all levels. How is it going in San Francisco? I always hear that San Francisco was the most anti-war in the nation both in the Vietnam War era and this Iraq War era. If that's true, San Francisco had better prove it by giving you the chance and giving Pelosi the pink slip.
P.S.: I'll be voting for Ralph Nader although I know his chances of winning are a long shot.
Hi Frederick
I am in Norway right now. I received an award from the Protest Festival in Kristiansand, Norway...wouldn't it be nice to have a Protest Festival in the US? But it would probably be getting pepper sprayed and rubber bulleted from the fascist thugs.
LOL...let me get through this election first. I think the race in SF is very winnable due to Pelosi's failures and, you're right, SF is the most anti-war and pro-impeachment district. We have a very exciting and energetic campaign going on...stay tuned.
Love
Cindy
www.CindyforCongress.org
Always on your side as well, Cindy.
When in Norway, know how to say "god morgen" and "hvor er badet?"
Cheers.
Ok, Thanks. :-)
On protest festivals. They're going to have to start going local. See, I don't think that going to DC to protest is going to send the message. I live in South Carolina for instance. My flying to DC to protest means nothing. However, if I look for folks in my local district who are fed up with the war and would like to confront our local Congress people and even our two US Senators, it would be great. Think about it. More people do it locally. The pols will be forced to listen to their constituents and then they'll come around. And then the monied interests be they corporate, military, or even religious fundie will be put on the defensive at large. From there, more Congress men and women will build up a coalition to cut down funding for the war and like Vietnam, America will be forced to withdraw from Iraq. Like my wife would say, "Hit 'em in the balls, not a slap in the face !"