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July 11, 2006 | It is not beyond the comprehension of this writer that to question actions of Americans - or to question the American military - in contrast to actions committed by "terrorists" can cause some emotional resistance. In some, it seems to cause hysterical blindness - but maybe that is a discussion for another time. In today's news, brought to us from the Associated Press via the good folks at Yahoo, there is a story on two American soldiers killed over the recent rape-slaying "alleged" to have been committed by U.S. military personnel. The issue here IS NOT to justify vigilante killings in retaliation or to condone an "eye for an eye". The issue is how we address the issue - and how it is presented to us. The story in question, written by Robert H. Reed was published by Yahoo on this date. The story states that the Mujahedeen Shura Council in Iraq has claimed responsibility for the mutilation deaths of two soldiers captured on June 16 near Youssifiyah. It further states that the mutilations and killings were "revenge for the rape-slaying of a young Iraqi woman by American troops from the same unit". While a case can be made that this announcement over three weeks after the abduction of the soldiers appears to be a constructed justification in order to gain further sympathy and support from the Iraqi people themselves, one must look at the opportunities we have given such groups to make such claims. In the linked article by Reed, think on the context of this quote, "The U.S. military said Tuesday it condemns "in the strongest of terms" the release of the video showing the two mutilated American soldiers. "It demonstrates the barbaric and brutal nature of the terrorists and their complete disregard for human life," it said in a statement. "Coalition Forces remain resolute in our in commitment to catch the perpetrators of this crime and bring them to justice."
Now, given the brutality of the rape and murder - alleged for now - of an Iraqi woman and the killing of children and others in her family - on top of the unprovoked murders in November of over a dozen Iraqi civilians by U.S. military personnel on top of other such claims on top of the Abu Ghraib crimes - cannot any Iraqi resistance group make the same claim? Can they not say these acts, "demonstrate the barbaric and brutal nature of the There are surely those in Iraq who are indeed brutal and barbaric as they conduct their resistance against their enemy. These brutalities are indeed conducted against innocent civilians as well as U.S. military personnel. The percentage of those who are brutal MAY WELL BE much greater than the percentage of U.S. military personnel who are equally brutal and barbaric. HOWEVER, the brutalities conducted against Iraqi civilians by U.S. military personnel ARE NO LESS reprehensible than the acts of those we call terrorists. Do you for one minute think that the woman who was raped and killed along with the children and other family members was not terrorized? Do you think those who died last November while pleading for their lives against an unprovoked attack by U.S. military personnel were not terrorized? Had you been an inmate at Abu Ghraib, would you not have lived each minute in total fear of your captors - in terror? Are those Iraqi's who have attempted just to stay out of harms way as much as possible and hope that they may again have safety in their own homes not exposed to terror from both the resistance fighters AND the occupiers? Do they question whether their occupiers are any better than those who resist the American occupation?
Are these questions that need to be answered? Can you answer them?
7.11.2006 |