Weekly Iraq roundup
This is what Baghdad looks like. I'm guessing the populace is used to it, after 4 years. In fact, I'm guess these images are going to be in their heads 'til they die.
This week in U.S. occupied Iraq:
- The U.S. spent 2 Billion Dollars on our ongoing occupation.
- 237 civilians killed, including:
- Baiji: US forces kill 4 civilians inside their car. October 18.
- Diwaniya: multi-national headquarters come under mortar attack, clashes between militia and multi-national forces ensue, followed by US shelling -5 civilians killed, 2 of them children under the age of 3. October 15.
- Riyadh: 3 members of Awakening Council die in US shelling. October 14.
- Total violent civilian deaths in Baghdad this week: 68
All information from Iraq Body Count
Truth is, I caught myself this week gradually making this less real. To witness: I said to myself and others at least 3 different times this week, with a grin on my face, "Hey, could be worse, we could be in Baghdad." In the interest of counteracting this tendency:
Question to consider: With whom are the 160,000 U.S. troops deployed in Iraq having sex? And what are the long term consequences of the the answers to this question?
The rate of violent deaths per capita in Iraq over the last 4 years is approximately 4 times higher than that in the United States. so what would it look like in Seattle, for instance, if we had 4 times as many violent deaths? Scary, I guess.
Note to self: Take steps to start learning Arabic. What advantage did white americans who spoke vietnamese have in the 1960/1970's have in terms of helping to end the war?
Here's a really enlightening round table discussion about Iraq, four years after invasion
A couple images:
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2 comments:
Ben,
Why is your negative accounting only regarding America?
Pro-peace?
Is ths your healthy non-abusive example to posterity?
You don't want spiritual values tied to government?
I note you have your own egoistic need. Enjoy
Jim,
thankyou for stopping by. You ask "why is your negative accounting only regarding america?"
The answer to this questions is two pronged. For starters, it's not. For just one exapmle. seehere
Nevertheless you are correct that my negative acconting is more focused on America. The reason for this is that I feel more personally responsible for the evils perpetrated by America. The reasons for this are complex. I guess I was raised to take personal responsibility for the evils perpetrated by the group of which I am a part. I experience huge benefits from being american. I am one of the richest people in the world simply on accont of the fact that I was born here and live here. I have plenty to eat, a very luxurios life, tons of free time, very little worry/fear, and so forth, unlike billions of people outside of america. All the benefits which I and other americans experience are intimately connected in my mind with the evils which we continue to perpetrate around the world. I feel ashamed about this, and that's why I focus on it.
Yes, I am pro peace.
I don't quite understand your question about spiritual values tied to government. could you elucidate?
when you ask about my example to posterity, are you saying that my words are hardly pro-peace? It is extremely important to me that 'posterity' think of me as not having silently enjoyed all the benefits and gone along with all the evils like the large majority of americans do. I like to think, for instance, that if I had been a German in the 30's and 40's, I would have been speaking out at least this loudly against the evils perpetrated by the national socialists. This would be an example which I would be very glad to be remembered for.
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