What your $4 Billion a week is buying you, part 250; and a dare

This past week in Iraq: First week of January '08. Week 250 of the US$1 Trillion (that's $1,000,000,000,000) illegal invasion and occupation of Iraq: Civlian deaths

Sunday, January 6. 26 dead, including Rabee'a: US planes bomb car, kill driver -it is the 13th civilian killed by US forces so far in January, including 3 children.

Saturday, January 5. 28 dead, including Mosul: US forces open fire and kill civilian, after their patrol is targeted by roadside bomb. It is the 12th Iraqi civilian killed by US fire this month.

Friday, January 4. 4 dead.

Thursday, January 3. 34 dead, including

Baghdad: New Baghdad; US forces kill civilian during raid
Baquba: US forces kill civilian crossing the street.
Ghalhiya: US forces open fire on car, kill 2 civilians.
Mosul: = 3 (father and 2 children) shot dead by US forces after roadside bomb explodes next to their patrol.
Tal Afar: US forces kill 2 (one of them a child), after roadside bomb explosion.

Wednesday, January 2. 32 dead, including Baghdad: 6 family members (5 of them children) shot dead in minibus;

Tuesday, January 1. 62 dead, including

Buhriz: US forces kill Awakening member during raid.
Tahwela: father and his 16-year-old son are shot dead outside their house.
Mosul: US forces kill woman when missile fired from helicopter misses its target; 3 bodies.


But don't worry. There not real. They're just numbers in a blog post, from place names that mean nothing to us. Whatever you do, don't stress about it.

On the other hand: Here's a little dare for you. Choose a story above, or any other story from the full account of this past week at iraqbodycount.org, which resonates with you, and let yourself sit with it, and try to imagine the reality of it, for a mere 10 minutes. I mean turn off the t.v., the phone, get somewhere quiet, and just sit with that particular story, and those particular people, and use your imagination, and try to fill in details, and emotions, and back story, and so forth. And let me know how how it goes.