Falluja

Dahr Jamail posts some pictures at Iraq Dispatches:

Two weeks ago someone was allowed into Fallujah by the military to help bury bodies. They were allowed to take photographs of 75 bodies, in order to show pictures to relatives so that they might be identified before they were buried.

[...]

Information with some of the photos is from those identified by family members already.

One of the family members who was looking for dead relatives, shared these photos which were taken from that book.

Speaking on condition of anonymity, he told of what he saw in his village during the last few weeks.

“The Americans shot every boat on the river because people were trying to escape Fallujah by the river. They shot all the sheep, any animal people owned was shot. Helicopters shot all the animals and anything that moved in all the villages surrounding Fallujah during the fighting.”

He said that none of the roads into Fallujah, or around Fallujah were passable because anyone on them was shot. “I know one family that were all killed. There are no signs on these roads that tell people not to use them-so people don’t know they aren’t supposed to use them. No signs in English or Arabic!”

There are several pages of gruesome photographs, a mere fraction of the number of bodies left lying in the streets and in homes in the city. Many are partially eaten by dogs.

To Iraqis, this is the handiwork of The Great Satan.

It's not your freedom they hate.

Previous Falluja posts
A Chronicle of Genocide

Update 9:40pm : Shortly after reading a skeptical commenter's claims, avowing that the military's rules of engagement would not permit these kinds of things - therefore, they don't happen - this article on Jimmy Massey, U.S. Marine with a conscience, came across my e-desk. Excerpt:

Jimmy Massey, a former marine staff sergeant, told an immigration and refugee board hearing in Toronto that he and his fellow marines shot and killed more than 30 unarmed men, women and children and even shot a young Iraqi who got out of his car with his arms in the air.

"We killed the man. We fired at a cyclic rate of 500 bullets per vehicle," testified Mr. Massey, a marine for 12 years who was honourably discharged last year. "The company gunnery sergeant came running over and began yelling, 'You just shot a guy with his hands up.' "

[...]

The former marine said none of the Iraqis they shot had suicide bombing materials in their vehicles. He speculated that they didn't understand the hand signals and signage indicating they should stop.

Globe & Mail article

Yes, I understand that the military's idea of a hand signal that means stop is a raised fist. They expect people outside their own organization to recognize that?

His testimony bolstered that of Mr. Hinzman, who said earlier the Iraqi conflict was considered "a new kind of war" and soldiers believed they were "going to Iraq to jack up [kill] some terrorists."

"We were told to consider all Arabs as potential terrorists . . . to foster an attitude of hatred that gets your blood boiling," said the former paratrooper, adding he did not want to be involved in capturing Iraqis who would not be afforded the rights of due process or of the Geneva Conventions.

As I posted in the comments section, there are plenty of articles exposing the criminal, inhumane behavior of the U.S. military over the course of many wars and other military actions. I have even heard from friends and read accounts of other soldiers who were special forces in Viet Nam stories that would give you nightmares. And these guys are trying to live with the memories of what they did in "service to their country" those many years ago.

But hey, believe what you want...you will anyway.

Update 10:00pm: And another one shows up...

Americans steadfastly refuse to notice the massacres ordered by a mad commander-in-chief and carried out by a berserk defense secretary, even as their fellow citizens are blown to bits in the process, and innocent men, women and children are gunned down in cold blood as they try to flee the carnage.

No one even blinked when Fox News military "analyst," retired Lieutenant General Tom Mc Inerney recently diagnosed what our mission in Fallajua should be -- "We must be ruthless, especially in the area of collateral damage," he said self-righteously. "We shouldn't be concerned about collateral damage. All the good civilians are gone. If we must make Falluja Carthage, then let's make Falluja Carthage..."

  Information Clearinghouse article
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