US soldiers allegedly kill two girls in Iraq

ABC News Online ^ | November 28, 2003 | ABC News Online

[Justin Raimondo]

US troops have allegedly shot dead two young Iraqi sisters near Baqubah, north of Baghdad.

Iraqi police and family members say American troops shot the 12-year-old and 15-year-old as they were collecting wood from a field.

The older girl died on the spot and her sister died later of her wounds.

A policeman claims that US forces handed one of the girls' bodies over to the police "arguing that she had a gun in her possession".

Police searched the family home but found nothing suspicious.

Coalition forces in Iraq are investigating claims, but have declined to make further comment.

[Justin Raimondo]

I don't take sides in foreign civil wars. And neither should the U.S. The billions we send to Israel is a provocation to the Arab-Muslim world. It is not in our national interest to support Israel, either financially or politically. Unfortunately, a powerful lobby on Israel's behalf exists in this country: Jerry Falwell, Pat Robertson, and the "born again" dispensationalists, who see Israel as the final "dispensation" in the days prior to the Second Coming.

I have nothing against Israel, per se: only against its iron grip on American foreign policy, which is Israeli-centric when it ought to put America first.

[At _War_With_Liberals]

... Justin Raimondo Antiwar.com PRAVDA.Ru Justin Raimondo : Israel and 9/11
PRAVDA.Ru Justin Raimondo : THE OIL FACTOR The geopolitics of ... ...
english.pravda.ru/main/2002/01/16/25710.html - 87k - Cached - Similar pages

[LoudRepublicangirl]

Unless, of course, one considers that Iraqi (or Arab, or Palestinian, or whatever) lives are not worth anything.

You said it, Justin, we didn't......

[Justin Raimondo]

So you're saying that we need to fight a worldwide war in order to make the world safe for homosexuals? Many things are illegal in Saudi Arabia and points East that are legal in the U.S., and vice-versa. The foreign policy of a nation cannot be driven by such considerations, but only by a calculation of national interests. That is something people like Andrew Sullivan will never understand.

[Prodigal Son]

Our military does NOT support the mission,

Are you out of your mind?

[Justin Raimondo]

Improving the lives of Iraqis is not the proper function of the U.S. government. In the field of foreign policy, Washington must look out for American interests -- period.

[John Lenin]

IF everyone had your attitude we would all be speaking German.

[Valentine_W]

"One is either for the war, or against it. Taking it "too far" is impossible. BTW, this war is NOT for oil, or "dollars," as one poster has written (above): the value of the dollar is being degraded by it. And so is the moral and political capital of the U.S. We aren't safer: we're in more danger, here in the U.S., than ever. And putting our troops smack dab in the middle of the Mideast cauldron is hardly a winning strategy. We will reap the whirlwind, as they say. And all -- for what?"

I never once bought into the notion that this war was for oil. I have always believed that the Iraq war should have been fought under the auspices of a humanitarian mission, mainly because I believed that Hussein would never make it easy for the US to track down and find his WMDs. I think that the majority of Americans would have supported the President even more if the Bush Administration made this war into a totally humanitarian mission, and just let the WMD factor be part of the background of the mission.

Back to your post, I believe that President Bush views the War on Terror to be his quest in life--both internal and external. President Bush views his external quest as being a call from God to defend the freedom of the American people and the freedom of those who do not the power to defend themselves against those he views as ruthless tyrants, such as the previous Taliban regime and Saddam Hussein’s former hegemony in Iraq. In fulfilling this external quest, President Bush’s internal quest to fulfill God’s will in his life also becomes more complete.

In President Bush’s case, he put his entire political career on the line to defend America against her enemies, despite harsh criticism and a deteriorating economy. For President Bush, his quest is clear and his cause is just. In fact, he is so convinced of his rightness that he is willing to lose an election and face harsh criticism for his actions. But next to his calling—his quest in life, elections, polls, and detractors are simply secondary. Only when one is able to understand that the War on Terror is George W. Bush’s quest and why, will one truly understand why the War on Terror is the driving force in his Presidency and why it consumes him.

I do not believe there is any conspiracy behind the War on Terror--it is really not an issue of Paleo v. Neocons. For President Bush, the War on Terror is an issue of Good v. Evil. He probably doesn't even understand why so many paleocons hate his policy against terrorists, and this issue probably doesn't even cross his mind anyway.

I think that you need to step back from the situation and really watch President Bush in action, do not form any opinions for about 6 months. After 6 months, then tell us what you think President Bush and the War on Terror--your mind might be changed. I know that my viewpoint on Bush changed when I did this.

[dennisw]

It's just common sense: no one likes to see their country occupied by a foreign power.

Communist and Saddamite trash verbiage. We are liberators, not occupiers. Most Iraqis are darn glad to be rid of Saddam, his psycho sons and the shredding machines they fed their enemies into. You have thrown in with the left wing in America, thus making a sorry spectacle of yourself. Many libertarians have gone down the same road, making common cause with commies and Jihadist Muslims. I am proud of our army of liberation. Saddam is gone. Soon he will be buried under rubble.

[Justin Raimondo]

Are you saying that the Iraqis were about to invade Chicago -- in which case we'd all be speaking Iraqi?

How many times are we supposed to fight World War II? Saddam is Hitler -- that has got to be the overstatement of the century. When we entered WWII, Hitler's armies had taken over most of Europe: when we invaded Iraq, Saddam's crumbling military couldn't even hold onto the northern part of his own country. Sorry, your answer was glib, but essentially a fib. Better luck next time.

[LoudRepublicangirl]

It's just common sense: no one likes to see their country occupied by a foreign power. Period. That's why they cheer when our Chinooks are downed, even though we just got finished building them a new school. It's called national pride. Surely the folks at FR can understand, if not empathize, with that.


Boy Justine, do you have the wrong crowd. You need to retreat to your pro-arab, anti-semitic love fest. This tough crowd will never see the world as you do. Get over it and go back to your anti-American pot party with your muslim butt buddies.

[MissAmericanPie]

Where did you come from. I don't remember taking a laxative.

[Arpege92]

"Oh, I see, so the Iraqi's WON'T fight, so WE have to do it for them."

I think you have mistaken that fact....it was the FRENCH who wouldn't fight.

[Justin Raimondo]

A very perceptive post. GWB has finally found his "quest in life." How very Oprah. One only wishes that his "quest" for personal fulfillment didn't require marching over so many corpses. But now that we're an Empire, I suppose that's the Emperor's prerogative.

[Little Bill]

Justin, in 1968 my Squad was relaxing in front of the National Police station in Cu Chi village waiting for a pick up after an ambush patrol, A Bomb went off wounding two of my guys.

The bomb was planted by an eight year old "Coke Girl", who was paid 500 Piasters to put her bag next to us. Luckily the C4 was old or the time pencile was defective. the explosive was packed in a PBR can with BB shot. Public School education is great.

[Valentine_W]

Justin, anyone who holds any sort of a belief system, has a quest in their life--no matter how large, small, significant, or seemingly insignificant.

Because I believe in Christ, I believe that He has a calling for my life--and this is my quest in life.

As for my post concerning President Bush and his quest, I made note that Bush's quest is both internal and external; there is a difference between the two.

If you do not agree with me, feel free to tell me why.

BTW, I don't watch Oprah. She tends to appeal to liberal, weepy middle-aged housewives. That really isn't my cup of tea.

[Valentine_W]

Just out of curiousity, what course do you think that Palestinians will chose to take once Arafat is out of the picture? I think that Arafat is in his last days--according to many experts accounts, Yasser Arafat is probably going to leave the picture soon, whether by natural causes--he has Parkinson’s disease, gallstones, and serious heart problems; or by expulsion, which the Israelis have considered before; or by assassination, either by the Israelis, or by insurgent Palestinians, the time of Yasser Arafat‘s influence is coming to an end.

What do you think will happen afterward?

[Prodigal Son]

31 percent it was of little value, or none at all.

Sounds about right from my own experience in the military. 67% believe the war was worthwhile according to that poll.

Over 60% of soldiers believe their mission is clearly defined. That is a pretty good accomplishment based upon my own experience.

50% describe their unit morale as average or better. 64% also describe their personal morale as average or better. So most soldiers are pretty reasonable about their situation. Sounds about right considering where they are and what they're doing- but again, this is only based on my own personal experience. Perhaps the units you were in were always ecstatic to be deployed somewhere.

58% of troops say that their jobs are close, very close or identical to what they were trained to do. Pretty good statistic actually.

[Prodigal Son]

If we aren't increasingly resented, then what's up with all that shooting over there?

It's been that way since March. I don't see it as increasing. It's a war. Of course there's shooting.

[Justin Raimondo]

actually, having a belief system doesn't necessarily entail a "quest" -- it may mean the quest has ended. Of course, some belief systems do entail a quest: especially the Christian heresy known as dispensationalism, which requires the believer to "find" the presence of God in a foreign nation (i.e. Israel), and dictates total and unconditional support to that nation no matter what it does, or how brazenly it flies in the face of American interests. And that really is a shame. People like Jerry Falwell and Pat Robertson are traitors , literally fifth columnists, who believe that they have a divinely inspired "mission." They're crazed, and very powerful: in a more rational world, they would be consigned to the margins. In our world, I'm afraid they -- and their presidential fan club -- rule.