The news out of Iraq just keeps getting worse. This time, it may create a diplomatic nightmare for the Bush administration because the Iraqi UN ambassador claims that US marines murdered his unarmed cousin:
Ambassador Samir Sumaidaie, a supporter of the United States, said Mohammed al-Sumaidaie, the son of his first cousin, was shot by marines during a raid at his father’s house in the village of Al-Shaikh Hadid, near a US military base at the Haditha Dam.
“All indications point to a killing of an unarmed innocent civilian – a cold-blooded murder,” Mr Sumaidaie said.
Following on the heels of the news that some 8000 Iraqis have died in the past 6 months, this accusation of murder is sure to incite strong passions in what is already one of the most dangerous places in the world. The repercussions could be staggering and very deadly.
The US military said in a statement from Iraq that the events described in the allegations “roughly correspond to an incident involving coalition forces on that day in that general location”.
Of course, the US military has stated that it will investigate, but that certainly won’t calm those who are already so inflamed about the illegal war and occupation. The military can’t just sweep this one under the carpet – not considering the prominence of this dead man’s cousin who will make sure that no stone is left unturned in order to find justice.
BBC News has the chilling story:
He said Mohammed, an engineering student, was visiting his family home when some 10 marines with an Egyptian interpreter knocked on the door at 1000 local time.
He opened the door to them and was “happy to exercise some of his English”, said the ambassador.
When asked if there were any weapons in the house, Mohammed took the marines to a room where there was a rifle with no live ammunition.
It was the last the family saw him alive. Shortly after, another brother was dragged out and beaten and the family was ordered to wait outside.
As the marines left “smiling at each other” an hour later, the interpreter told the mother they had killed Mohammed, said Mr Sumaidaie.
“In the bedroom, Mohammed was found dead and laying in a clotted pool of his blood. A single bullet had penetrated his neck.”
Mohammed was 21 years old.
Meanwhile, the MSM is busy reporting on the missing woman in Aruba, Tom Cruise and Brooke Shields, and is busily parading out every possible person that Sandra Day O’Connor even sneezed near along with the never ending stream of so-called SCOTUS experts.
Will this story even cause more than a blip on the radar screen in the media? Stay tuned.
The BBC details are truly chilling.
A pattern of behaviour is confirmed that will be almost impossible to deny – given the family connections of the victim in this case.
I am sorry, but I have to say that this relates to the Southern states American obsession with guns and hunting. When Iraquis have been dehumanized, they become ‘prey’ or sport.
It’s not just the southern states. It’s a North American phenomenon. Just visit my part of the world for a week or two… (Alberta, Canada) – guns, God, beef and oil…
This story is way too big for the US to ignore.
It is an outrage that 10s of thousands of Iraqis have died already, without a powerful relative to champion their innocence.
Guns, God, beef and oil! 4 things that the Finns are totally disinterested in. Apart from the last two which occasionally make it onto the summer barbeque.
Sauna, sex, salmon and tango are probably our equivalents 😉
How many more stories like this will it take for someone back home to even ask a question of our over protected and deified military? How many more innocents will we murder with impunity? There are no excuses for the troops involved. No excuses for their officers. No more excuses for anyone.
Eaxactly.
All of these actions will come home with these guys and they will beat the shit out of their spouses and partners and kids, be evil neighbors to live next door to, and they will drink themselves to death trying to be internally cut off from and running from the darkness inside OR they will tell us all about it and we will all be grossed out beyond grossed out but maybe they can find some measure of happiness in the life they have left OR they will do their best daily to keep the love inside of them alive and well and HIDE THOSE HORRIBLE SECRETS AND HORRIBLE DEEDS deep down inside until they can’t any longer and they will blow themselves away in front of the VA medical center like my Uncle did. Don’t worry though, WE SHALL REAP WHAT WE HAVE SOWN.
Tracy, when I read this story. These people will be returning to the country and living amongst us. These people that de-humanized, must now turn that human empathy back on. Right. It’s like a light switch.
It makes me want to scream and cry and withdraw all at the same time. This whole situation is getting WORSE – not better. I don’t see a way out of it that will end the suffering. Because there’s no turning back now. People – both the good and the bad, the Americans, the Iraqis, everyone – are going to be carrying this FOREVER.
.
Min – Max number civilian deaths
The Pentagon does not give numbers for civilian deaths in Iraq.
Do you recall the good old days of May 2003 – Mission Accomplished – when the name of Al Zarqawi was spelled for the first time? The US Command in Iraq estimated the number of insurgents to be 150-200!
CNN June 30, 2005 — US Air Force Brig. Gen. Donald Alston said he believed fighters remained a potent, adaptive force and the lethal car bombings that have plagued Baghdad and other places in recent weeks will continue in Iraq for a period of time.
The number of insurgents is estimated as “between 15,000 and 20,000 at large, with a lot of folks who don’t choose to fight every day”. Alston estimated a core group to number in the hundreds and their main targets are Iraqi security forces and civilians.
Reminds me of a political cartoon a long time ago on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. First poster shows an Israeli tank confronting a lone Palestinian fighter on occupied Palestinian land. After blowing target to smitherines, the cloud of dust and smoke clears up in front of the same tank. Only now there is a group of 10 Palestinian fighters confronting the Israelis.
US using same military tactics in Iraq – gets you the same result.
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