Seven years after sieges, Fallujah struggles

[xchrom]

http://www.aljazeera.com/indepth/features/2012/01/201212102823143370.html


Many of Fallujah's buildings that were damaged or destroyed in 2004 remain in disrepair [Dahr Jamail/Al Jazeera]

Fallujah, Iraq - Fallujah still bears the scars of war; skeletons continue to be pulled from the rubble of bombed buildings, and, worse, rates of birth defects and childhood malformations have skyrocketed.

There is evidence of reconstruction, but shortages of electricity and clean water remain prevalent. The overall mood in the city is one of anger, hopelessness, and fear.

In April and November of 2004, the United States military launched two massive military sieges against the city of Fallujah, located 60km west of Baghdad, due to on-going resistance there against the occupation.

Doctors at Fallujah General Hospital told Al Jazeera in 2004 that 736 Iraqis had been killed during the April siege. They said approximately 60 per cent of the victims were women, children, and elderly, and told of medical personnel being fired on by US forces while trying to evacuate the wounded.

By the end of nearly three weeks of heavy bombings and a ground invasion in the November siege, more than 1,000 Iraqis were killed, according to Fallujah doctors.

[Solly Mack]

1. K&R

[dipsydoodle]

2. K&R

.

[NewImproved Deal]

3. Mass Reprisal killings...

...for the lynching of those four Blackwater mercenaries.

[libodem]

4. exactly

Leveled it.