Iraqis Blame U.S. for Massacre of Children (we used kids as shields) [View All]

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http://www.guardian.co.uk/worldlatest/story/0,1280,-4530113,00.html

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Residents said that before the start of the celebration, U.S. soldiers called upon the children through loudspeakers to join the crowd, promising them sweets. There were an unusually large number around because the long school holidays were nearing an end.

``I blame the Americans for this tragedy. They wanted to make human shields out of our children. They should have kept the children away from danger,'' said Abdel-Hadi al-Badri, a cleric a the al-Mubashroun al-Ashra mosque, breaking down in tears during Friday prayers.

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``The Americans are the first terrorists and the people who carried out the attack are the second terrorists,'' he added. It was the largest number of children killed in any single insurgent attack since the conflict erupted 17 months ago.

Al-Badri's is a common lament here. Confronted by daily bombings, kidnappings, deadly crossfires and soaring violent crime, many Iraqis blame most of their ills on the Americans. Many say that they and their children would not be dying today had the U.S. not invaded their country 17 months ago.

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Dharar Ahmed, a policeman, said that there was no reason to stage a large celebration for a small sewage plant that was already partially operating.

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``Blaming any party will not bring back my dead son. It seems that 25 million people will die before the democracy is achieved in this country,'' he said.
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