Iraqi Children Warned to Avoid Soldiers

[maddezmom]

BAGHDAD, Iraq - For the children of Baghdad, it's a cruel dilemma: Cooped up at home for fear of violence and kidnapping, they can't even go down the street for ice cream, and many are under strict orders to stay away from U.S. soldiers lest they get caught in the crossfire.


But when the soldiers hand out candy, sneakers and footballs, the temptation can be enormous — and fatal.


Mohammed Hamid learned that lesson when the Americans came to the al-Amel neighborhood to dedicate a new sewage system. The 9-year-old joined the rush of kids to the soldiers, snagged some candy and traded a worthless Iraqi bank note bearing Saddam Hussein (news - web sites)'s image for a dollar bill.


Then two car bombs went off and 35 children, 30 of them Mohammed's schoolmates, were killed.

more: http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&cid=540&ncid=736&e=1&u=/ap/20041022/ap_on_re_mi_ea/iraq_scarred_children

[JohnOneillsMemory]

1. "US children warned to avoid BEING SOLDIERS." I wish.....n/t

[Longhorn]

2. That's so sad.

For many soldiers and Marines, the highlight of being there was passing out candy to the children. But that was back when they were being welcomed with open arms, or so we were told.

[Divine Discontent]

3. sad state

when even the children can't go near an occupying country's soldiers to receive candy to try and ease the children's minds that the soldiers won't hurt them.

Of course, when the air force drops bombs on purported targets and they aren't really targets, we kill whole familes.



MARANATHA.... (look it up)

[VegasWolf]

4. "Don't talk to strangers with guns and bombs"

New Information Shows Bush Indecisive, Paranoid, Delusional