Falujja victim's brother (GMA): Not sure he wouldn't feel same as Iraqis.

[Brotherjohn]

Dianne Sawyer talked this morning with the brother and a friend of two of the victims (or perhaps the same victim) who were killed and mutilated in Falujja. They were very muted and obviously struggling with their grief.

The brother said he's not so sure he wouldn't feel the same as the Iraqis over there if the situation were reversed, and said he's very angry at the situation over there (it sounded more directed at our actions over there than at the actions of the Iraqis).

In response to a question about the U.S.'s threat of "overwhelming force" and that U.S. authorities said they were carefully viewing the videotapes to find out who to strike at, he said he felt the same way at first, and was himself looking at the faces in the videos wanting revenge. But then he just felt sad, and that many of these people were just children. He felt a "sadness" for them and their situation.

The friend, when posed the same question, said that an overwhelming response would not be a sign of strength, but "a sign of weakness". Then he began to speak about how he believed in what his friend and the GIs are doing there, mentioning the graves of many killed by Hussein, and drifted off talking about how great a country we live in. He sounded as though he was really struggling with rationalizing why his friend had to die.

Basically, though, these two people close to the victims in Falujja, faced with their loved ones dying so horrifically, still took a rather soft line.

And our leaders are talking of "overwhelming response"... against what, an entire population? They could learn a little about restraint from these two. But then, I guess, Bush is the "one who has to hug the wives and mothers and loved ones", or something like that. Gee, I really feel for him.

[blondeatlast]

1. Screw Bremer. Let these two handle the situation.

People pushed to the emotional edge having empathy for others pushed to the emotional edge. If only we could all do that.

Sigh...

[xchrom]

2. bremer has FAILED

that's the only thing i want to hear -- bremer has failed and more people are dying -- why hasn't he been fired?
his connections to bechtel or haliburton certainly not his connections to the iraqi people or our service men and women.