Just watched Baghdad, E.R. - am weeping and seething at

[skylarmae]

georgie porgie and his minions.....the families, ours and the Iraqi's, I pray for them all. The men and women over there are paying heavy prices for this administration's antics...
I'd like to think I understand what's going on; until I see something like this HBO special and realize I understand almost nothing about the true realities on the ground.

[babylonsister]

1. I'd like to think Il Dunce, Cheney, Rummy, Rice, et al,

would actually watch a show like this and find a conscience. I haven't seen any of them exhibit one.:(

[TomClash]

2. An excellent inside look at real Heroes and Heroines

I would like to see Bush and his minions suffer as these brave men and women have suffered.

[MichiganVote]

3. Very, very good documentary

[tsuki]

4. I am so angry, but why is this on HBO? The news corpse couldn't

find this story?

[babylonsister]

6. Very good point. Every American should see this; then they might

question this war and what it's good for. Absolutely nothin'!

[DesertRat]

5. I just watched it too

It took my breath away.

[grasswire]

7. and they omitted the most graphic scenes, they said

I was really touched by the chaplain at the last scene. He's praying, along with the vascular surgeon and the other attending physicians and nurses. Oh my lord, that marine fought for his life. He had a bullet right in the middle of his chest. He didn't survive. But the tender, exquisite prayer of that chaplain, who said he will not count the number of bodies he's prayed over, was also a prayer to all of us to stop the insanity.

[w8liftinglady]

19. "let his death hasten peace"....I cried.

I admit-i have survivor's guilt,because my precious boy is home,and these soldiers and marines have had their lives ruined.you can see it in their eyes.Those two kids who saw their buddy's face blown off...I hope they can find peace.

[Silver Gaia]

22. That part really got to me, too...

I am not a "religious" person, but this chaplain's gentle presence and his prayer over the dying soldier touched me deeply. He called it what it IS in that prayer: "insanity," and called for an end to it. I was in tears, and joined him in his prayer for peace.

I was also moved by the young man who ended up losing his thumb, and his comment (paraphrased) that all he was really trying to do was pay off his bills so he could build a home for his family. I was saddened to think that this was the only way he could see to achieve his goals. As my newly awakened (he voted for Bush) Dad said to me recently, "What happened to AMERICA?" (Land of opportunity? Right. For whom?)

The entire documentary was deeply moving, as well as horrific. Many scenes were VERY hard to watch. Most of the time I just sat silently listening and watching while holding the hand of my 'Nam vet husband, but my outrage and grief, mingled with his, flowed into that silence. At one point, my hubby quietly said, "I hope Cindy Sheehan isn't watching this." I said, "I'm sure she is, or will soon. Probably surrounded by friends." As hard as it was to watch, there are truths here that need to be witnessed, that MUST be seen and heard.

My hat's off to HBO for producing this one.

[IndianaGreen]

8. We have an obligation to bring those soldiers and Marines home

and to stop this crazy war.

[infogirl]

9. Where can we see the movie???????????/

??????????????

[babylonsister]

10. HBO. I'm sure it will be airing repeatedly; tonight was the premiere. nt

[IndianaGreen]

13. HBO repeats at Baghdad E.R. tonight at 11 PM EDT

I highly recommend it.

[LibertyorDeath]

11. Try this.....

http://www.peacefilms.org/

[Hatalles]

14. Is this part of the E.R. doc? If not, can someone post the link as an OP?

I'd also like to see this vid on YouTube.

[Hatalles]

18. I'm in the process of posting it to YouTube... nt

[IndyOp]

12. The link in Liberty-or-Death's reply takes you to Army Ranger's account

of his experiences in Iraq. Below is a rough paraphrase of what he said - I just typed fast while he talked. I missed a lot and probably typed some things wrong. Most of what I have here, MacBeth said. (On edit: He stutters through most of the interview, I included just a little, because it is an indicator of his status).

I got sh-sh-shipped off to Oson. Once I got there (Baghdad) the whole aspect of the country changed. Our job over there is to strike fear in the heart of Iraqis. Do whatever it takes to make them fear you. T-t-t-o be brutal. We have our own purpose. We aren't there for them. The Geneva Convention ain't nothing but crap. I thought we were going over the liberate the people. Operation Iraqi Freedom - it was more like Operation Iraqi Slaughter. Most of them were families hiding down there but we were told Saddam's forces were down there, a lot of them were dead, but a lot of them weren't dead. Smell of burnt flesh, people crying. They thought we were there for them. Seeing people lying around and rotting. S-s-s-some of them that weren't wounded very bad, we had to kill them. After witnessing that it changed me. I feel like I lost a lot of myself. W-w-we would go in, there would be an average of 5-6 people that were hurt just a little bit, they avoided the main blast because they hid behind something, a lot of time they knew there weren't insurgents in there, I think they said that to make it look like we were doing the right thing. The insurgents did a lot of jacked-up stuff to the American soldiers. People have a right to fight for their families. I don't blame them. I would do the same thing. By not speaking out I feel like I am betraying all my boys that died. We would do night raids, we would have them on their knees, if the man of the house did not answer we would shoot the youngest kid in the head. An average joe, trying to support his family. We would start killing off his family until he told us something. I didn't feel anything. I just wanted to do my job. I had to make myself hate them in order to do my job. I had to make myself not think of them as people, think of them as a target, so I could complete my job. I didn't keep count, b-b-b-y my hand alone there were probably over 200 people taken out - that is a rough estimate.

More here: http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=132x2639154#2639236

Weep and seeth some more: <http://www.peacefilms.org/>

THEN END ALL WAR. THERE IS NO SUCH THING AS A 'GOOD WAR'.

[LibertyorDeath]

16. Thanks IndyOp it's worse than I thought Major War Crimes

damn!

http://www.peacefilms.org/

[WhoWantsToBeOccupied]

15. I lost it

I thought I was handling the senselessness OK until the last minute. While watching, I shouted several times, "Such a f'n waste!" But as the show was ending, I realized that I had witnessed only a miniscule fraction of the pain our presence has inflicted on ordinary Iraqis. Aren't the estimates that about 1/2 a million more Iraqis are dead today than would be dead if we had not invaded? Anyhow, I totally lost it. I exploded into tears and anger. I could barely breathe. I think I scared my wife because I never just blow up like that. Such a damn waste. Lives, Iraqi and American, just getting blown to bits. Families getting torn to shreds. For no damn reason.

[applegrove]

17. I felt that way after reading "Assasin's Gate". Really, really sad & awful

[AusGail]

20. Bagdad E R

I assume the name of the documentary is called Bagdad ER. I'll look out for it, if comes on Australian TV. I truly don't intend to be smug, but I knew the consequences of the invasion before it even took place. How the administration changes language to suit itself. In Iraq "freedom fighters" are called insurgency in which they insinuate that everybody who is fighting against the occupiers are foreigners. Where were the "freed" Iraqis who were supposed to be welcoming Ahmed Chalabi and the American liberators with flowers? If Bush really has ideals about freedom and democracy, why has he completely ignored the Sudan. Do they have oil? Please encourage as many people as possible to vote in 2008. The sooner this war criminal is removed the better. Isn't it funny how Sadam Hussain is so much more evil than Pinoche?

[FrenchieCat]

21. I saw it too....and I hope many others did as well.....

If only the media actually reported the way that it is, then we would have already seen the shit that goes on! :cry:

And they need to get back to reporting on Darfur. It ain't over yet.

[OneBlueSky]

23. what an incredibly sad state of affairs we find ourselves in . . .

when we have to wish that filmed carnage of our own soldiers could be broadcast to every home in America . . .

the necessity is inescapable . . . and that fact is seriously depressing . . .

[Vinca]

24. I can't watch it - I'm too depressed by the daily numbers.

One dead, 2 dead, 10 dead, 14 dead. Sniper, IED, bomb, slaughter. 4 year old dead yesterday. Each day I drive by a cemetery where a soldier shot in Iraq is buried. It seems hopeless. Someday I'll watch, but not today. It's time to take to the streets by the millions and force a stoppage to this madness.

[Toots]

25. I understand almost nothing about the true realities on the ground

And neither does any in the Administration. None of them have ever served or been in a Combat situation. And it shows to the entire world..