Who Are the Terrorists Now?

[genius]

Check out the results of the survey in this article. They sort of put things in perspective.

The writer also discusses the coffin photo controversy and really goes after Bush and the news media.

The article also includes a very moving poem the author wrote over a year ago to honor the children of Iraq.


Who Are the Terrorists Now?
By Natasha H. (age 12)

“Suppose a more powerful country existed. Suppose it attacked us, bombed us, killed and mutilated members of your family, irradiated most of the country, invaded us, stole our country’s treasures and its natural resources, set up a militarily-enforced government with members of its choosing to govern us, closed newspapers, continued to occupy this country with armed soldiers and mercenaries, and continued to kill civilians frequently. How would you feel about those occupying your country?”

This was a survey question posed to 639 interviewees. Does the fact situation sound familiar? It should. It was based upon the events of the US invasion and occupation of Iraq....
...
The reason a lot of Americans think Iraqis are different from Americans is because CNN, Fox, NBC, CBS and other supposed news sources actively hide the truth about the horrors the Bush administration is inflicting on innocent people and children in Iraq. FAIR (Fairness &Accuracy in Reporting) recently took CNN to task for its criticism of Al Jazeera’s decision to report civilian deaths.<2> Failing to report civilian deaths in Fallujah would be on a par with failing to report that anyone died on 9-11-01. Over a hundred children and babies were slaughtered in Fallujah within a week of the start of the “retribution.” This is a small fraction of the number of innocent civilian adults in Fallujah who were massacred – simply because they happened to be in the wrong city when Bush got angry. The precise number of casualties from the “retribution” is likely to be underestimated because of the large number of civilians believed to have been dumped into mass graves. Ambulances with humanitarian aid workers became target practice for the U.S. forces. Surviving children often saw their brothers, sisters and parents blown to bits. The hospitals and the clinics were over-filled with innocent Iraqi children and adults in critical condition. A great many other injured victims (including aid workers) were blocked by U.S. forces from getting to a hospital and wound up bleeding to death.
...
To what do the troops come home? After risking their necks so Bush and his friends can get rich, and after being exposed to dangerous levels of radiation, these troops deserve good treatment. Some of them have lost limbs or become otherwise disabled fighting Bush’s war and they deserve to be treated like the heroes they are. Instead, those who come from Camp Pendleton (a Marine base in Southern California) return to their rat-infested, toxically moldy base housing. These toxic conditions are what their families had to live with during their absence. Those who don’t want to get sick from the base housing have to use up their life savings to live outside the base. The housing inspector (a veteran) who reported the toxic mold and rats to Republican Congressman Darrell Issa was fired – after 18 years of good service. Truth seems to be very dangerous to those who tell it with Bush and the Republicans in charge. Suitable, non-toxic, nearby housing currently exists at the former El Toro Marine Base for the heroes who risked their necks to fight this country’s wars. However, Republican Congressmen Darrell Issa, Ken Calvert, Christopher Cox and Duncan Hunter have been actively working to get the government instead to transfer the land at El Toro to private developers (who will make a fortune off the land) while the Marines and their families continue to suffer from the toxic housing conditions at Camp Pendleton. These four Congressmen are the real enemies of our troops. If you support the troops, then you will actively oppose the re-election of these four men to Congress.

...

http://debateusa.com/featured/hull_richter.htm

[tandot]

1. thanks for this post.

I just posted a response on DebateUSA to this article.

I am extremely saddened by the whole situation. I just can't understand why so few people show outrage.

:cry:

[MallRat]

2. C'mon now.

“Suppose a more powerful country existed. Suppose it attacked us, bombed us, killed and mutilated members of your family, IRRADIATED MOST OF THE COUNTRY,"

Let's be fair, folks. Depleted uranium isn't all that radioactive. A HIGHLY TOXIC POISON, yes, but not very radioactive.

That oughta make everyone feel much better.

:eyes:

-MR

[genius]

3. Ev er hear of Gulf War Syndrome? It's radiation poisoning.

Check out the facts about DU. Check out all the children of Iraq who have died from radiation poisoning. Go see "The Hidden Wars of Desert Storm" if you eyes can stand all the suffering.

[MallRat]

5. I was being facetious.

Depleted uranium is still a pretty significant emitter of alpha & beta. If you ingest it, it's not a good thing. It's also essentially like any other heavy metal- a potent toxin to most organs. It's a double-whammy.

Sorry I wasn't clear with my tongue-in-cheek portrayal.

-MR

[genius]

9. Sorry.

I misinterpreted your response.

[rinsd]

4. Good article....

But I find it very hard to believe a 12 year old wrote this on their own.

[tandot]

6. I think the poem is from the 12 year old, the columnists are the

Hull-Richter family.

I was trying to find out more about them but couldn't.

[rinsd]

7. Both seem to be written by the same author

At least in the attribution.

Now, certainly I have met very aware and intelligent 12 year olds but the article just seems for lack of better words too perfect.

Good article nonetheless and if she wrote kudos to her.

[genius]

8. Natasha, the 12 year old who wrote both, is a great speaker and writer

She was one of the organizers of one of the larger J20 Counter-Inaugurals when she was nine years old. She is one of the best and most persuasive speakers the peace movement has. She was one of the two speakers that got one of the central committees to unanimously adopt a resolution to investigate the five injustices when she was ten. She has two poetry books out and she is the author of a comic series. She has received a great many awards in a variety of areas, such as music, composing, choreography, dancing and she also received an award from the Democratic Party. She's one of those young brain-kids who scores at the 99th pencentile on standardized tests.

She also spoke at Kucinich campaign events.

[meow2u3]

10. I predict this young lady will get into politics...

when she's old enough to run for office. This kid makes some adults look like they're the 12-year-olds instead of her.

[genius]

11. I liked the way she went after Issa and Calvert.

Two of the best Congressional candidates we have (Mike Byron and Louis Vandenberg) are running against Issa and Calvert.