Q: What does the average person not know about the Iraq War?

[NNN0LHI]

http://www.examiner.com/a-1000014~Author_reveals_the_horrors_of_war.html

Author reveals the horrors of war

Oct 20, 2007 2:00 AM (6 hrs ago)
by Jessica Novak, The Examiner

Q: What does the average person not know about the Iraq War?

A: The level of violence for the people — over a million Iraqis have been killed; the catastrophic level of the refugee crisis — well over four million Iraqis are refugees; and the level of lawlessness on the ground. The U.S. military does not have control over anything that's not on base.

Q: What dangerous experiences have you encountered?

A: On several occasions I was shot at by U.S. troops … Once a car bomb detonated very close to my hotel. It blew up my door and windows. Chunks of my ceilings were falling. I was also temporarily detained with my translator by some resistance fighters. The were so immediate, they happened so fast … I was just in survival mode, thinking ‘What happened?’ ‘Where do I need to go?’

{Being detained by fighters} was very scary because I had time to think ‘What’s going to happen?’ ‘Where am I going to be taken?’ Thankfully, it was over in an hour and they decided to let us go.

Q: Of all the devastating events you witnessed, what day stands out?

A: I think my most intense experience was in Fallujah during the April 2004 siege on the city. I watched a 10-year-old boy die who had been shot by a military sniper. Ambulances couldn't come because they were being shot at so his father drove to the clinic. The car jumped up over the curb. The father got out and carried his son into the clinic. I watched them working while he was on the table. That was really a profound thing to see especially being an American.

Q: How does being an American affect your work?

A: Seeing events from an Iraqi perspective probably had even more impact because I was an American. My government primarily caused the brunt of this suffering. definitely brought out feelings of shame and guilt. But you know as a journalist, when you’re on the ground, you shelve that stuff and get the job done.

[acmavm]

1. The average American doesn't see the fighting on the news like we

did with Viet Nam. They don't see the dead. They don't see the innocent
civilian casualties. They don't see the reality of war.

So what does the average American know? Other than that ones that remember the pictures of WWII and Viet Nam, other than the ones that are over there or have been there, they don't KNOW a damn thing.

[madokie]

2. this is me, except I was no Journalist

(snip)
A: Seeing events from an Iraqi perspective probably had even more impact because I was an American. My government primarily caused the brunt of this suffering. definitely brought out feelings of shame and guilt. But you know as a journalist, when you’re on the ground, you shelve that stuff and get the job done.

[tuckessee]

3. Were you one of the ones causing the suffering? n/t

[madokie]

7. Yes my presence belied that

[Beerboy]

4. That the U.S. government regards Iraqi citizens

as much more worthwhile (for propaganda purposes to the world press only) than it considers "American" citizens? We're so much shoe-scrapings to those who rule over us, except for our money. But they can take that and our property, legally, any time they want. Our government considers we the People to be contemptible pigs that exist solely for the honor of paying their bills and funding their false promises.
Oh well, @ least no one's in the dark, and the feeling is more than mutual. I wouldn't pay these leeches if they didn't have a gun to my head.

[Toots]

5. That it is not a "war" for one thing

It is an occupation with the USA intent upon pacifing a nation of people by violent measures. The people are still resisting the occupation with any means at their disposal. None of the Iraqi dead have worn uniforms. Many are children and women. All are civilians...I admit "war" has taken on many definitions but IMO real "war" only takes place between nations. Anything else is nothing more than a conflict or gangland activity, or murder on a gigantic scale..As there was no "Declaration of War" there can be no "Peace Accords" This "war" by definition is endless. We are at "war" with evil and we will not quit until it is eliminated. Ya... RIGHT..

[proud2BlibKansan]

6. They don't know that Saddam wasn't responsible for 9/11