Iraq: Nation to Mark Suicide Attack on Children

[ECH1969]

Baghdad, 18 July (Aki) - The Iraqi National Assembly has announced a national day of mourning on 20 July for the killing of 32 children in one of last week's suicide attacks. The attack took place in Baghdad against a crowd of children gathered around American soldiers, who were handing out sweets.

The parliament's president, Hajim al-Husni, promoted the initiative and asked the population to keep three minutes of silence in memory of the those killed. Husni spoke about the great courage of Iraqis: "Iraqis' solidarity, their firmness against terrorism, their decision to go on with the political process in the country are the best help to the victims' families," he stressed.

http://www.adnki.com/index_2Level.php?cat=Security&loid=8.0.188354830&par=0

[wicket]

1. So incredibly sad

:(

[Village Idiot]

2. Perhaps I am just too cynical...

but I am convinced that Iraqi insurgents believed that the US soldiers were more or less "using" the children for intelligence and reporting - possibly handing out candy for intel...

It does not surprise me that the insurgency took steps to see that children do not go looking to US soldiers for their next candy fix...

Winning hearts and minds, hmmm?

[brentspeak]

3. Uh, no

The insurgants just wanted to kill U.S. troops, and they simply didn't care if children were killed as a result.

We're talking about blood-thirsty killers, here. These people are animals. I take that back - I don't want to insult animals by comparing them to the insurgants.

[thebigidea]

5. dehumanizing the enemy is always fun, huh?

makes it easier to justify wiping out innocents along the way.

[brentspeak]

7. "Dehumanizing"

There's no need to dehumanize the insurgants, as they've done a good enough job of that themselves.

How many innocent Iraqis - including children - do these pieces of garbage have to kill to be removed from the pedestal that you've placed them on?

[NNN0LHI]

6. El wrongo

The Vietnamese were just as ruthless as whoever who did this. That is why the US military is no longer in Vietnam.

Don

[daleo]

16. I am reminded of Kurtz in Apocalypse Now

When he discussed the inoculation program. Of course that's just fiction, but the incident did make that come to mind.

[StrafingMoose]

14. Here we go again...

"We're talking about blood-thirsty killers, here"

Yes they are. But who are they working for... Who ARE those blood-thristy killers?

:eyes:

[RaleighNCDUer]

4. It's a matter of perspective.

The insurgents may think the soldiers are using the kids as shields - and very possibly there are some soldiers who do think that if there's a crowd of kids around they won't get shot at - but most the soldiers likely think if they make friends with the kids the kids' families will be more well disposed toward them.

Kind of magical thinking, either way.

The only way to keep the insurgents from blowing up kids and soldiers is to get the soldiers the hell out of there.

[Tempest]

9. One soldier admits to using children for protection

"I'm going to probably buy alot of candy when I goto the PX in the camp. That way, I can hand it out to the kids. They'll be more likely to help us avoid things we wouldn't otherwise be able to avoid if not for them."

http://bootsonground.blogspot.com/2005/02/combat-patrol.html

[RaleighNCDUer]

10. That can be interpreted as saying

"If I give them candy, they will warn us about seeing a roadside bomb being planted. If I'm nice to them, they'll be nice to me."

Remember, those guys over there are our brother and sisters, friends and neighbors, the kid next door and the shlub in the office down the hall. They are not all, or mostly, or even more than a very few, monsters. They just want to come home alive.

[Tempest]

13. Not in the context he wrote it in

The sentence before the one I posted says "RPGs are still their favorite weapon of choice."


What, are the children supposed to point out an incoming RPG and say, "Look boss, the grenade, the grenade!"?

[Tempest]

8. Misleading headline

It wasn't an attack on children, it was an attack on the U.S. troops.

I'm still waiting for an explanation on why U.S. troops were handing out candy to the children just after telling the town there was an impending terrorist attack coming.

[slackmaster]

11. Yeah, those children just happened to get in the way

:eyes:

[Tempest]

12. Where's the evidence the children were the target?

Considering the suicide bombers have targeted U.S. convoys, religious leaders and Iraqi police & army troops, there isn't any.

[slackmaster]

15. I don't see much to indicate the suicide bombers care who they kill

Their hit ratio on US military personnel vs. Iraqi civilians has been dismal.

[daleo]

17. I agree, but the same could be said on all sides.

Probably the same could be said in most modern wars.

[Tempest]

19. Especially when you consider the U.S.' use of cluster bombs

Especially when you consider the U.S.' use of cluster bombs in residential areas of Baghdad.

And then there was the bombing of Fallujah, where it's estimated 6,000 civilians died.

[Tempest]

18. Car bombs are not smart bombs

There will be innocent casualties.

Just as there are innocent casualties in U.S. attacks on the insurgents.