60% to 70% of the homes and buildings are completely crushed and damaged

[diamond14]

Christmas in Falluja...from the BBC news (God forgive us for what we have done...we are all responsible for this, because OUR TAXES payed for this massive destruction)

----------------------------------------------------------

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/4124667.stm

At about 0800 on Friday, the US checkpoint in the west of Falluja agreed that people from the city, especially those who live in the Andalus sector, be allowed inside to see their homes.

I was there, inside the city - about 60% to 70% of the homes and buildings are completely crushed and damaged, and not ready to inhabit at the moment. Of the 30% still left standing, I don't think there is a single one that has not been exposed to some damage.

One of my colleagues went to see his home, and saw that it is almost completely collapsed and everything is burnt inside. When he went to his neighbours' home, he found a relative of his was dead and a dog had eaten the meat off him.

I think we will see many things like this, because the U.S. forces have cleared the dead people from the streets, but not from inside the homes.

I was in Falluja hospital last night and I heard a lot of fighting and bombing, which continued for about three or four hours. I head very loud explosions inside the city.

[ayeshahaqqiqa]

1. this makes me sick

God,please let this stop! And forgive me for having any of my money go to pay for this!

[illflem]

2. Yep, Vietnam was easier

there we could just burn their villages.
In Iraq they have to be bombed into powder.

[diamond14]

14. simple low tech, matches and sometimes flammable liquid...and done (PHOTO)

American Soldiers burning a villiage in Vietnam...throwing into the fire the FOOD BASKETS to facilitate starving the Vietnam Villagers....Colin Powell (second in command of the AMERICAL Division under Maj. Gen. Koster) gave many of these orders....even writing/bragging about it in his book....


Aerial photo of Vietnam Village being burned to the ground, often with women and children and old men hiding in their huts from the heavily armed U.S. Troops and screaming as they burned to death...the helicopters surrounded the operations, so any Vietnamese Villager coming out of their huts would be GUNNED DOWN.....

[Spinzonner]

3. It was necessary to destory the city to save it

Ahh, just like the olde days in Vietnam

[sam sarrha]

4. see for yourself..in pictures.. the REALITY that is because of BU$H

http://fallujapictures.blogspot.com/
http://iraqdiary.blogspot.com
http://thenausea.com/usa-iraq.html

I am in such a rage about this all the time i am sick to my stomach.

I hate Bu$h and all those who support them.

I am ashamed of my country.. i am ashamed to be an American

I beg the Iraqi People to forgive us for the heartless mindless action of our Moron president.. who only did this for personal agrandizement..

[diamond14]

5. same as crushing/destroying a city population as big as Cincinnati Ohio!

this effort cost us taxpayers a real fortune in troops and equipment...and transportation costs to Iraq....and planes and bombs, and building bases and runways....

it takes my breathe away....the total devastation....


May God bless the doctor, who has now gone to be the 'acting' Director of the Falluja Hospital...if only more Americans could show such kindness and courage in the face of such massive inhumanity and killing...

[American Tragedy]

6. Oh, so now you're blaming all Americans who pay taxes

You know, some people happen to think that the only way to change the political system is to be here and to vote in elections. Unfortunately, the price of that is paying federal income tax, most of which goes to entitlement programs that keep our seniors alive and independent, and yes, to defense as well. But self-righteously renouncing one's citizenship and walking away isn't gonna fix it.

I don't even make enough money to pay income tax right now. But I'm sure as hell not going to begrudge the American citizens with a social conscience who have tried their very best to defeat the goals of the current administration. They aren't responsible. You think they individually chose to have their money spent on illegitimate foreign wars?

Judge people for what they do, not for who they are.

[diamond14]

7. so, perhaps just the RED states should provide the money/troops for bush*

that would at least cut the bush* wars down by more than 60%....


actually, if you want to make the effort...bush* demands ANOTHER 80 BILLION DOLLARS for his wars right now...it'll be discussed in Congress just as soon as the holidays are over....and you can get involved in LOTS of effort to stop that war-profiteering RIGHT NOW if you care to make the effort....

remember, Vietnam was stopped and we left ONLY when Congress FINALLY cut off the war-profiteers MONEY (it took 14 years - and our economy was demolished)....as long as Congress continues to FUND bush* wars, the war-profiteers will continue to demolish anything and everything and everyone....


also, I disagree with your contention about where our taxes go....bush* distorts that to hide the costs of war....if you look at the same budget, from a different perspectives, here's where OUR TAXES GO (not yours, because you don't pay taxes, but mine for sure)

http://www.warresisters.org/piechart.htm

T o t a l F e d e r a l F u n d s ( O u t l a y s ) :
$ 1 , 9 2 6 B i l l i o n





“This budget attempts to hide the true cost of operations in Iraq and Afghanistan by delaying funding on all known and necessary costs of the war until a supplemental appropriation can be approved next year.”

—Sen. Jack Reed (RI)
Armed Services Committee, 2/2/04

[shance]

8. Thank you Diamond. This is good information.

n/t

[American Tragedy]

9. Fair enough. I may indeed have been looking at an archaic chart

It wouldn't surprise me. I have few illusions about the military-industrial complex. It's kind of ironic that Republicans inflate the defense budget so, but at the same time throw a fucking tantrum whenever they are asked to pay the taxes necessary to fund it.

Unfortunately, bitching to the Congress seems to have rather limited effect. I may go to more creative lengths to draw their attention when I visit Washington next month. I've always enjoyed my rare opportunities to tell politicians, especially members of the Bush administration, what I think of them.

[diamond14]

13. Good, I'm glad you're coming to DC....here's some emergency numbers

that you could use, because you'll see a LOT (18,000) homeless people all over the city (half are Veterans, but more than 20% are now children/families under bush* policies)....

so call any of these numbers as you walk through the carnage of bush* social faith-based programs....it's really up to US to save these lives (be sure and mention this horror if you talk to a Congress Rep - Congress is so repulsed, they demand that the POLICE remove all homeless from the areas near the Congressional Offices and the Capital -the homeless are clubbed and dragged until they move elsewhere, the Smithsonian also removed them physically with their privat police THUGS)....put these numbers on a card in your pocket to use as you go through OUR Nation's Capital

------------------------------------------

for the HOMELESS PEOPLE, and these are entirely volunteer efforts to save the bush* victims. Don't give homeless people money, but do take some extra food around with you to help feed the hungry, and open communications, so you can call for help...these are very fragile people, badly battered by bush* wars and social policies....

Shelter Hotline: [phone]
Hypothermia Hotline: [phone]
Emergency Psychiatric Response 1-888-7WE-HELP or 1-888-793-4357 TDD [phone]

DC Rape Crisis: [phone]
House of Ruth Domestic Violence Hotline: [phone]
Substance Abuse/Detox Intake: [phone]

Metro Police Emergency: 911
Metro Police NON-Emergency: 311

BID Street Outreach Worker: [phone] or [phone]

BID Homeless Services: [phone]

[shance]

10. And you're saying Americans aren't responsible for who leads our country?

Like it or not, its up to us. It's also up to us to get rid of the fraudulent electronic voting machines so we can actually vote the crooks out of our government.

Democracy is not a spectator sport.

Its demands PARTICIPATORY action and if we don't stay involved, which we havent really for the past century, we get what we are seeing, which is essentially fascist leadership with individuals who are ruining other countries, and this one as well, in our name.

Better wake up. Its happening in our name and its up to us to stop it.

[American Tragedy]

12. How do you define participatory action?

What are 'we' not doing? I'm sorry, but storming into the White House with an uzi is not a long-term solution.

If I could wave a magic wand, I would.

[Tinoire]

11. Why do they hate us?

:shrug: