I hear an explosion at the gate.

[Tom Yossarian Joad]

I hear an explosion at the gate.

I hear them charging in.

In Faluja last year, this did not happen.

"Is there someone on your roof?"

I do not understand.

A man says "Is your roof a man?"

I do not understand.

They chatter in American.

I do not understand.

They take my boy.

I do not understand.

He's eleven.






They leave.

I do not understand.



His father and his uncles
say they'll make them pay.


This I understand.

End














On edit, this was inspired by th showing of Dreamland; Faluja (not the complete/right title) on Sundance where a crew followed a detachment during the precursor to the Faluja assault. The big question that kept coming up on Faluja streets was "Why did you take away the woman?' Following video showed American forces searching through Iraqi homes for weapons.

The video did not show any findings of weapons other than small arms.

It did show a lot of grief on both sides. And a lot of anger on both sides.

There was one soldier who kept asking "What the fuck are you looking at?" to the locals as they passed by.

They didn't understand.

[Tom Yossarian Joad]

1. Thanks for the rec., whoever.

There are things that should be said.

[bananas]

2. You write well.

[Tom Yossarian Joad]

3. I try.

[Tom Yossarian Joad]

4. And thank you for the other recs.

It's hard to answer statements. It's hard to answer pain.

[Change has come]

5. It's time to wage peace.

Kick and recommended :kick:



from earlier today

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=364x944342

[MaggieSwanson]

6. Recommended #5

New readers, there is more here http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=364x946642 .

Thank you, Tom.

[Tom Yossarian Joad]

7. Thank you, Maggie.

Nice thread.

[ConsAreLiars]

8. Also see "Taliban Country" to see the same dynamic in Afghanistan

It plays in full on Link TV occasionally, but a streaming Real Video version of most of the documentary is at: http://www.journeyman.tv/download.php?id=10258

Since the context (tribal village in Afghanistan) is so unfamiliar to most of us, it is worth watching over and over, looking at every detail. The reporter traveled to the village embedded with a Marine "hearts and minds" team. Then she later returned independently to talk again to the people there.

From the synopsis:
-----
“They fingered us, beat us and humiliated us,” alleges villager Wali Mohammad. “No Muslim should suffer that.” He was imprisoned for three days by the marines after soldiers raided his village and accused him of providing food and shelter to Al Qaeda. His elderly father, Noor Mohammad Lala, was also arrested. “They took my clothes. I could not do anything,” Noor confides. Both men claim they were sexually abused and forced to pose for photographs. “I was so humiliated I couldn’t see for my pain,” states Noor.

The marines’ raid on their village of Passau was so offensive that locals want the camera to record every indiscretion. “They used this as a toilet,” says one man gesturing at the floor of a home. Their wheat harvest was destroyed and the mosque door battered down. As a result of this raid, many people have already left the village. “Almost all the families are gone,” complains the tribal elder bitterly. “Our people are being forced to pack up and leave.”
-----

The Link TV schedule will show up here http://www.worldlinktv.org/programming/programDescription.php4?code=date_taliban when it gets re-broadcast, but it is not now scheduled.

[Tom Yossarian Joad]

9. I have seen it and it affected this writing to a great degree.

I just wish I could share it with all my family.

*sigh*

[ConsAreLiars]

10. Your words reminded me of this film,

so I am not that surprised to learn that you had experienced it. You can give your family the link, or buy the film at the Journeyman films link http://www.journeyman.tv/?lid=17451 , like you "can lead a horse to water," but that's all you can do. You can tell them that some anonymous online entity (me) has been there and finds it very credible. But don't sweat it, share it with those who are willing to look.

[Tom Yossarian Joad]

11. 80% of the fam feels like I do and has shared in many of the

more political films I have seen. But other than that. I hope you links give others the chance!

[ConsAreLiars]

12. If you are interested in seeing how Afghanistan looked before th US

decided to turn it into a killing field, take a look at this site:
http://richardmcguire.com/travel/asia/afghanistan/index.htm

[Tom Yossarian Joad]

13. From 1999... Such a different place. Thanks.

"I have often thought since about this beautiful country and wondered how many of the people I met are still alive, and how many have been forced into exile. I’ve wondered about splendors of Herat and how much of it has been reduced to ruins. Thankfully I had a chance to visit Afghanistan and experience it in a more innocent time. It is a memory I will always cherish."

[ConsAreLiars]

14. He visited in the '70's, wrote the article in 1999.

I was there in 1970 and 1971. It was another world, but one that should have not been destroyed by the Brzezinski/Carter/Reagan geopolitical machinations. Everything that has followed (9/11, Iraq, the destruction of democracy in the US) has been a consequence of those vile amoral decisions to turn this one poor counntry into a pawn in the game for global multinational capitalism.

(edit typos and such)

[Tom Yossarian Joad]

15. Morning.

[xultar]

16. Breathtaking!

[Tom Yossarian Joad]

17. Thanks, Xultar.