Ali was just 12 when he lost both his arms in a coalition missile attack in Baghdad in March 2003

[NNN0LHI]

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/talking_point/6458145.stm

My Iraq: Ali Abbas

Ali Abbas was just 12 when he lost both his arms in a coalition missile attack in Baghdad in March 2003.

His parents were among 16 of his relatives who were killed in the bombing. snip

With all the pain I had, I preferred to die.

It was when they took me to Kuwait that I realised I didn't have arms.

It was very upsetting when I heard that I had lost my family. It's not something you ever get over, is it?

I still remember my family and I still blame the person who bombed my house.

Because when he bombed the house there weren't any soldiers or weapons. We were farmers; we had cows and sheep.

There's no reason why that should have happened. I think they meant to do that, and that it wasn't an accident.

[qanda]

1. "Maybe I want to do something with peace, when I grow up. "

Wow! What a wonderful young man he is. I think he's already done more for peace than he'll ever know.

[DesertRat]

2. "I hope Iraq will be safe so I can go back and live there."

I admire his strength.

[raccoon]

3. I'll be haunted by the photo of Ali forever. It made me ashamed of my country.

K&R. Thanks for posting this.

[cassiepriam]

4. We dropped megabombs in an urban area, 50% of the pop. women and children.

What did we think would happen?