Refuge51

Title
Iraqi Boy's Family Describes Faral Blast

Link
ABC News: Toddler's Family Describe Bombing Horror
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Excerpt

Excerpt:
Parents Tell ABC News About the US Bombing that Killed Their 2-Year-Old Boy
By MARCUS BARAM
May 2, 2008

Just like any other day, the Hussein family was getting ready for lunch at their home in Baghdad, Iraq, when the house suddenly shook and the brick walls came down around them.

Two-year-old Ali Hussein is pulled from the rubble of his family's home in the Shiite stronghold of Sadr City in Baghdad, Iraq, April 29, 2008.
(Karim Kadim/AP Photo)

That was the dramatic account told to ABC News by the parents of 2-year-old Ali Hussein, the Iraqi boy killed during a fierce battle in Sadr City Tuesday.

Dramatic photographs of Hussein's dust-covered body being pulled out of the rubble of his home appeared on front pages and TV news reports around the world.

When a U.S. patrol in the Shiite militia stronghold was fired on by a dozen fighters, American forces fired 200-pound guided rockets that devastated at least three buildings in the district.

The U.S. military said 28 militiamen were killed. Local hospital officials said dozens of civilians were killed or wounded.

Hussein's mother recounted being buried in rubble and crawling around the home, looking for her children.
Related
Iraq Bomb Blast Kills 2-Year-Old Boy

"I was crying, 'My children, my children.' I saw the house destroyed. I did not know if they are alive or not."

When Hussein's father could not locate Ali, he said he began frantically digging.

"Everyone felt desperate and the police have left the scene, but I kept on digging. I told them I will not leave my son. I will take him out. I felt fainted after two hours of digging."

The fire brigade arrived to help him find Ali and remove him from the house, according to Hussein's father.

"They gave him to me, run to the ambulance, I hold his hand in the ambulance and it was cold. They made the first aid thing to the kid, open his eye, the rescuer looked at me, I told him you're a believer, and accepts the results."

Hussein's father recalled how over the last month and a half the boy used to come to the main door of the house, wanting to go out and play.

"Ali was pushing against my legs and tell me, 'Baba, Baba.' He wanted to go out, and I did not let him out due to the military actions ongoing."

"Ali was 2 years old, still future was in front of him. Ali, if he has an opinion, he would have said, 'I do not want to interfere in the struggle.,"

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Comment:

Looking at the photo of the dead child, I notice well developed muscles in his calves which make me cry, because I can see how much this little boy enjoyed running and playing although not allowed to go outside due to ongoing military action.

Yet, tragically, he died anyway at only two years of age while preparing for lunch with his family.

__________________
I'm fed up to the ears with old men dreaming up wars for young men to die in.
~George McGovern~

PursuitOfHappinessParty

I don't care if the victim is 2, 20, or 200. This is unacceptable. Civilian casualties are a fact of war, one of the many reasons you need your war to be a 'just' one. We can't claim that righteousness in this, which isn't even a war now, it's a police action.

Also maddening is the need for this kind of visual impression. Listen, everybody, when you see an apartment complex that's been mostly destroyed by a 'smart' bomb (Our bombs are smarter than our policy makers), and the proud exclaimation that we nailed 3 insurgents!! How many other, innocent people lived in that complex? How is that cost effectiveness going with that multi-million dollar missle taking out individuals?

Wow, we got 20-some odd insurgents at a cost of nearly the same number of civilians. I guess rocket spray-n-pray has become the operating procedure in Iraq.

__________________
For all those brainiacs that got themselves an ARM, I suggest an APT.!

Heretic

The U.S. military isn't geared toward insurgency warfare, and despite that they've managed to more than hold their own against guerilla tactics. Despite appearances or claims the U.S. military is trying to fight this as fairly as possible. If only the insurgence felt so inclined rather than huddling up with noncoms before daring to pull a trigger.

__________________
"Enough!!" -so rang Barack Obama's voice off the walls of Mile High Stadium

Refuge51

Thanks for responding guys..even if it does say faral instead of fatal.

__________________
I'm fed up to the ears with old men dreaming up wars for young men to die in.
~George McGovern~

PursuitOfHappinessParty

I thought maybe it was an arabic thing I wasn't getting.

__________________
For all those brainiacs that got themselves an ARM, I suggest an APT.!

PursuitOfHappinessParty

I know what you're saying, I'm just saying make sure you make war for righteous reasons then this is all moot.

If you're going to put boots on the ground and do the regime-change dance, then you're there to stop insurgency. Not being 'geared' for it is further proof of poor leadership from Washington.

During the Revolutionary war, our patriots (insurgents) also used the citizenry for cover.

I have major problems with any military action where non-combatant deaths out-number the combatant's deaths.

__________________
For all those brainiacs that got themselves an ARM, I suggest an APT.!

Gaia

America's reputation will never recover from blunders like this! Especially since everyone on Earth knows, that this War should not be happening in the first place.

__________________
The present moment is a powerful goddess.
~ Goethe

Rollerball

We got us another one of those Husseinies there
so he can't follow us home and fight us here.

Heretic

I'm not arguing the "righteousness" of the war. Just that the military isn't perfect and the insurgents not decent enough to ensure they don't put fellow Iraqis in harm's way.

And they were bastards for doing it. Also, be aware there were "partisan" colonials in the south who fought for or against independence. These tactics are part of why the British generals had no respect for them.

Like I said, complain to the insurgents. They didn't have to start a firefight from within a family's home.

In all "fairness" our 19th century history is much worse than this war.

__________________
"Enough!!" -so rang Barack Obama's voice off the walls of Mile High Stadium

PursuitOfHappinessParty

War is hell. You're asking the insurgent to stand in the steets and 'fight us like a man'. That's unrealistic, the history of warfare is replete with examples of same. You don't meet your enemy at his strong point, you meet them at their weak point. Also, many of these non combatant deaths are in residential areas, so are you also saying that the insurgents should only live in the desert in caves?


They were successful patriots. To line-up in ranks and take the Redcoats on in traditional battle would've pleased the Brits greatly, but would've been stupid in epic proportions. Pleasing the sensibilities of the more powerful nation isn't what warfare is all about. Getting around those sensibilities is more what warfare is all about.



Much like the Brits during our Revolutionary war, we would absolutely prefer if they would take on our Abrams with their AK-47 out in the open desert. That's also not to mention the many instances of us attacking them in their residence, irregardless of the neighbors.

I am also of the mind that since we invaded their country illegally, they didn't start any firefights, we did. We're the evil occupiers who are now whining that they don't fight 'fair'.



In both scope and in instances, I couldn't agree more. The difference is that this time it's us. We have our own history, but giving a pass to era still leaves us culpable at this time.

__________________
For all those brainiacs that got themselves an ARM, I suggest an APT.!