Friday, July 28, 2006

Donald Does Bagdad

John Prine wrote that young PFC Donald got his jollies after midnight in the stillness of the barricks latrine while envisioning the details of romantic scenes.

What do you 'spose Donald does in Bagdad when he gets horny?

Ask Riverbend. Periodically I check in with Bagdad Burning to read from a local what's going on in the streets. Riverbend might only post once or twice a month... a mixed blessing midst the horror since about once or twice a month of their reality over there is about all I can take.

They somehow deal with the reality every day. I get to shut off the computer and go to bed. Out of sight, out of mind. Sweet dreams.

Here's a few paragraphs I lifted from the latest report...

Rape. The latest of American atrocities. Though it's not really the latest- it's just the one that's being publicized the most. The poor girl Abeer was neither the first to be raped by American troops, nor will she be the last. The only reason this rape was brought to light and publicized is that her whole immediate family were killed along with her. Rape is a taboo subject in Iraq. Families don't report rapes here, they avenge them. We've been hearing whisperings about rapes in American-controlled prisons and during sieges of towns like Haditha and Samarra for the last three years. The naiveté of Americans who can't believe their 'heroes' are committing such atrocities is ridiculous. Who ever heard of an occupying army committing rape??? You raped the country, why not the people?

In the news they're estimating her age to be around 24, but Iraqis from the area say she was only 14. Fourteen. Imagine your 14-year-old sister or your 14-year-old daughter. Imagine her being gang-raped by a group of psychopaths and then the girl was killed and her body burned to cover up the rape. Finally, her parents and her five-year-old sister were also killed. Hail the American heroes... Raise your heads high supporters of the 'liberation' - your troops have made you proud today. I don't believe the troops should be tried in American courts. I believe they should be handed over to the people in the area and only then will justice be properly served. And our ass of a PM, Nouri Al-Maliki, is requesting an 'independent investigation', ensconced safely in his American guarded compound because it wasn't his daughter or sister who was raped, probably tortured and killed. His family is abroad safe from the hands of furious Iraqis and psychotic American troops.

It fills me with rage to hear about it and read about it. The pity I once had for foreign troops in Iraq is gone. It's been eradicated by the atrocities in Abu Ghraib, the deaths in Haditha and the latest news of rapes and killings. I look at them in their armored vehicles and to be honest- I can't bring myself to care whether they are 19 or 39. I can't bring myself to care if they make it back home alive. I can't bring myself to care anymore about the wife or parents or children they left behind. I can't bring myself to care because it's difficult to see beyond the horrors. I look at them and wonder just how many innocents they killed and how many more they'll kill before they go home. How many more young Iraqi girls will they rape?

Why don't the Americans just go home? They've done enough damage and we hear talk of how things will fall apart in Iraq if they 'cut and run', but the fact is that they aren't doing anything right now. How much worse can it get? People are being killed in the streets and in their own homes- what's being done about it? Nothing. It's convenient for them- Iraqis can kill each other and they can sit by and watch the bloodshed- unless they want to join in with murder and rape.

Buses, planes and taxis leaving the country for Syria and Jordan are booked solid until the end of the summer. People are picking up and leaving en masse and most of them are planning to remain outside of the country. Life here has become unbearable because it's no longer a 'life' like people live abroad. It's simply a matter of survival, making it from one day to the next in one piece and coping with the loss of loved ones and friends- friends like T

Wednesday, July 26, 2006

Sherlock and Watson

Gumshoe Gregg has done it again... hit de nail right on de head!! Gumshoe Greg Palast that is. His Blood In Beirut article this morning cuts straight to the bone. There it is, the naked truth... ITS THE OIL SHERLOCK!

Well Watson, just what the hell can one person do about THAT? I mean, I got kids. I got to protect them. And myself. Thats why I drive this gas guzzling tank. I don't like paying $3 a gallon but the city ain't safe. Thats why we live way out here in the burb and I have to battle 2 hours of traffic every day. I'm willing to sacrifice. Do what it takes even if its breaking me. But we got a Wal Mart coming in. That'll help.

And ya, I could plant a garden in my front yard. But that would look like shit and there's goes the neighborhood. Besides, do you know how much work a garden is when we got microwaves? I'm working 3 jobs and my wife works too in between driving the kids to school and picking em up. Its only 6 blocks but the streets ain't safe ya know. Who's got time for a garden?

Oh c'mon Watson, I ain't buying Citgo. Its owned by that socialist Chavez and I ain't supporting THAT agenda. I ain't stupid! Nobody's gonna be accusing me of being unpatriotic. The guy's in bed with that commie Castro. I don't care if Exxon did make 10 BILLION in 3 months. At least its American owned.

And about him selling cheap heating oil to poor people.... big fuckin deal. You'd believe anything. He's just trying to get in your pants Watson.

Where've you been man? We got TERRORISTS now! I hate that fuckin Bush but I'd vote for him again even if the American Bar Association says he's violated the constitution 800 times. Ya gotta do what ya gotta do and he's the only one with the balls to go after em.

Innocent people? Ya I hate it that babies like mine and yours and old people like my mother and your mother are getting blown up. Its sad. But collateral damage comes with the program.... besides, they'd probably grow up to be suicide bombers anyway.

What's that you say... thats what McVeigh said about the day care kids?

Well fuck you Watson. That scumbag got what he deserved.