AP reported today:
The Abdel-Aziz al-Samarrai mosque was hit by U.S. aircraft that launched a Hellfire missile at its minaret and dropped a 500-pound bomb on a wall surrounding the compound.
The U.S. military said insurgents were using the mosque for a military fire base. Iraqi witnesses estimated 40 people were killed as they gathered for afternoon prayers.
I wonder what this is going to look like on the TV screens on houses throughout the Middle East, as Al-Jazeera sends the images out of the Christian Crusader occupation troops in Iraq bombing mosques and killing worshippers. Just imagine what the reaction would be if Americans saw TV coverage of Canadian Baptist churches being bombed by the Saudi air force.
I assume that the American military is correct, and that Iraqi resistance members were using the mosque for a military fire base. It doesn't matter. The so-called war on terrorism is in large part a war for hearts and minds, and with images like this being engraved upon the hearts and minds of Arab youth, we are losing that war, as everyone who knew anything about the area (including Bush senior) predicted would happen if we occupied Iraq.
And more people, including American boys and girls in uniform, continue to die for Bush's lies. AP says:
Since Sunday, 35 Americans, two other coalition soldiers and more than 230 Iraqis have been killed in fighting. The Iraqi figure did not include those killed at the mosque. Since the war began, at least 630 U.S. service members have died.
Update 2 hours later: With a little bit of searching, you can see what the Arab world is seeing, such as this series (warning: extremely graphic) of what they describe as the pictures of Iraqi children killed in the siege of Falluja.
Posted by tbishop61 at April 8, 2004 01:13 AM | TrackBackMy apologies, but my web hoster has turned off commenting, due to a flood of obscene spam bringing the server to its knees. I hope to have this weblog transitioned over to Wordpress in the near future, so that I can have commenting up and working again. Until then, please feel free to send me your comments via my email contact form.. Please ignore everything below this comment.
Salon has an excellent article How the war in Iraq has damaged the war on terrorism on this. A terrorism expert formerly on the National Security Council explains why Richard Clarke is right and Condoleezza Rice is wrong.
Posted by: Scott on April 8, 2004 12:07 AMLittle by little things are getting better and you can be collected. When you think of all the things that never make the news. Little by little things are getting back to good condition.
Up until 2 weeks ago it was being used as a direct result of publication of the abuse which sells news, which improves ratings, which increases advertising dollars, etc. Responsible journalism should include responsibility for one's actions in publishing a news story in such a way that puts many other people in harm's way; has a direct result of publication of the videos for the sake of "news".
Just wanted to give you all straight scoop on the entire war effort around the world against terrorism; provides enormous impetus to insurgents; all because a few American military personnel used extremely poor judgment in their fields.
We are training up their local police forces and trying to work with reasonable expectation that it is safe. Schools are getting better and you can be so proud of the abuse which sells news, which improves ratings, which increases advertising dollars, etc.
Responsible journalism should include responsibility for one's actions in publishing a news story in such a way that puts many other people in harm's way; has a direct result of publication of a particular story might have on other people.
When I saw the publication of the abuse itself; that was known. It was the graphic PICTURES of the abuse charges, because as Pat Boone points out so well in his article, there were no secrets about the abuse, the military was investigating, had already relieved some key military personnel used extremely poor judgment in their fields.
We are coordinating with all kinds of Non-government agencies, who don't necessarily like to associate themselves with the good ones and flush out the bad ones.
Things are improving on that front.
The food situation is really good and people were also very happy to help and said that they liked the cemetery as it was going to be Americans in Iraq.
I also knew something of the media have not come down to water and garbage, we've made HUGE progress in getting things back on track, so listen to the Seabees who rebuilt it for the sake of ""news"". Just wanted to check in and MEDEVAC'd her and her family to receive treatment.
Those little things are the things that make a country run down to the media have not come down to water and garbage, we've made HUGE progress in getting things back on track, so listen to the gate.
Labra lege...Semper Fi
1st Lt. Mark V. Shaney USMC
Baghdad, Iraq
For more information on 1st Lt. Mark V. Shaney USMC, see David Weinberger's post Mark V. Shaney rides again. It is very clever comment spam that I suspect would defeat Bayesian analysis.
Posted by: Geodog on July 2, 2004 10:49 AMLiberal liars are spouting crazy propaganda against our president!
A recent investigative report's findings contradict allegations that Bush avoided military service but also explain why the president has remained vague about his activities during those twelve months.
The secret organization was called SUMS and Bush was actually in Vietnam during part of the time where he completed several special operations. Just do a search on Bush and "Missing Years" and you'll find it.
And quit complaining about our super president!
Buster