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The Roads of Iraq
Mohammed of Iraq the Model took a trip "down south" in Iraq, and does he have some stories to tell:
On the road to the residents’ house we passed near the coalition base in Samawa; the striking and ugly feature of this base, like any other one is, the concrete wall that surrounds it ... The coalition forces here invited all the kids-and their parents-in the neighborhood for a special festival, the kids were given paints and brushes and a definite area of the wall was assigned for each kid to paint on whatever he likes and to sign his painting with his/her name. I leave it for you to imagine how this hateful wall looked like after this festival.
Why is it when young people volunteer for the peace corps to go out and do good work in dangerous places we call it "humanitarian", and encourage it; but when soldiers do the same thing, the exact same thing, only with more money and guns to keep the bad guys away we protest it? Why is one seen as noble and the other seen by so many as a national disgrace, an unnecessary waste?
The question should be "Why isn't this type of thing shown on CNN & Fox?" Maybe we would have a different attitude toward the war if we could see these images instead of those from that horrific prison and the bombs and smoking wrecks.
Posted by: Pat on May 16, 2004 04:41 PMtotally agree - see my post on Heroes for some thoughts on this...
Posted by: ron on May 16, 2004 09:31 PMI think 1st Lt. Mark V. Shaney USMC said it best when he said:
"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.
"We are a people that cherish the democratic system of government and therefore hold the will of the enemy is trying very hard to portray our efforts over here, you can refute them by knowing that we are failing, even if we are making the whole world safer. "
Raymond Onnar
And as always: "Quidquid excusatio prandium pro!