In Cold Blood: Iraqi Tells of Massacre at Farmhouse (pict of brothers)

[uppityperson]

http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/world/la-fg-rape6jul06,0,3149499.story?coll=la-home-headlines

He was the first to enter the charred farmhouse where the bodies of his relatives lay strewn about the floor, shot and bludgeoned to death. And he watched more than three months later as a U.S. Army officer took the two surviving children in his arms, barely able to hold back tears as he told them that the people who had killed their family would be punished.

"Never in my mind could I have imagined such a gruesome sight," Abu Firas Janabi said of the day in March when his cousin, Fakhriya Taha Muhsen; her husband, Kasim Hamza Rasheed; and their two daughters were slain and their farmhouse set ablaze. "Kasim's corpse was in the corner of the room, and his head was smashed into pieces," he said. The 5-year-old daughter, Hadel, was beside her father, and Janabi said he could see that Fakhriya's arms had been broken.

In another room, he found 15-year-old Abeer, naked and burned, with her head smashed in "by a concrete block or a piece of iron." "There were burns from the bottom of her stomach to the end of her body, except for her feet," he said."...more@link

Brothers Ahmed, 9, left, and Mohammed Qassim Hamza, 11 were with an uncle.

"They lost their father and mother," Janabi said. "They lost their house and sisters. Basically their family was too poor and they have not inherited anything. Their life is deplorable."

[cantstandbush]

1. This is so sad. How can they help but grow up to hate Americans? nt

[uppityperson]

2. and around we go again.

I know, I do not know how either.

[Swamp Rat]

3. If America is so fucking great, how come these boys aren't here in the USA

Where's the GODDAMN compassionate conservatism??? Those poor children should be cared for!!!

I say turn Bushler's Crawford ranch into an orphanage, backed by millions of dollars and professional health-care personnel.

[uppityperson]

4. That would be a good idea, Crawford orphanage

Bet they'd like the swimming pool, but bet they'd miss what family they have left there.

[Swamp Rat]

6. We accepted LOTS of Vietnamese refugees.

Why are Iraqis any different?

Yes, we can never undo what ew have done, but we can at least try to make up for it. I say start with the children: give them homes with loving families, clothes, toys, etc. and a high quality education including full scholarships through graduate school at Ivy League universities... even if it means denying college republicans matriculation. They can always go to Liberty Univ. or get online deplomas at Univ. of Phoenix.

[uppityperson]

7. They are no different.

These 2 boys have an uncle they were staying with so didn't get killed. Article ends talking about them losing everything, mother, father, sisters, home and the fact that the family was very poor too. I wonder how much time will have to pass before the Iraqis will let us help. Truly help I mean.

[peacebaby3]

10. Actually, the Iraqis would not allow their children to come here. When my

husband was in Iraq we tried to adopt some of the children in orphanages in Iraq, but we were not allowed because they will not allow children to be adopted by anyone that is not a practicing Muslim. I seriously doubt they would let the children come live in the US.

[Swamp Rat]

11. Well, I guess they will die then, from depleted uranium if not bombs

decapitating entire communities.

[peacebaby3]

13. I hope not. There is one little boy that still haunts me that we tried to

adopt from an orphanage in al-Hilla. I tried to find out about him after my husband came home, but I lost contact with the lady from the International Red Cross and I have no idea what happened to him. It makes me sick to think about it. I keep his picture up in my house.

[uppityperson]

15. It is necessary to create personal connections for many to connect

That is really nice that you checked into the adopting, and were able to keep in touch for at least a while. It is necessary to create personal connections for many people in order for them to take this personally. The pictures, these stories are all horrific but need to be put forward so that maybe each time a few more people will fell sick enough to say "enough".

I keep looking for that "1 picture" that will do it for this occupation, like the napalmed Vietnamese girl. I keep thinking I have found it, but the time has not been right yet.

How old was this little boy?

[peacebaby3]

16. He was approximately 2. The orphanage did not know his exact age or

date of birth. We were also looking into adopting another older boy who had some physical limitations from injuries. He was an amazing boy and my husband was very attached to him. The hardest part was that there were so many and no way we could adopt them all. We were very disappointed when the IRC told us that we would not be allowed to adopt.

[uppityperson]

17. Sounds like a very emotional thing.

I don't want to get too personal on a public forum, and understand if you can say little, wondering if you are looking into other adoption possibilities. It is really difficult, seeing children that need help and not being able to help them as you could. Hard to figure out other ways to help as directly.

[peacebaby3]

18. We were already thinking about adoption before my husband went to Iraq

and when he was there, I would mail things for him to go deliver to the children in the orphanages. He loved going to visit every chance he got. He would send me pictures of all of the children. At that time, the orphanages were segregated by gender as far as I know (may still be) and the one that he had the chance to visit the most was in al-Hilla. It was all boys. When I saw the pictures and he told me the stories, we decided, why not adopt some of these boys because many of them had been in the orphanage since they were young and had never had any family and were now living in a war-torn country. We have always worried what would happen to all of the children.

We are still thinking about it, but most adoption is very, very expensive (at least on our budget). By the time we pay for the adoption, we won't have any money to raise the child. LOL I may start looking into it again, but the paperwork and all of the hoops you have to jump through to get approved, while understandable, are overwhelming.

[uppityperson]

20. It is sad. We thought of adopting when I realized too old for baby

One day I realized there was no way, absolutely no way, that I could physically deal with a baby. Adoption, regualar adoption is too expensive for us also. So I checked into adopting older children, since there are plenty of them, but Mr.UP is not in favor since those kids probably have behavioural problems beyond what he could deal with. This is an option, you miss the baby yrs, but then again you miss the baby yrs and get to help a child grow up. I may still, but agree right now that we could not deal with an older child (talking 9 yrs old).

[peacebaby3]

21. Yes, we looked into domestic adoption as well. All of the children we

found available did have some rather severe emotional or behavioral problems and were a good bit older. I think people who adopt these children are heroes because I knew that I wouldn't be able to change my life to meet what would be required of me to raise that child in a wonderful home. I hated admitting that with the way my life is that I wouldn't be capable, but I think in the end that it is for the best to admit your limitations.

I think you were right as well to know your limitations.

Good luck to you in the future if you decide to re-visit adoption. Maybe both of us will be able to do this one day.

[Swamp Rat]

19. So sad

:cry:

[uppityperson]

22. ...

[ladjf]

8. The policies of the Bush administration are as far from being

"compassionate" as anyone could possibly imagine. We have turned into the meanest people on Earth. What happened to us? And how did it happen so fast?

[uppityperson]

9. narrow minded people are better organized than open minded ones

I remember talking with my aging parent a few yrs ago, commiserating about Medicare and AP said "at least they're compassionate" then laughed. Seriously, those who want everyone to think as they do end up better organized. If you are willing to let other people have their own opinions, makes it hard to tell someone how to be, hard to reconcile brainwashing someone to vote your way, etc.

There are a lot more of us who feel as we do, but are not speaking out. It appalls me not just that Mr.bush stole the election, but how many people there are that did vote for him, that do support his policies, that would like me to kill myself or become their slave. (ok, overboard a bit there, but speaking emotionally)

[ladjf]

12. Good post. Adding to what you have said about "narrow minded

people": I believe that they not only make up their theories about what is true or not, they also make up the proof that their beliefs are correct and the only correct ones. That kind of certainty
gives one a great sense of focus. It's sort of like being omnipotent, like God. Whereas thinking people always have a certain skepticism that they might not be right and for damn sure that don't intend to make somebody else follow courses that may have some "bumps".

They have no scruples about doing whatever it takes to get their way. It's called alienated ruthlessness. Since all others that don't think like them are subhuman, it doesn't matter what happens to them. They are "unworthy" anyway.

[uppityperson]

14. Good post too.

I have thought at times that life would be easier if I had been raised that way, to have blind faith and not question anything, myself or anything else. I don't wish to be that way, just think life would be much easier.

I like the alienated ruthelessness comment. We are better because they are not worthy.

One of the reasons I really hate organized sports is the division into "us" and "them" and "we" must beat "them". I always want to say "what's with this 'we'stuff? I don't live in (major city that has sports team)"

[Monkeyman]

5. This is so out of hand

The Chain of Command should be charged