Iraqi Civilians Flee Falluja as Truce Takes Hold

[leftchick]

http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&cid=578&ncid=578&e=2&u=/nm/20040411/ts_nm/iraq_dc

<snip>

Fifteen food trucks rolled into the town with banners proclaiming that they were a gift to Falluja from the Baghdad slum district of Sadr City, a stronghold for a radical cleric who launched an anti-U.S. uprising across Iraq (news - web sites) a week ago.

In Baghdad, witnesses said U.S. troops used tanks to smash their way into the compound of a Sunni mosque and Koranic school in a night raid on the Adhamiya district, where teenage gunmen fought running street battles with the Americans on Saturday.

"They (U.S. soldiers) came in from this door, 20 or more of them," resident Falah Fadil Mahmud told Reuters.
"They used knives to rip open the bags full of beans and flour, and kicked over oil cans. They took lots of water and boxes of milk for the children." The goods had been collected to help Falluja victims.


The U.S. military had no immediate comment on the raid.

[brainoverload]

1. Jeez - I though "we" provided the aid

Watching Headline News earlier today talking about the U.S. lead cease-fire (which went kaput) followed by an announcement that humanitarian aid was flowing into Fallujah - with no mention of who was supplying said aid - I just assumed the aid was helicoptered in on the insistence of Herr Bush.

[pinniped]

2. The military also reportedly didn't allow men to flee the town...

only women and children.

I guess all Iraqi men are now considered "insurgents", leaving them all to be blown to hell when they level Fallujah.

I wouldn't be surprised if MOAB was on the way.

[leftchick]

3. I hope you are wrong....

I am going to Easter mass now and will pray you are wrong and this insanity stops...:(

[Disturbed]

4. Prayer

Are you gonna pray to the same god that GW Bush talks to?

There may be a conflict of interest.

[pinniped]

6. I highly doubt chimpy prays to any higher source.

This joker is all an act.

He is the fcuking devil on earth.

The <40% of sheep in this country still supporting this idiot better wake up.

[Skittles]

11. Bush's higher source

is Dick Cheney.

[leftchick]

7. gw bush* and his followers have a very warped view...

of what Christianity is...

[Spider Jerusalem]

5. You might want to pray for the intercession of St. Jude.

(n/t)

[tlcandie]

8. Highway to hell: The road to Falluja

http://english.aljazeera.net/NR/exeres/FE78FACB-0A6D-4F88-A6C1-B434857135A6.htm


US marines hunt for Iraqi rebels on the outskirts of Falluja

<snip>
The images prove too much for Ahmad; he drops his face into his hands and breaks down. As he walks away, I call an Aljazeera cameraman in Falluja to check on his safety.

My colleague's voice is panic-stricken as he describes the scene, echoing the pictures that have shocked Ahmad. “There are images we can’t show because it’s just too gruesome. I have never seen anything like this before,” he says.
<snip>


Falluja's hospitals are overflowing with dead and wounded

<snip>
“There are bodies everywhere, and people can’t go out to retrieve them because they’re too afraid of being blown away themselves.

“I can’t believe the number of children here, we were at the hospital and it’s full of dead and wounded kids.

“The ones that aren’t dead have lost limbs and are wailing in pain, begging for their parents. What parents?” he screams. “I don’t have the heart to tell them that their parents are in pieces.

“Back at our office the Americans are shooting at us. I walk out of the bathroom and a laser is pointed at my chest,” he says, referring to US sharpshooters in the area.

“We'd just bought cigarettes from a store across the street; no more than ten minutes later it was bombed.”
<snip>


Deadly fate: An insurgent lies dead in the battle-ravaged town

This story is about hopelessness which IMO is why this is happening... the Iraqi people have lost all hope of the US leaving and some semblence of normal returning to their lives without bombing, occupation, foreigners, etc. Truly heartbreaking read... :cry:

I've posted this in several other threads as well because it is hard to tell which threads are dying and which are still alive :/

[mmm]

10. Thank You, I'll use this article for show and tell

this is too sad for words

[Earth_First]

9. Has the cease-fire been broken?

or has it remained in effect for the entire day thusfar?