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Iraq: Where the living envy the dead

Posted: Tuesday, February 20, 2007 2:00 PM
Filed Under:

By Jane Arraf, NBC News Correspondent

Whatever most of us dream of, it isn't normally to die a natural death.

This is a country that's been scarred by the last four years. For many of the families and friends of the hundreds of thousands of Iraqi civilians who have been killed since 2003, scarred much more by this war than the years they survived under Saddam Hussein.

"Dying normally has become a fantasy to Iraqis -- a wish we dream of having." These are the words written by one of our talented Iraqi staff. He can't write under his own name for security reasons, but here are some of the things that weigh on his mind.  

Unlikely fears
When most of us hesitate before calling a friend it's not because we think they might be dead.

"Every time I want to call someone I think a million times before I decide to make the call," he explained. "Every time I call someone and the recording tells me that the line has been switched off or is out of the coverage area I immediately think that they might have been killed or kidnapped and I hope from the bottom of my heart that I'm wrong."

When most people worry about their children, they don't worry that their children might grow up without them.

"I'm trying not to think of the moment when my wife will try to phone me and the recording will tell her that my phone has either been switched off or is out of the coverage area and it will be because I've been killed. I'm trying not to think of what she might tell my 2-year-old son or the daughter we're expecting about the father they never got a chance to know."

Last week my colleague heard that a friend had lost eight brothers in the bombing in the Sharja market in Baghdad. When most of us mourn friends or relatives who have died, the list doesn't normally stretch into the dozens.

The list grows
"A few days ago our ex-neighbor was shot to death after a lot of threats. He was a Sunni who worked with the Americans. He thought we didn't know he worked with them but everyone knew. I think he was killed for that reason. He has three children. I didn't like him, but you can't ignore that he's a human being. He died in an ugly way. They said they surprised him while he was standing beside his shop - they shot him and he was trying to run up the stairs until they shot and killed him.

"Last month my friend's father who was an honest, modest man was assassinated by al-Qaida terrorists because he is Shiite. He was 63 years old. They had moved out of their house in a Sunni neighborhood but he came back and saw strangers in their house -- he argued with him and they took him away. We searched everywhere, but everyone told us it was al-Qaida -- they don't forgive and even the Sunni insurgents don't dare to confront them.

"The same day another friend's father, who was the nicest person that I ever knew, was assassinated by unknown insurgents. I used to play with his son in his house when we were children. He was Shiite. He was 65 years old.

"The night after Saddam Hussein's execution, a friend's brother who is Sunni -- from the same tribe as Saddam -- was killed in front of his parents because of his family name. He was 18.

"Last year, the Mahdi militia came and took away two sons of one of my neighbors. They were 24 and 26. They did it in front of him and he couldn't even say anything in case they took away his third son. They didn't even tell him why. They killed them and dumped their bodies at the college. He was really upset that I didn't go to his sons' funeral. I thought I would be killed too if we went."

Most of us haven't come that close to death. Most of us don't believe there are things worse than dying.

Worse than dying
"When I think of the people I know who have been killed I keep asking myself, what did they say to the killers? Did they beg them? Did they pray? What did they do? I told all my friends that I'm not afraid to die -- I'm just afraid I'll beg my killers to let me live."

"What does life mean?" asked my 31-year-old colleague. "I don't know, but I can guarantee to you all that I know a lot more about death."

So when we talk endlessly about the impact of this war and whether Iraqis are better off, I think we should ask the Iraqis who have stayed here. Because most of us can't even imagine what that's like.

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Comments

"hundreds of thousands"? Must have taken the talking points from the UN? "scarred much more by this war than the years they survived under Saddam Hussein." Wow that's a bold statement since Saddam killed an estimated 1.5-2 million people. "Dying normally has become a fantasy to Iraqis -- a wish we dream of having." These are the words written by one of our talented Iraqi staff. He can't write under his own name for security reasons, but here are some of the things that weigh on his mind." Iraqi Staff? Jamil Hussein? Give us a break you fraud of a reporter!

T. Hill, Carrollton, Texas (Sent Tuesday, February 20, 2007 2:36 PM)

WOW!!! May God bring this war to an end quickly.

Daniel, Tallahassee, FL (Sent Tuesday, February 20, 2007 2:42 PM)

Jane--I don't think any comment could possibly do justice to that story--just thank you for sharing it with us.

Celine Segda, Jersey City NJ (Sent Tuesday, February 20, 2007 2:46 PM)

How can anyone not have comments on this blog entry? Thank you, Jane, for posting this. Too many Americans don't seem to understand the very human toll the actions done in our name are having. The Iraqi blogger Riverbend has a heartbreaking post about a woman who was gang raped by the very Iraqi security forces we trained. This war is dehumanizing the Iraqis, and it's dehumanizing the men we are sending there to fight. The human toll is incalculable. We have allowed our president to ruin a country -- for no reason. Last night Michael Scheuer said on Countdown that when the next attack occurs, it will ahve been planned in Afghanistan or Pakistan -- NOT Iraq. There is no putting lipstick on this pig. This country is guilty of atrocities against humanity. We allowed it to happen. We re-elected the president who lied us into this war. And in November we elected too few people with the cojones to hold them accountable. The blood of these people is on all our hands.

A heartbroken JJ in NJ (Sent Tuesday, February 20, 2007 2:51 PM)

Unfortuantely, most of this fighting, conflict, and strife could have been avoided had we actually went to the countries where the terrorists are hiding (Iran, Syria, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia) rather than making Iraq a scapegoat for political means and inviting terrorists into the country.

Trav K., Boise, Idaho (Sent Tuesday, February 20, 2007 2:59 PM)

In a time when we are being taught to believe that things are relatively black and white, that there is a clear enemy and a clear victim, it is important to remember, as this article demonstrates, that life is still life. And though it can be hard to understand for well-fed, well-rested Americans who know little of want and fear and grief, life is still a very precious commodity. I am left wondering if we've made things better or worse for the Iraqis we're allegedly trying to help.

SML, Bedford, NH (Sent Tuesday, February 20, 2007 3:04 PM)

What kind of idiot are you? You think those 300,000 people they dug up who were killed by Saddam are no big deal? People in Saddam's Iraq lived daily with the possibility his police would pick them up, torture them and kill them. I think you might call up the Kurds to get their opinon on all this.

M. Hoover (Sent Tuesday, February 20, 2007 3:11 PM)

Do you think everyone there would be better off under Saddam? You seem to insinuate that with your commentary. Being a free people is not free. It is paid for with years, sometimes decades, and in the case of the Jewish people a millenia of war, struggle and death before it finally happens. We Americans are blessed by the fact that our freedom came in a relatively short period of time compared to others. Yet we all share a common thread: We refuse to live under the boot of tyrants. And if there are people who would trade those precious freedoms to live under the perceived safety that a dictator like Saddam can offer, then they deserve neither liberty nor freedom.

Miles C. Mueller, Floresville, TX (Sent Tuesday, February 20, 2007 3:11 PM)

Dear Friend in Iraq, I was living in Baghdad in 2003-2003 up until the war started. I was an Observer and International Consultant with the Food and Agricultural Organization of the UN. I travelled all over meeting farmers, distribution managers, etc. I remember many of my friends from iraq who worked alongide of me and lived nearby. It chills me now to read what you write as it has been almost 5 years since I heard from any of them. Ny Brother in Law still works in the Green Zone. He dropped by recently and recounted the incredible noise of the car bombs each day. One day while I was reading the newspaper in Baghdad a poem was there that touched me. The author wrote about seeing a gigantic pair of dividers walking like lightning bolts across Iraq. It was interesting because when I was only 5-6 years old I recall seeing the same image. In those days it was told to me that it represented the devil measuring out the earth. I am not terribly superstitious but there may have been some truth to the image. I only wish I could return to Iraq and find my old colleagues and friends alive but it sppears that may be unlikely. Worse is the fact that we were doing all we could to rebuild the cotton and fruit industry in Iraq as 3 years of drought and the lack of decent agricultural inputs was hurting it very badly. Now I hear there is nothing left of the work we did. Nobody seems to care about the average people anymore. All the idiots with nothing better to do than run around wreaking havoc are getting all the attention, money, food and shelter. I cannot imagine how long it will take for the Iraqi agricultural system to recover!

Harry Gatley, Salt Lake City, Utah (Sent Tuesday, February 20, 2007 3:12 PM)

I cannot believe what I just read! Where was the outrage over the hundreds of thousands of Iraqi people that were brutally murdered by Saddam? Murdered, maimed, gassed. Unbelievable.

Dean in KY (Sent Tuesday, February 20, 2007 3:17 PM)

Was Saddam Hussein a violent, dangerous tyrant? Absolutely! But, at least, while he was in control of the country of Iraq, its citizens knew who their enemy was and, generally speaking, what the rules were. The Iraqis are in a living hell now - not knowing who to trust or what the rules are. How can the Bush administration possibly feel that they've done these people any favors now? A poorly recruited, trained and underfunded military and pathetic planning and execution of the war effort has led to consequences more disasterous than anyone could have ever dared imagine. Now we have nuclear threats building in North Korea and Iran that we can do absolutely nothing about due to our lack of foreign policy credibility over Iraq. Where were the weapons of mass destruction? There are tens of thousands more innocent lives that have been lost in Iraq than in the World Trade Center attack and only one, single objective has been accomplished - the capture and death of Saddam Hussein. Was it worth it? Ask the Iraqis, who deserved the most say in this from the very beginning. I'm tired of being made to feel that I'm anti-American just because I'm anti-Iraq War. When I was nodding my head in full approval of Vladmir Putin's comments about how America has made the world a more dangerous place, I realized how digusting it is that I should be made to feel ashamed to be an American.

M. Johnson, Murrieta, CA (Sent Tuesday, February 20, 2007 3:26 PM)

To the people of Iraq I humbly apologize for the horror inflicted upon you by this awful administration. I pray the congress finds the moral courage to stand up to the immoral tyrant known as President George W. Bush,so that one day your country is free of his vicious blindness.

Dan Murphy (Sent Tuesday, February 20, 2007 3:27 PM)

Some say "Newspapers" were invented to influence people's opinion. NBC & most liberal media is doing just that but their complete leftwing bias is almost embarrassing.

Bo, Los Angeles, CA. (Sent Tuesday, February 20, 2007 3:32 PM)

This blog is just more proof of the liberal slant NBC is forcing on their "reporters". I guess NBC's tactics changed from just putting out lying crackpot reporting to lying crybaby crackpot reporting.

Tb Johns, Joman, Joman (Sent Tuesday, February 20, 2007 3:32 PM)

I appreciate you sharing this with us. For all readers of the article: It is important for us to remember that regardless of the reasons or the justifications used for going into Iraq, we are there now. A system of govt has been removed, as well as electricity, air conditioning, and employment for many people. Our actions caused that removal, whether or not one believes them just or unjust. All of us want our soldiers to come home, including the soldiers themselves. However we can't come home until we leave in place a system of governance that can protect the people of Iraq at least as well as we can that is strong enough to survive the inevitable assaults it will have when we leave. Its really that simple. It is our responsibility to see this through.

Geoff, Little Rock, AR (Sent Tuesday, February 20, 2007 3:35 PM)

Why some people think dying under the guise of freedom is better than dying under Saddam is beyond me. Dead is dead. Nobody asked us there to liberate them. In fact the last time they did, America abandonded the Kurds to Saddam. So we sit here, smug in our safe little world and tell the rest of the world how freedom is so much better. Last time I looked Vietnam is doing fine without "freedom"

Tom F., Seattle, WA (Sent Tuesday, February 20, 2007 3:36 PM)

Unfortunately it's very difficult to make sense of all this, regardless from which viewpoint we see it from. It's simply the state of the world as we know it, if it's not in Iraq or Sudan it will be elsewhere. Because the root cause will always be there: The greed and hate in mens heart! Thank you for the Blog!

Danny, Beirut (Sent Tuesday, February 20, 2007 3:38 PM)

T Hill - Where are you getting YOUR numbers? It is obvious that the average person in Iraq is NOT BETTER OFF that under Saddam. You live in Texas, land of Bush... No wonder you do not have any sense of what HE has done to this poor and getting-poorer country. Your insensitivity and american arrogance makes me ILL>

M Palmer (Sent Tuesday, February 20, 2007 3:38 PM)

Name is not so important,life is.Any one who does wrong will get back in this world & hereafter.Thats what i know.For money & power people will do so many things you just cant imagine.What goes around comes around.Its just a matter of times before it happens.We should all just pray & hope god will forgive us.Ammeen.Thanks Allan,florida.

Allan Chase (Sent Tuesday, February 20, 2007 3:39 PM)

Oh the poor poor country of Iraq and it's suffering people since the big bad US liberated them from a murdering dictator and his 2 evil sons. After all, they would only torture and kill and rape the people who deserved to be tortured killed and raped. Oh, if only the good old days were here again. (Another load of manure compliments of the liberal left)

Jim Paul (Sent Tuesday, February 20, 2007 3:43 PM)

To Dean in KY Saddam was then the friend of civilized West.

ss, boston, ma (Sent Tuesday, February 20, 2007 3:45 PM)

This war is a human tragedy of epic proportions largely ignored by the persons perpetrating it. I don't mean the soldiers that are fighting there, but Bush, et.al who have caused them to be there. What a monumental waste! Although I do not know where the information re: 300,000 deaths comes from, it would not surprise me if the actual number is close to that amount, and more get added every day. I just finished a book called "Franklin and Winston" about the relationship between Churchill and FDR. In several places in the book, both leaders were quoted as saying how important it was to tell the people the truth, whether the truth was good news or bad. Our current leaders obviously do not subscribe to that theory. I truly believe that if there is a hell, there is a special place in it reserved for those who take their country into war on false pretenses.

Randy, Chicago, Illinois (Sent Tuesday, February 20, 2007 3:46 PM)

What's important to remember is that the number of deaths can be argued endlessly. Is "only" 50,000 dead Iraqui's somehow justifiable and 8-10 times that number isn't? "Kill Them All, Let God Sort Them Out!" isn't the answer even if there is the safety net of an afterlife! I don't believe that so if this is all there is then any--and all--deaths are terrible.

Ken in WA (Sent Tuesday, February 20, 2007 3:48 PM)

How much did the liberals pay you? Cause I can't even begin to think how someone who lives in Iraq could say that on their own free will? Pelosi have you held hosatage?! Let us know we will come help you AGAIN!

Casey R. Lock Haven PA (Sent Tuesday, February 20, 2007 3:48 PM)

I can't believe how gulible the American populace is. The war in Iraq was originally spun as a means to destroy Iraq's weapons of mass destruction. When this spin proved to be baseless, the threat of terrorism was the new spin the white house touted. Now it's the promise of freedom. Freedom from what? It's sad and unfortunate that both the Sadham regime which was initially encouraged by American foreign policy has now been replaced by a new regime that cannot control lawlessness and murder. I guess the gun slinger motto "live by the gun die by the gun applies here. There are no winners in this war, but for the arms dealers.

ts Ontario (Sent Tuesday, February 20, 2007 3:49 PM)

I don't understand the point of some who have commented here on the number of people killed by Saddam. It is as though they feel that they are being accused of supporting this war and must defend themselves. This blog is not about arguing for or against our war in Iraq. It is about the present lives of those who are living in violent chaos in Iraq. It is testimony that human beings live in Iraq,and that when mindless violence is a feature of every day living no one wins. There simply is no valid argument that innocent people have no reason to complain about dying at the hands of assassins and bombers just because it takes time to build a democracy. What nonsense! Cheap patriotism from here where no bombs are going off and no one breaks down our doors at night. And there is little point in harping on the futility of this war and pointing fingers at those who you think are to blame. It may help us prevent some future war, but it isn't going to save one life in Iraq. The point is that the carnage has to end and we need to find the way to make that happen.

norman selner, st. louis, MO (Sent Tuesday, February 20, 2007 3:50 PM)

It is hard for me to believe that there are still people in our country who can hold their head up and defend our administration. I pray for our President because he is our leader, but he makes me ashamed. I feel for the people in Iraq with my heart and pray for them. Being a mother, I try to put myself in their place and think of sending my child to school or letting them go out to play...I think of my husband leaving to go to work...or of me going to a market or to work and one of not coming home because of all of this insanity that we have started, and I cry for them. It was hard enough for me to let my loved ones out of my sight soon after the 911 attacks, but this is so much worse. And it is our fault. May God have mercy on us all...those making the decisions and those of us who have let this happen. Thank you for bringing this to our attention, but please know that there are a lot of Americans who realize this and are praying for the people of Iraq and our soldiers who are just being obedient.

Desiree, Washington, DC (Sent Tuesday, February 20, 2007 3:51 PM)

If you are going to try and change the course of human history, undoing thousands of years of traditional hatreds and customs...you'd better think long and hard about it and be prepared to go all the way...Global War on Terror? America's security depends on it? If the rhetoric is true how come there isn't a draft? How come average citizens are being asked to do more to support the cause? This war is being fought by poor people so that corporations like Haliburton can make money...

Skippy, Poughkeepsie, NY (Sent Tuesday, February 20, 2007 3:51 PM)

To M Johnson - interesting how you criticize the "poorly recruited, trained and underfunded military". Did you support the military reduction in force and base closure congressional bills during the 1990s? I'd bet you did. You can't have it both ways so don't use that argument. I can understand the feelings of the Iraqis in this blog; I am certain many of them live in fear. But at the same time do not not make broad strokes. You simply cannot say that this is the overwhelming feeling in Iraq. Accordingly, everyone here tries to rationalize their point of view. The truth is simple - the US took action to stop more attacks and in the process remove Saddam. We thought the Iraqis would stand up and fight for their freedom and be an ally to stop the ridculous growing terrorism against the US. It didn't happen. So now we are stuck. Get over the Bush hating - he did what he thought was the right thing. Do you want to do what is right? Then take true action - file petitions, get elected, protest, join the military, send troops letters and gifts. Don't just sit here and complain.

Chris Dickinson, Stratford, Wisc (Sent Tuesday, February 20, 2007 3:52 PM)

It is because of people like Hill, power hungry right wing supremacists with imperialistic ambitions and inability to admit mistakes, that America is sinkng deeper and deeper into its inhumanity. Are we heading for Nuremberg II?

Maria, Cleveland, Ohio (Sent Tuesday, February 20, 2007 3:52 PM)

So the author can’t say his real name. Is that because of the United States too? Or is it because of the fun loving country called Iraq. These people are out of their element when it comes to the issues of our times. Iraq is just another turd world country that can’t keep up. If they didn’t have AK-47’s, they would still be chucking rocks at their food. I used to be more companionate for these people but to hell with them all. Their kids are going to hate us just as much as their parents. I say wipe them all out and save our kids from the same crap going on today. Now to you Middle Eastern vermin rabble-rousers, AMERICANS ARE GETTING TIRED OF THIS. ARMED AMERICAN CIVILIANS WILL HAVE NO MERCY ON YOU. WE HAVE NO RULES OF ENGAGMENT LIKE THE MILITARY SO TAKE YOUR JIHAD AND POUND SAND.

ALISSTER-CHICAGO,IL (Sent Tuesday, February 20, 2007 3:56 PM)

There is no hope for this world . By anyones measure or estimate or guess the vast majority of violence in Iraq is Iraqis killing Iraqis . It was the same 5 years ago , 10 years ago 25 years ago . Blame someone else will not solve Iraqs many problems . Then there is the rest of the world , blame someone else , do not balme me because i hate and kill with my mouth .

Sal Talun (Sent Tuesday, February 20, 2007 3:56 PM)

Yes Saddam did kill hundreds of thousands of people, but our involvement is killing many more. Are Iraqis free? Their country is in chaos and everyday they have to fear for their lives more than under Saddam. He did do terrible things to the Kurds and Shiites but the country was much more orderly and the average people had a better life before we came in and changed the power structure. Before there were not widespread militias, before al-Qaida was not a big factor in Iraq, before there was steady electricity and water, before you could leave the house with much less chance of being killed that day. I did not like Saddam but I think it is ridiculous for the US, a country only two centuries old to try to implement it's own political system in the cradle of civilization, with over 3000 years of history. Nothing is black and white like Bush said it is. "We are fighting evil"... Senseless murder and widespread violence is evil, and we have only perpetuated it. But for the Bush administration is is serving it's purpose well...military contractors are making some good money :% :% :%. Someone is getting rich, you can bet on that. Now Bush just needs to make another 911 and blame it on Iran, so we can invade there too. I ask everyone to take a close look at all of the facts of the Bush administration objectively, and put your pride aside. See who benefits from all that has happened. It is sad that most people who support him don't look at the facts but attack the personal reputation of those criticizing Bush.

Zak D. Wass, Maui, Hawaii (Sent Tuesday, February 20, 2007 3:57 PM)

This is very sad, but how can we blame this on the war, these people are killing each other; and will more than likely continue to do so once we leave; I think it's importnat for us to stay the course and help establish a strong democratic government that can put an end to this sensless civil war.....George W. Bush is a good man, who makes me proud to be an American......

Charles, Seattle, Washington (Sent Tuesday, February 20, 2007 3:58 PM)

This is not saying things were ok under Saddam- they manifestly weren't. And I am not sure how someone can say matter-of-factly that it is worse or better now. It is different kinds of fear. This si the fear of chaos; under Saddam it was the fear of unbending power. Both are terrifying- it isn't a zero-sum game. And no amount of inane and callous platitudes like "freedom isn't free" can mask the suffering a total lack of understanding and criminal lack of planning brought to Iraq. Getting read of a tyrant was a good thing. Arrogantly assuming everything would be ok led to this horror. It is morally indefensible to yearn for Saddam to be back, just as it is morally indefensible to say "Saddam was awful" as a way of glazing over this abbatoir.

brian, Chicago, IL (Sent Tuesday, February 20, 2007 3:58 PM)

When the war first began I have to say I was in favor of it. As it has dragged on and the lies continue to take life I wonder when will it end. As a father of two young children, I am terrified that this president has doomed them to a life filled with a constent violence, death, nuclear threats and a govenment that that is no longer effective. How do we recover and how long can this country be lead down a road with only outcome. The democrats have talked and talked about doing something about all of this but they are NO different than the politicians they replaced. What a govenrment and what a situation.

Michael, Mt. Vernon, Ohio (Sent Tuesday, February 20, 2007 3:59 PM)

When the war first began I have to say I was in favor of it. As it has dragged on and the lies continue to take life I wonder when will it end. As a father of two young children, I am terrified that this president has doomed them to a life filled with constent violence, death, nuclear threats and a govenment that that is no longer effective. How do we recover and how long can this country be lead down a road with only one outcome. The democrats have talked and talked about doing something about all of this but they are NO different than the politicians they replaced. What a govenrment and what a situation.

Michael, Mt. Vernon, Ohio (Sent Tuesday, February 20, 2007 4:01 PM)

I think the Iraqis are more capable of speaking which state of their nation they preferred (between now and the Saddam Era), than any wingnut that needs to rationalize the current state of Iraq. If Al Gore any other Democrat would have been president and made the exact same choices GWB has, all the wingnuts would be enraged and screaming bloody murder.

Anony Mous, Seattle,WA (Sent Tuesday, February 20, 2007 4:01 PM)

M. Johnson seems to eloquently state the truth of the matter without any doubts in my mind. My confusion has been in consideration of political standing in the international community. Since this war exacerbates the point that we are not intending any direct retribution for Sept. 11. This war had nothing whatsoever to do with 9/11. Nor did it have anything to do with humanitarian deeds. If humanitarian deeds of removing a monstrous tyrant who commits untold evils was the central concern, many other countries would have to encounter war with the United States. Many African countries have great told and untold atrocities, but no oil. Actors, actresses and some other people seem to represent decent humanitarian interests in those countries, though there are no upstanding national leaders interested in their plight. Might I add a lot of atrocities are committed against children. Children are sacred in every country in the world but this is of no importance worthy of interference or war. How ironic that this great United States would dismiss such ugliness over other interests?Hmmm...

T. Grinston, Norfolk, Virginia (Sent Tuesday, February 20, 2007 4:01 PM)

Hey geniuses.....most of the dead Iraqis were killed by Iraqis, or other radical muslim animals....not by U.S. troops. Why don't you morons try to concentrate on finding out facts instead of letting the drive by media form your entire opinion and thought process?

HJ in fly over land (Sent Tuesday, February 20, 2007 4:02 PM)

It is clear that bush has a game of his own, the more damege the better since the goal of a criminal is kill so is his goal. It is amaising that one person and mabe cople of others can lagh at the face of anation. The "heroes" that are fighting in Irak meaning the soldiers I desgrased them. It has past some time since they became sildiers and seased being woriers. I belive that it is their responsability to see who the fight for. Is it for the Nation? Or is it for the crazy belives of just one and a cople of others? A good warier woud be able to see that. If they give thair lives for the Nation like thei say they do, then save it for when the nation realy needs them. Sound hursh but I belive it is true. It is sad to see that the"heroes" are bing popets. It is sad to see how they fight for only one family and not for the Nation's families that are the ones that are truely worth the wile.

Gerardo (Sent Tuesday, February 20, 2007 4:03 PM)

Were do I begin...you know the saying majority rules?? Well, I wonder if we had taken a poll before invading Iraq would the majority of the Iraqis had voted for us to invade?? I can't help but to think not. Sometimes change can be good, but a lot of time it can be more devastating! Also, I think before Americans try to tell another country how they should run it we need to look in our own back yard. Unfortunately, many soldiers and innocent man, women and especially children have lot their lives....and do we truly know why??

B. Robinson, Jackson, Mississippi (Sent Tuesday, February 20, 2007 4:07 PM)

That's normal, in short. Some people prefer having their lives plotted out, with clearly defined enemies, foreseeable no-future; others rather take a chance for freedom and liberty. I'm not agreeing with the action and timing of the war in Iraq, but, given the issues between Sunni and Shiite, the civil war will happen eventually. The problem is only magnified by the mishandling of the troop level by the Bush administration. When was the Middle East ever united? Is there not in-fighting between the Palestinians now? Israel is a very small place, if the Arabs hated them so much, and were united, Israel may not exist right now? The point is, the Arabs, the Middle East, has never been stable. People (the leaders) there have too much passion, too much hatred, too big an ego and nobody wants to take a step back and discuss things, to work things out. Repeatedly, words coming out of their mouths are: we want to wipe out our enemies. Their enemies could be other Arabs/muslims, Israel, the U.S., the West, etc. They are not willing to co-exist, they are not willing to face reality and respect the existence of other religion, culture, people. If they don't have a chance to kill Americans, they kill people from other tribes, other factions of the same religion, etc. With chaos comes opportunity. These insurgents, religious leaders are seizing this chaos (created by this incompetent administration) to take power, and the only way they know how to take power is by killing other people!? Oh, yeah, and they also sit on the energy resource the world needs, complicated enough? How about we just leave them alone, and when they are done killing each other, we go back in and pick up the pieces, probably much easier that way, yes?

D. Miller, Dallas, TX (Sent Tuesday, February 20, 2007 4:08 PM)

I think that is what they call terror. It is what the terrorists want, for people to be in constant fear of being killed. Then they will be too afraid to speak out against the terrorists. To emphasize the "civil war" aspects without even exploring how the terrorists are fomenting the civil war only plays into the terrorists game plan. Unfortunately the leftist biased media felt it was more important to sway the 2006 election towards the democrats then it is to win the war on terror. Now the democrats want us to cut and run which will lead to death in Iraq the likes none of us has seen. Maybe we should all just convert to Islam now and stop the needless bloodletting.

Max Wood, San Diego, CA (Sent Tuesday, February 20, 2007 4:08 PM)

Saddam killed Iraqis, Kurds and plenty of Iranians. George W. lied America into war with Iraq. But America got Saddam, so according to T.Hill, Dean, Miles and M. Hoover its all good and the Iraqis should be grateful and not mind the fact that theirs is now a country torn apart by civil war, that going to market, school, mosque - ANYWHERE - is a walk on the wild side from which you may not return, that there is no end in sight - but at least the Iraqis are "free". I just wish I was "free" to send T. Hill, Dean, Miles, M. Hoover and George W. to Iraq to let them experience the freedom our misguided country's leadership (or lack thereof) has wrecked on Iraq.

Roland, Orland Park, Illinois (Sent Tuesday, February 20, 2007 4:09 PM)

It amazes me that people actually believe that it would be better to live "securely" under a dictator. No one talks about what our troops are doing to help: 364 schools rehabilitated, 263 under construction. 96% of Iraqui children under 5 have received the first 2 series of polio vaccinations. There are now 1.19 million cell phoen users. They now have an independent media consisting of 75 radio stations, 180 newspapers and 10 television stations. Freedom is expensive and costly. If anyone is ashamed to be American, I suggest you move, perhaps to Russia!! Try it out.

Jay in PA. (Sent Tuesday, February 20, 2007 4:09 PM)

The prophet Isiah speaks about a man who has trouble the nations the world and would not open the door to his prisons, I believe would seen a reflection of this man in our president.

Octavious Gethers,Goose Creek, SC. (Sent Tuesday, February 20, 2007 4:09 PM)

During Saddam Hussien, Iraqi people were being killed without the world knowing about it. Now we know. Now we know that they hate each other, and killing each other. The solution to all of this madness is to abandoned the religion they have been following for hundred of years, because their religion is the core source of all these killings, and murders. They have been doing this since the beginning of time, since camel, and swords were the tools of warfare, now guns, missles, IED's wmd's. They are getting better in killing people and themselves now that they got these weapons. They want to stop the killing, then abandoned their hopeless, evil, hostile religion. They have to live like human being for a change. technology is changing so fast, but their mentality have stand stil in the era of Mohammed.

Julian Lopez (Sent Tuesday, February 20, 2007 4:10 PM)

I'm also perplexed why so many are gathered around an exploded car bomb, or horrible incident.. children playing amongst the debris.. common sense would suggest staying away from such atrocities, but everytime we see stories on the news, poeple are gathering around the debris. I've MANY friends in the war, the stories they tell are heart-breaking, angering, and sometimes even, comforting. We are there for a reason, some of you posting on this BLOG should talk this way to military families, and see what sort of answer you get.

Kevin in Dallas (Sent Tuesday, February 20, 2007 4:10 PM)

What a surprise. NBC has located an anti-U.S. leftist journalist in Iraq. Yes, her comments are beyond prejudiced. They are flat out ludicrous. At this point why does anyone who wants a fair look at things bother with NBC and any of their affiliates? Do they even employ one unbiased journalist?

Hans (Sent Tuesday, February 20, 2007 4:11 PM)



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