Iraq's children of war

laurel noel, leonardtown, maryland, usa — Wed, 23 Jan 2008 18:35:43 GMT

Dear Richard,

Thank you for your report. I wish it had made the Nightly News, so that those without Internet access could have seen it....

It is very heartbreaking to see the trauma that these children are living through. I was frankly amazed that the artwork you showed was so colorful and cheerful. I would have expected dark depictions of violence. I don't know how anyone finds joy, living in those circumstances.

My fear is that, eventually, these children will have nothing but hatred for the West, and for the U.S. in particular, and that radical fundamentalist groups who can provide the services the government and aid agencies do not will poison their minds, as Hezbollah has done in Lebanon.

Welcome back, after a much-deserved respite. I look forward to more of your reports.

Iraq's children of war

Shannon McKemie, Frisco TX — Wed, 23 Jan 2008 19:25:13 GMT

Great piece on the children of Iraq.
I think people forget when the news stories are over about the different "hot" spots in the world of how ordinary people are affected by the ugliness,brutality, and violence of war.
Thank you for taking the time to give an insight and a voice to the voiceless.
Take care.

Iraq's children of war

Lisa McNeil,Alpahretta,Georgia — Wed, 23 Jan 2008 22:10:43 GMT

Dear Richard, I viewed your report titled "The Children of War" and is was most heartwrenching and touching. When you showed the playground located in the middle of a trash dump and the boys playing soccer near a burned out building it was just horrible. These conditions are inexusable for little children and teenage children to endure and it makes your heart go out to all of them. Seeing the scars on the belly of the young boy and the fact there is no clean water for them to drink is so very difficult. It was sad to hear you speak with that young boy whom you met in Baghdad when you first arrived and he was running errands and shining shoes. Now he is fifteen and still running the errands, but he can't find any work to support his family and it makes one wonder what the future holds in store for him. The twelve year old boy who lost his leg and is dragging himself across the floor just brings one to tears and you really feel like helping him and his mother. The situation is so very bad because the hospitals are not clean enough or equipt to take care of him. No young child should have to survive this way and one hopes that somehow help will come to these poor families. It was sweet to hear them recite the phrase, "I want an ice cream" because it sounds to innocent amongst all the chaos and destruction around them. Also it doesn't seem fair that young girls have to do their homework by candlelight with their noses to the books. I hope the wish of the young boy to walk again comes true and that all these children will someday live in peace. Thank you Richard for this story about these children. Excellent reporting as usual. Hopefully help will come to them soon. Stay Safe as always Richard!!! Peace to you and to all!!

Iraq's children of war

Pennsylvania — Wed, 23 Jan 2008 23:21:22 GMT

Heartbreaking- it's hard to believe that these adorable little kids suffer beyond anything I can imagine. It's also incredibly frustrating in light of the tens of billions of dollars that have simply vanished in the past five years. I was especially moved by the little boy who lost his leg and spends his days alone with nothing to do. I know I would literally go insane if I were in his position. I imagine that there are tens of thousands who are in exactly the same situation as him, but I guess seeing him makes it more real. Such a beautiful little boy with such extraordinary blue eyes; it is so sad that his life has turned out this way and so sad to think of all the potential that has probably been lost. If international aid agencies are not managing to reach these children, what can we as Americans do to help them and especially to make sure that the help is getting to the ones who have been overlooked so far? If anybody has any ideas, please share them.

Iraq's children of war

Lorraine Bale, West Chester, Ohio — Thu, 24 Jan 2008 17:03:50 GMT

To the beautifully articulated response of Lisa McNeil and so many others: You and I are accountable for these children's suffering. As we stand by wringing our hands, "Hoping help will come to them soon" we perpetuate their horror. "Hope" comes in the form of ending the war our government, the one we duly elected, started on their soil. For those of you who really want this to stop - voice your outrage! It's an election year. Speak with your vote and hold our "duly elected servants of the people" accountable. In the short term, do some research online. There are many people(Gary Sinese of CSI NY fame has a wonderful program)trying to mitigate the horror of these children's lives. Here is an opportunity to show the caring heart America's people possess.

Iraq's children of war

Adrian Eaton — Thu, 24 Jan 2008 17:12:19 GMT

The sad answer to "Pennsylvania"'s plea - what can we as Americans do to help them? - is that it is now far too late.

You could have helped five years ago when your President with 87% approval was trumping up lies to invade Iraq, mostly to improve his electoral chances in 2004 and obscure how badly the invasion of Afghanistan was going.

The incredible violence, the utter choas, the political nihilism, the large-scale suffering, the rise of fundamentalism, the killing or driving away of tens of thousands of Christians - all was predicted (much even by your President's father), but still America applauded and allowed this.

You deserve your guilt, whereas the 6 and 8 and 10 and 12 year-olds in the piece, with their futures stolen from them, did not.