must read from Riverbend (Baghdad blogger): "Just Go"

[Minstrel Boy]

She's always worth reading, but her Friday May 7 post must be read.

People are seething with anger- the pictures of Abu Ghraib and the Brits in Basrah are everywhere. Every newspaper you pick up in Baghdad has pictures of some American or British atrocity or another. It's like a nightmare that has come to life.

...

People are so angry. There’s no way to explain the reactions- even pro-occupation Iraqis find themselves silenced by this latest horror. I can’t explain how people feel- or even how I personally feel. Somehow, pictures of dead Iraqis are easier to bear than this grotesque show of American military technique. People would rather be dead than sexually abused and degraded by the animals running Abu Ghraib prison.

...

There was a time when people here felt sorry for the troops. No matter what one's attitude was towards the occupation, there were moments of pity towards the troops, regardless of their nationality. We would see them suffering the Iraqi sun, obviously wishing they were somewhere else and somehow, that vulnerability made them seem less monstrous and more human. That time has passed. People look at troops now and see the pictures of Abu Ghraib… and we burn with shame and anger and frustration at not being able to do something. Now that the world knows that the torture has been going on since the very beginning, do people finally understand what happened in Falloojeh?

...

All I can think about is the universal outrage when the former government showed pictures of American POWs on television, looking frightened and unsure about their fate. I remember the outcries from American citizens, claiming that Iraqis were animals for showing 'America's finest' fully clothed and unharmed. So what does this make Americans now?

...

I sometimes get emails asking me to propose solutions or make suggestions. Fine. Today's lesson: don't rape, don't torture, don't kill and get out while you can- while it still looks like you have a choice... Chaos? Civil war? Bloodshed? We’ll take our chances- just take your Puppets, your tanks, your smart weapons, your dumb politicians, your lies, your empty promises, your rapists, your sadistic torturers and go.


http://riverbendblog.blogspot.com/

[RedEarth]

1. I check her site each day...sounds like she's been so upset

about what we have done to her country, she hasn't been able to post....such a tragic situation.

[hermetic]

2. Dear Riverbend

I read her posts whenever they're up and she just breaks my heart. I wish there was some way to get W or Laura to read them.

[Kanary]

9. Sociopaths and psychopaths aren't affected by the pain of others

except that they get off on it.

Kanary

[kentuck]

3. If this is the mindset of most Iraqis...?

"Today's lesson: don't rape, don't torture, don't kill and get out while you can- while it still looks like you have a choice... Chaos? Civil war? Bloodshed? We’ll take our chances- just take your Puppets, your tanks, your smart weapons, your dumb politicians, your lies, your empty promises, your rapists, your sadistic torturers and go."

[goodolegal]

4. I don't know about the mindset of "most"...

Iraquis, but I imagine so. This is the first time I've really gotten the perspective of what is REALLY happening to the Iraquis. * Admin would like us to believe they're all alike over there, all hating us and that they are all a terrible danger to you and I. * thinks it's ok to generalize "them", but "we're" not at all represented by those few military personnel who "abused" the prisoners in the prison outside of Baghdad. Thank you for the link, it is in my favorites now. My heart is just sick at what is happening over there, to the coalition troops and the innocents of Iraq.

[newyawker99]

5. Hi goodolegal!!

Welcome to DU!! :toast:

[Generator]

6. This is your answer, America. Just Go.

We’ll take our chances- just take your Puppets, your tanks, your smart weapons, your dumb politicians, your lies, your empty promises, your rapists, your sadistic torturers and go.

[Jacobin]

7. Good advice in that last paragraph

When will all the "oh so benevolent and 'responsible'" Dems who wanna stay and help all those brown people fix their government up all nice, and all the neo-cons who wanna make an Israel-Friendly Oil Pump Nation gonna wake the fuck up and face reality?

:eyes: I know. Never.

[Beam Me Up]

8. Lets GO. Let's DEMAND that we GO--NOW!!

We should be marching on Washington DC. in the millions and we should demand that we withdraw from Iraq NOW or we not only "demonstrate" but pasively bring the city --every city -- to a stand still.