tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9923676.post114193543754567593..comments2023-11-03T16:06:09.608+03:00Comments on A Citizen Of Mosul: What happened to me is happenning to many others.Truth tellerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10184673505956673881noreply@blogger.comBlogger54125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9923676.post-1158407546923343072006-09-16T15:52:00.000+04:002006-09-16T15:52:00.000+04:00This is perfect!I'm Brazilian and I agree with you...This is perfect!<BR/>I'm Brazilian and I agree with you, your place and your people are been destroyed by american interests...<BR/>We pray together for the peace around the world...<BR/> JulianaJulie :)https://www.blogger.com/profile/01379839058877894927noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9923676.post-1142710652036852392006-03-18T22:37:00.000+03:002006-03-18T22:37:00.000+03:00The article in the following link was published T...The article in the following <A HREF="http://www.davisenterprise.com/articles/2006/03/16/news/290new0.prt" REL="nofollow">link </A> was published Thursday March 16 in the Enterprise news paper.Truth tellerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10184673505956673881noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9923676.post-1142707101668843032006-03-18T21:38:00.000+03:002006-03-18T21:38:00.000+03:00Believe me, the American's DON'T want to be in Ira...Believe me, the American's DON'T want to be in Iraq any more than you want them there.<BR/><BR/>We hate this war as well ... and I DO believe you when you say they are getting away with murder, it's terrible. The American soldiers are well trained, but that doesn't mean they aren't scared - which makes them trigger happy.<BR/><BR/>They don't want to die either ... it's a terrible situation, I feel so sorry you have to live through this.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9923676.post-1142499899103599712006-03-16T12:04:00.000+03:002006-03-16T12:04:00.000+03:00[anon] “ My gunner and I decided pretty early on t...[anon] “ My gunner and I decided pretty early on to take that slight risk of death by carbomb rather than murded innocents. A couple of times we thought we'd made the wrong decision, and once as an LN vehicle rolled up to us, we were sure we were about to die. We were foolish, brave, empathetic and right.”<BR/><BR/>In the context of a guerrilla war, what you did was completely correct. US doctrine of “force protection” is exactly the wrong way to behave if you want to defuse tensions and contribute to stability. While the US military is great at a conventional war, it absolutely sucks at asymmetrical warfare, and as long as it continues to be what it is … it always will. The British have a much better idea of how to behave in these circumstances.<BR/><BR/>BTW, did you at all get into trouble with your superiors for your siren and lights?<BR/><BR/>Finally, kudos for your personal stance and decision to act like this.<BR/><BR/><BR/><BR/><BR/>Truthteller -- <BR/><BR/>It is best to ignore people like that 'anonymous' at 5:56. They deliberately misread your words and link two posts which have no relation to one another. The soldier with the sirens clearly stated that he was an exception. They will just make you angry for no reason.Brunohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11455545060335228501noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9923676.post-1142499007794935982006-03-16T11:50:00.000+03:002006-03-16T11:50:00.000+03:00anon. above"when it was clearly a warning shot for...anon. above<BR/><BR/><I>"when it was clearly a warning shot for you coming too close to a Stryker with blaring sirens and emergency beacon,"</I><BR/><BR/>From where you get this shit, I never said that, and it is not true.<BR/>Is it the American way of tilting the truth to justify their illegal and unfair acts??<BR/><BR/>The truth there was no sirens, and no emergency beacon, the first warning was a bullets passed few centemeters from my head, enter from the window next to the driver and exited from the opposite window.<BR/><BR/>What about the killing of my uncle, the 2 families and the last victim (the christian), are they also comming too close to the Stryker?<BR/><BR/>Why you put your emotion first when analysing such atrocities?Truth tellerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10184673505956673881noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9923676.post-1142477798385115202006-03-16T05:56:00.000+03:002006-03-16T05:56:00.000+03:00TT, I suggest you get a group of elders together a...TT, I suggest you get a group of elders together and go over to the Stryker base and have a meeting with the US commander. <BR/><BR/>You need to have hard facts. Emotional drivel so common will not work. You have to have real numbers and names of victims, and witnesses, as to how many innocent Iraqis killed by Strykers in the past week, month, quarter, and year. Also data on how many Strykers attacked by carbombers or drive-by shooters.<BR/><BR/>This is what I mean by rolling your sleeve up and doing your patriotic duty. Take the data with you to the commander and discuss the issue with him.<BR/><BR/>If he agrees to your data, but says there is nothing to be done, then I will start believing in your complaints.<BR/><BR/>Incessent whining and telling NYT that you were targetted for assassination (!), when it was clearly a warning shot for you coming too close to a Stryker with blaring sirens and emergency beacon, is not going to increase your credibility on this forum with people who care for the truth, and who really matter.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9923676.post-1142448206557427472006-03-15T21:43:00.000+03:002006-03-15T21:43:00.000+03:00This week another man, a middle age christian citi...<B>This week another man, a middle age christian citizen has been killed in his car by American soldiers at Hay Al-Sukkar in mosul in the same incident as that of my uncle, he was in his way home after he recieve his food ration from the local market in the neighborhood about 50 meters from his house.<BR/><BR/>He is the seventh victim (in four cars) within 10 days.<BR/><BR/>It seems to me that those ignorant soldiers never learn from their mistakes.</B>Truth tellerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10184673505956673881noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9923676.post-1142447125221362042006-03-15T21:25:00.000+03:002006-03-15T21:25:00.000+03:00anonymous at 3/15/2006I am sure there are people l...anonymous at 3/15/2006<BR/><BR/>I am sure there are people like you and your gunner, brave, responsible and right, I can describe them as "a real soldiers". But unfortunateley the bad guys are more than the good guys in your troops in Iraq.<BR/><BR/>Thang you for saving the life of innocent citizens.Truth tellerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10184673505956673881noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9923676.post-1142446503186588982006-03-15T21:15:00.000+03:002006-03-15T21:15:00.000+03:00faisalIt seems to me that the soldier who shot me ...faisal<BR/><BR/>It seems to me that the soldier who shot me was just joking or playing. He didn't ment to kill me and he didn't shot as a warning either!!<BR/><BR/>b will derd<BR/><BR/><I>"hope TT will allow this last effort"</I><BR/><BR/>with my pleasureTruth tellerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10184673505956673881noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9923676.post-1142421625229378682006-03-15T14:20:00.000+03:002006-03-15T14:20:00.000+03:00[anonymous] “Trying to take the law into your own ...[anonymous] “Trying to take the law into your own hands and attack people you do not like with guns … ”<BR/><BR/>Isn’t that exactly what America did? Took the law into it’s own hands and invaded Iraq ? Yet here you are arguing that this sort of behaviour is a bad thing … when will the hypocrisy end?<BR/><BR/><BR/>[anonymous] “Johninz - go to Iraq Body Count or icasualties.org. There are NOT that many Iraqis killed by Americans due to running checkpoints or coming close to Strykers. ”<BR/><BR/>The basic fact remains that IBC bases its results on news reports, three of which have to reports the same incident in order for it to be mentioned. The fact is that a random shooting like this is not exactly high profile enough to make it to print, or necessarily even to be noticed. It is misleading to use these sources as barometers of these incidents.<BR/><BR/><BR/>On US soldiers leaving Iraq:<BR/><BR/>It is quite obvious following the Askariya bombing that American forces either lack the capacity or the will to intervene in any civil war. They stood back and watched Iraqis slaughter each other. The latest statements by Rumsfeld only confirm this. Now that the last fig leaf of an excuse for staying in Iraq has fallen away … is it not time for the US to get out? Otherwise, what is it doing in Iraq, other than killing innocent motorists and families?<BR/><BR/>Americans, go home. There is no reason left for you to stay anymore.Brunohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11455545060335228501noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9923676.post-1142393238942257522006-03-15T06:27:00.000+03:002006-03-15T06:27:00.000+03:00Your attitude seems to be exactly that of my memor...<I>Your attitude seems to be exactly that of my memories of my childhood in a British Colony </I><BR/><BR/>Finally!!!! this is big, we finally know what itches jhoninnz. I knew it had to be something, and I apologies for my other guesses which I wont repeat here.madtomhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17609777902535328244noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9923676.post-1142389737427232912006-03-15T05:28:00.000+03:002006-03-15T05:28:00.000+03:00In fact my guntruck had a siren and flashing light...In fact my guntruck had a siren and flashing lights. They were VERY effective. Oncomming traffic and merging traffic would halt. In 22,000 miles in central Iraq January through November 2005 we never shot at anyone in traffic. I a proud of that. Why do other gunners shoot so much? Fear and misguided hatred, in that order. My gunner and I decided pretty early on to take that slight risk of death by carbomb rather than murded innocents. A couple of times we thought we'd made the wrong decision, and once as an LN vehicle rolled up to us, we were sure we were about to die. We were foolish, brave, empathetic and right.<BR/>11B3VAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9923676.post-1142367852487510672006-03-14T23:24:00.000+03:002006-03-14T23:24:00.000+03:00Faisal, johnninz - that is the law. You have to p...Faisal, johnninz - that is the law. You have to pull over to the side and stop. Every driver knows that. TT knows that. But he said he was not looking in his mirrors. And once the stryker passed, he did NOT pull over. <BR/><BR/>When I pull over for an ambulance or a police car on emergency, I do not feel that my national dignity has been insulted and that I have been humiliated. Do you?<BR/><BR/>Faisal - the strykers have large signs that say "PULL OVER" in Arabic. This is the FACT.<BR/><BR/>And then TT goes and tells the NYT that he was targetted for assassination. And you pomos have nothing to say about FACTS.<BR/><BR/>What Rumsfeld said was that the Iraqi army will be able to take care of a civil war outbreak. Rumsfeld also said that US forces will intervene if necessary. It is indeed a sad day when ideologically crimped westerners and the reactionary postmoderns start uncritically believing a molla spewing hatred and civil war. Then that shows they have no idea what is happening in Iraq, and do not give a rat's behind for the people of Iraq.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9923676.post-1142345459384946622006-03-14T17:10:00.000+03:002006-03-14T17:10:00.000+03:00"Like when the Stryker had to pass TT's car. If I ..."Like when the Stryker had to pass TT's car. If I see an ambulance coming by, I PULL ASIDE AND STOP MY CAR"<BR/><BR/>Don't you think that the striker will be even more confused? We do not want the striker to think that there is a bomb in the car and the intention of stopping is to abandon the car.Faisal ...https://www.blogger.com/profile/15513523962551786893noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9923676.post-1142338817419658962006-03-14T15:20:00.000+03:002006-03-14T15:20:00.000+03:00Hey, more lunacy:"Like many Iraqi and Arab observe...Hey, more lunacy:<BR/><BR/>"Like many Iraqi and Arab observers, Muqtada was shocked when US Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld said last week that the US military would not intervene in an Iraqi civil war, leaving that to Iraqi forces.<BR/>' "May God damn you," Sadr said of Rumsfeld. "You said in the past that civil war would break out if you were to withdraw, and now you say that in case of civil war you won't interfere." ' <BR/>When Muqtada starts making more sense than Rummy, you've got to know that you're in trouble.<BR/>Still, doubtless the citizens of Mosul will gather to wave a tearful farewell as the Stryker Brigade withdraws.<BR/>My selective outrage is misplaced.<BR/>Guess whoAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9923676.post-1142337457431397152006-03-14T14:57:00.000+03:002006-03-14T14:57:00.000+03:00Anonymous (Strykerdad) above:(a) Law? What law? Is...Anonymous (Strykerdad) above:<BR/>(a) Law? What law? Is there an article in the Iraqi Constitution, or some sort of Emergency Regulation, which states that Iraqi motorists must keep 100 metres away from Strykers at all times? Should they get out of their cars and eat some dirt if they are aware of Strykers anywhere in their suburb?<BR/>(b) As I understand it, TT didn't see the patrol that shot at him because they came from behind him, on a parallel road, not the one he was on, and didn't have any sirens going.<BR/>What's he meant to do, carry radar tuned to detect approaching assholes?<BR/>(c) I hope you have definite proof that TT's uncle was an "avid Sunni Islamist" with "bloated dignity." Otherwise you are slandering a dead old man, which is about as low as you can go.<BR/>(d) Your attitude seems to be exactly that of my memories of my childhood in a British Colony where the natives had to show due respect towards their white masters, or else.<BR/>(e) Upchuck!<BR/>JohninnzAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9923676.post-1142301209149514522006-03-14T04:53:00.000+03:002006-03-14T04:53:00.000+03:00Johninz - go to Iraq Body Count or icasualties.org...Johninz - go to Iraq Body Count or icasualties.org. There are NOT that many Iraqis killed by Americans due to running checkpoints or coming close to Strykers. Your selective outrage is misplaced.<BR/><BR/>TT and his family are avid Sunni Islamists who have this bloated dignity. If they see a Stryker they will NOT pull over, because they feel humiliated. They think that obeying the law is same as humiliation. They take risks and end up in ambigious situations. <BR/><BR/>Like when the Stryker had to pass TT's car. If I see an ambulance coming by, I PULL ASIDE AND STOP MY CAR. I dont take it an affront to my honor and national dignity.<BR/><BR/>If TT and his family treat the Strykers as ambulances or police cars on emergency, they will not have this problem.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9923676.post-1142299447845057332006-03-14T04:24:00.000+03:002006-03-14T04:24:00.000+03:00Hey, just thought I'd share this one:"...the US De...Hey, just thought I'd share this one:<BR/><BR/>"...the US Defence Secretary, Donald Rumsfeld, told a Senate inquiry in Washington that Iraq's political leaders needed "to recognise the seriousness of the situation and form a government of national unity that will govern from the centre, and to do it in a reasonably prompt manner"."<BR/><BR/>Right. I can just see George Bush forming a "government of national unity" with a Cabinet made up Republicans, Democrats and independents.<BR/><BR/>Very much a case of "do as we say, not as we do."<BR/><BR/>No wonder Truthteller says "we don't want you here."<BR/>I thought the Taliban were as looney as you could get, but they seem to have been quite sane compared to to the weirdos running the USA today.<BR/>Guess whoAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9923676.post-1142295647208293892006-03-14T03:20:00.000+03:002006-03-14T03:20:00.000+03:00I'm reading this here, and utterly I'm disgusted. ...I'm reading this here, and utterly I'm disgusted. I sat down and read this man's blog and his daughter's blog. His uncle has been killed by an American Soldier. I go to comment on his condolences and what do I see?<BR/><BR/>A/ Let's call this man a liar.<BR/>B/ Let's dispute the facts so his elderly uncle deserved to be shot.<BR/>C/ Let's call it basically collateral damage, stop complaining and stand up for your country!<BR/> <BR/>I honestly am flabbergasted. Imagine one of your relatives was just shot dead, your father or your uncle. Picture that..<BR/><BR/>Now imagine me telling you that it was his own fault, the soldier responsible was under a lot of pressure and how I should stop complaining about everything and stand up for my country. <BR/><BR/>Jesus people, develop a sense of shame.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9923676.post-1142267793204735622006-03-13T19:36:00.000+03:002006-03-13T19:36:00.000+03:00To anonymous, 3/13/2006 12:00:40 AM : you need som...To anonymous, 3/13/2006 12:00:40 AM : you need some cultural context. In the UK, the Telegraph newspaper is the British military's unoffical channel for expressing doubts about Government policy. That that report appeared in the Telegraph, not in the Guardian, means that it carries significantly more weight.<BR/><BR/>And the fact that Griffin left the SAS with such a good testimonial, in which he was described by his superiors as - "balanced, honest, loyal and determined individual who possesses the strength of character to have the courage of his convictions" - indicates that others think that his stand is reasonable.<BR/><BR/>The sadness is that the British army needs people of the calibre of Griffin - intelligent, courageous, professional, interested in other cultures, compassionate, not trigger-happy like Americans - and it is the aggressive and illegal American military adventures in Iraq that have repelled him to the point where he felt that he had to resign from the SAS.indigohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12016153810542371398noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9923676.post-1142219330945680812006-03-13T06:08:00.000+03:002006-03-13T06:08:00.000+03:00I am so very sorry for your loss, truthteller.It i...I am so very sorry for your loss, truthteller.<BR/><BR/>It is clear to me that an American did the killing, otherwise they would not have apologized for it. What is not clear is how much of an accident it was... or wasn't. The fact that they are sorry is certainly better than not being sorry, but I imagine it is not much consolation to you and your family for your horrible loss.<BR/><BR/><BR/>someone above said:<BR/><BR/>"You tell us to go home, believe me, we would like nothing better than to leave but we have a responsibility to your country to stay until you are capable of handling your own country."<BR/><BR/><BR/>First, Bush does not intend to leave, ever. <BR/>Second, the US does have a responsiblity to Iraq, however, even minimal following of the news around the globe shows the situation keeps getting worse and worse and worse... the longer American forces are there. There may be a few minor exceptions, but overall, our military presence is making things worse.<BR/>Third, the Iraqis are quite capable of handling their own country. To think otherwise is racist.Dancewaterhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16733269960341895623noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9923676.post-1142200091208276892006-03-13T00:48:00.000+03:002006-03-13T00:48:00.000+03:00Speaking of the US Army in Iraq, I am also very pu...Speaking of the US Army in Iraq, I am also very puzzled by that Zogby poll of US troops in Iraq, 75% of whom want to get out. The poll also said that " 85% said the U.S. mission is mainly “to retaliate for Saddam’s role in the 9-11 attacks,”"<BR/>By now, most of the world knows that Saddam, and Iraq, had nothing to do with 9/11. It was Al Qaeda and the Saudis, right?<BR/>So what is this telling us?<BR/>(a) 85% of US troops in Iraq can't read?<BR/>(b) 85% of US troops in Iraq are brainwashed?<BR/>(c) 85% of US troops in Iraq are Dick Cheney?<BR/>(d) all of the above?<BR/>Very puzzling indeed.<BR/>JohninnzAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9923676.post-1142197515656870172006-03-13T00:05:00.000+03:002006-03-13T00:05:00.000+03:00I am puzzled by the statement of Anonymous 2.41 ab...I am puzzled by the statement of Anonymous 2.41 above that Truthteller's uncle "drove into a Stryker."<BR/>All that Truthteller said was "there were strykers in the road he entered and he didn't noticed them."<BR/>Have I missed something?<BR/>With regard to the two incidents that Truthteller has told us about recently, I think the key question (which unfortunately can probably never be answered) is this:<BR/>What proportion of these shootings (checkpoint, drive-by, convoy etc) have targetted actual for-real suicide bombers or terrorists?<BR/>I mean, if 9 out of ten of those shot at are "bad guys" out to get you, well maybe that's war, or something.<BR/>But if only 1 out of ten are genuine and legitimate targets, and the rest are just guys like Truthteller and his uncle, then don't we have to say that that's a pretty panicky chickenshit army that you got out there, ole' buddies?<BR/>I wonder whether Truthteller would like to offer us a guess? From his experience and knowledge, what proportion of Iraqis shot on the roads of Mosul by US soldiers actually needed to be shot, i.e. they were genuinely about to attack the soldiers?<BR/>The point being, of course, that a "shoot on suspicion" policy is more or less what that SAS trooper was complaining about. Definitely no way to win hearts and minds. Or to defeat and insurgency. <BR/>If 9 out of ten shootings were unwarranted, then you're creating insurgents a damn sight faster than you're killing them.<BR/>JohninnzAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9923676.post-1142197240443326202006-03-13T00:00:00.000+03:002006-03-13T00:00:00.000+03:00My question, if the SAS is the only one to take th...My question, if the SAS is the only one to take this action after 3 years, why is that? Could it be that just maybe he is the one with the problem and disgruntled for whatever reason? Maybe a US soldier rejected his affections or something....or are the rest of the SAS inferior to him?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9923676.post-1142189141557341342006-03-12T21:45:00.000+03:002006-03-12T21:45:00.000+03:00Comment by Max Hastings, in the Sunday Telegraph(H...<A HREF="http://www.telegraph.co.uk/opinion/main.jhtml;jsessionid=CNEFTEDDM2BNRQFIQMFCFGGAVCBQYIV0?xml=/opinion/2006/03/12/do1201.xml&sSheet=/news/2006/03/12/ixhome.html" REL="nofollow">Comment by Max Hastings, in the Sunday Telegraph</A>(Hastings reported the Falklands War, 20 years ago, and was in fact the first British person to walk - unarmed - into Port Stanley after the cease-fire).<BR/><BR/><I>Here is a quote from a British security contractor in Iraq about his American counterparts: "I hate those bastards more than the scumbag insurgents." A British colonel recently returned from a tour in the country said that, in our next war, he would sooner fight alongside the Russians than the US. ... This is another quote from a British security contractor: "I'm also convinced that many Americans hate the Iraqis, not just the insurgents but all Iraqis… What a mess."</I><BR/><BR/><I>"I've had conversations with many [US security contractors] and regular US soldiers who are evangelical Christians," writes John Geddes, the ex-SAS soldier quoted above, "who see themselves in a crusade against the Muslim hordes. In my view, they're not much different to the Iraqi militiamen and foreign fighters who see themselves at the heart of a jihad against the Christian crusaders." ... From the day the first American forces crossed the border into Iraq in 2003, neither they nor their government have resolved the issue of whether they are there to serve Iraqi interests, or those of the United States. Whatever Washington may say, most Americans think they are working for their own country.<BR/><BR/>From President Bush downwards, the doctrine has been propagated that every insurgent engaged and killed in Iraq is one less to assault the US homeland. "Force protection" - the welfare of those wearing US uniforms - is the governing factor in any tactical situation. Only a tiny handful of American servicemen have been disciplined, far less put on trial, for excesses in combat that have cost civilian lives. </I>indigohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12016153810542371398noreply@blogger.com