Usayd Networks » Iraq

Not Your Soldier

Usayd — Fri, 12 May 2006 15:27:10 +0000

Peace, theres a cool site and a really good flash video which is encouraging people, largely kids in America not to join their army which is killing thousands of innocents and essentially could cost you your life. Check it out!

Suicide? Didn’t think so.

Usayd — Wed, 03 May 2006 21:16:52 +0000

Recently I spoke about questioning why. I was trying to make a point – things aren’t always as they seem. The violence in Iraq isn’t stopping, far from it. Let’s question why.

‘Suicide’ bombers are probably the world’s biggest fear. Let’s start by breaking the media-imposed phrase down. You see, suicide is a word associated when someone wishes to end their own life. In my opinion calling anyone who kills themselves to kill others ‘suicidal’, is wrong. Of course the term is only used because it incites fear in ones mind, someone who wants to kill himself and others around them must be psychotic. Perhaps, but we miss the bigger picture. ‘Suicide bombers’ are people using themselves as weapons, often in situations where other weaponry is not available (Palestine conflict – Tanks vs. Stones?). I’m definitely not arguing that such an act is justified (certainly not in Islam), but it certainly doesn’t justify, or make any other acts of terror using standard weaponry any more justifiable (and that means terror from both sides).

Iraq is being struck by suicide bombers in densely populated civilian areas. The media, or more importantly the people carrying out this war (America), of course, made it appear that it is a civil conflict where Iraqi’s (probably toss the words Islamist Extremist Terrorist in there to excite the public) are just killing other Iraqi’s, and the occupying forces (US&UK) are there to help prevent this civil unrest and liberate (do people still fall for that ?) the Iraqi people. Frankly I didn’t believe for a minute that Iraqi’s were killing other Iraqi’s. I know that Iraqi’s are killing more soldiers in Iraq then perhaps we know about, but let’s see what is actually happening in the world of ‘mass suicide’.

Article: Robert Fisk
Source: ICH

The Americans, my interlocutor suspected, are trying to provoke an Iraqi civil war so that Sunni Muslim insurgents spend their energies killing their Shia co-religionists rather than soldiers of the Western occupation forces. “I swear to you that we have very good information,” my source says, finger stabbing the air in front of him. “One young Iraqi man told us that he was trained by the Americans as a policeman in Baghdad and he spent 70 per cent of his time learning to drive and 30 per cent in weapons training. They said to him: ‘Come back in a week.’ When he went back, they gave him a mobile phone and told him to drive into a crowded area near a mosque and phone them. He waited in the car but couldn’t get the right mobile signal. So he got out of the car to where he received a better signal. Then his car blew up.”

Surprised? I’m certainly not. Funny how this story isn’t much of a revelation to me, at all. Why? The minute the war bells chimed I knew this wasn’t going to be a just war. In fact, can you even call it a war? Surely war’s have to have two sides to them? Surely there has to be an enemy to engage? We marched in the streets of London with 1 million others to tell the world that this wasn’t going to be a just war – this wasn’t going to be ‘just a war’.

And if you’re surprised, this is barely scraping the surface.

Question Why?

Usayd — Sat, 25 Feb 2006 22:39:21 +0000

There are a chain of questions that are asked when something happens. It goes something like ‘What, Where, How, When and Why‘. Something that seems to be missing more and more in society today is the question of ‘Why’. People are always quick to ask who did it, how did they do it, where and when did they do it. We never stop to think about why. Perhaps people are scared of the answer. Maybe the answer is actually true. Maybe the answer is scary, maybe it explains things that you want to leave unexplained. There are so many things going on in the world which are not being questioned and this gives people the ability to continue doing these things without anyone batting an eyelid.

Take for example, the bombings of a Shi’a Shrine in Iraq. If we look at the chain of questions, it goes something like this. ‘Shi’a shrine blown up in Samarra, Iraq by Sunni’s a few days ago.’ Lets say that that is true, and lets question why. Why would Sunni Muslims want to destroy a Mosque of the Shi’a Muslims now? That shrine has been there for decades, perhaps centuries. Why would Muslims want to kill other Muslims?

Ahnaf b. Qais reported on the authority of Abu Bakra that Allah ’s Messenger (may peace be upon him) said: When two Muslims confront each other with their swords, both the slayer and the slain are doomed to Hell-Fire.

What does that mean? Well in simple words, if a Muslim kills another Muslim then he is destined for the hellfire. I am a Sunni and I’ve been to that shrine in Samarra. It was very beautiful and I am hugely upset that anyone can carry out the act of destroying a place which is important to Muslims, not just Shi’a but Sunnis too. Remember that a Mosque is a house of Allah and that’s regardless.Why would Muslims want to kill other Muslims?

There is also evidence now (straight from Samarra) that there was a curfew and the place around the shrine (and the shrine itself) was closed off by Iraqi policemen and American soldiers the same night that the bombings took place and then like 10 minutes after they left it was blown up.

I’m not going to start saying who’s right and who’s wrong, my article isn’t even aimed at talking about the issue of these disgraceful events happening in Iraq today. All I want to say is this. It’s time for people to start thinking, it’s time for people to start understanding. There are reasons for everything and sometimes it’s not as cut out as the media might make it look like. There are always reasons. What advantage would such an attack bring to the US? Well, as we have seen it is causing Muslims to fight each other, perhaps without understanding or reason, but even so – it is causing an issue for them to take advantage of. Now they can intervene and say well we aren’t going anywhere you can’t manage the situation in Iraq and then continue to drain the country of its resources and wealth.

At the end of the day, there is one thing we must always remember. There is a reason for everything that happens – and sometimes that reason is for the better, and sometimes that reason is for the worse. Unfortunately today we are seeing a lot of the worse, but the real issue is, are we recognising that?

The Great War For Civilization

Usayd — Sun, 27 Nov 2005 15:38:46 +0000

Robert Fisk; The Great War For Civilization

Speaking on his new book, The Great War For Civilization; The Conquest of the Middle East at King Middle School, Berkeley. Nov 19 2005. Fisk, in yet another stirring account, paints a disturbing picture of recent history and events in Iraq and the Middle East.

I highly recommend listening to this! Robert Fisk yet again speaks the truth. – ICH -

Developments

Usayd — Wed, 23 Nov 2005 23:28:43 +0000

What got slashdotted recently?
“Dell Finally Goes for AMD…” While “Remarked Celerons Sold As P4s…”

Macworld reports that iPod is competing with Barbie’s for the top 10 girls toys..

What is going on in the world?! I am never usually ‘against’ the advance in technology, in fact I am not against it but I am slightly weary that things generated by the advance in technology such as computers, multimedia, TV and electronic entertainment are possibly taking too much of a role in peoples lives. I know that many children (and adults) spend a lot more time watching TV, playing computer games etc then maybe they do developing their social, intellectual and other skills that are necessary in later life. That may just be speculation, but it’s certainly something to think about. I wonder if any of those development studies have any explanations contrary or in agreement to this?

In the political news of the USA; ICH as usual has got a good video from Democracy Now.

Colin Powell’s Former Chief of Staff Col. Wilkerson on Prewar Intel, Murder and Torture: How a White House “Cabal” Hijacked U.S. Foreign Policy
ICH

I’m not going to say much about that, you can judge for yourself. One thing I often notice is how often the politicians use their armed forces to their advantage. For example Vice President Dick Cheney states:

American soldiers and marines serving in Iraq go out every day into some of the most dangerous and unpredictable conditions. Meanwhile, back in the United States, a few politicians are suggesting these brave Americans were sent into battle for a deliberate falsehood.

I don’t have an issue with people supporting their countries troops – but it is plain obvious how the politicians are simply using it as a way of saying we are right and you are wrong. I don’t really speak against those who are on the side of which I think is more correct then the other – but even the person speaking about the issues that the US is currently causing uses the exact same terminology!
“…hurt our credibility and made the job of our brave men and women in the field even more difficult.”

My thoughts of the day.
::::
Dispatches today: Kidnap and Torture American Style
:::
“Read between the lines…”
::
“If you don’t stand up for something, you’ll fall for anything.” Malcolm X
:

Torture’s out. Now they call it abuse

Usayd — Tue, 15 Nov 2005 18:05:12 +0000

Yep, make any excuses you want – you can’t hide from the truth.

No screaming, no cries of agony, no shrieks of pain. Yes, it sounds much better, doesn’t it?

By Robert Fisk

| 11/12/05 | “The Independent” | — – “Prevail” is the “in” word in America just now. We are not going to “win” in Iraq – because we did that in 2003, didn’t we, when we stormed up to Baghdad and toppled Saddam? Then George Bush declared “Mission Accomplished”. So now we must “prevail”. That’s what F J “Bing” West, ex-soldier and former assistant secretary for International Security Affairs in the Reagan administration said this week. Plugging his new book – No True Glory: A Frontline Account of the Battle for Fallujah – he gave a frightening outline of what lies in store for the Sunni Muslims of Iraq.

ICH Article

Fallujah, unforgotten.

Usayd — Wed, 09 Nov 2005 17:28:34 +0000

US forces ‘used chemical weapons’ during assault on city of Fallujah

The attacks on Fallujah, the small town near the city of Baghdad, were the headlines of this time last year’s news. Now it has hit again with even more claims of total disregard to the UN convention. UNN wrote about the Fallujah Napalm case last November. Thousands of Iraqis have lost their lives to the stupidity of this war, I think its time the world spoke out.
“Bodies melted away before us.”

Powerful new evidence emerged yesterday that the United States dropped massive quantities of white phosphorus on the Iraqi city of Fallujah during the attack on the city in November 2004, killing insurgents and civilians with the appalling burns that are the signature of this weapon.

Ever since the assault, which went unreported by any Western journalists, rumours have swirled that the Americans used chemical weapons on the city.

On 10 November last year, the Islam Online website wrote: “US troops are reportedly using chemical weapons and poisonous gas in its large-scale offensive on the Iraqi resistance bastion of Fallujah, a grim reminder of Saddam Hussein’s alleged gassing of the Kurds in 1988.” By Peter Popham | 11/08/05 | “The Independent”

A must see ‘documentary’ looking into the situation really does explain a lot concerning the total indiscriminate effects of the weapons used in Fallujah. One veteran says “Bodies melted away before us.”

I must warn you of the following:

This video contains images that depict the reality and horror of war.

It should only be viewed by a mature audience.
Watch the video at YSE (Faster) Watch the video at ICH The media are minimising US and British war crimes in Iraq $5,000 for loss of wife and son: how US prices death Torture: It’s the new American way

Update:

The US military on Wednesday acknowledged it might have killed civilians in the Iraqi city of Falluja with white phosphorus munitions during the battle against insurgents a year ago. ICH

Iraq, to stay or not to stay?

Usayd — Thu, 22 Sep 2005 15:49:13 +0000

I’m Iraqi, I’ve been to Iraq and believe me I know that the situation in Iraq at the current moment is definitely not better then it was before the war. Why, well think about it. You attacked a country and killed over 150,000 Innocent Civilians. Yeah that might look like ‘just a figure’ to you, but lets face it – we seem to care so much about every British/American soldier that dies (which is fine) but when do we think about the innocent Iraqi’s who were killed by our soldiers our countries and our politics. This isn’t just the situations caused by the recent war, what about the sanctions that were imposed before this war? What about the imposition of the evil dictator the countries later condemned and used as an excuse to attack the country? What about the supply of weapons to create an unnecessary war between Iraq and Iran. The truth is the one thing the west is good at is creating a split between people. A few examples include India/Pakistan, Israel/Palestine and now they have gone to the level of even trying to create a split between religious differences. Sunni/Shia is one of the biggest misconceptions and ‘hyped-up’ things that the media has promoted. ‘Oh no Sunni insurgents’…’Oh no Shia gatherings’. They constantly fill your minds with the split, trying to create a divide not only in the Iraqi community, but more importantly in the Muslim community. Well I’ll tell you this right now. It’s not going to work because the Muslims are one Ummah, and that is the way it’s going to remain.

Well the article that I found very interesting was from the Guardian, UK.

By Simon Jenkins

09/21/05 "The Guardian" — – Don’t be fooled a second time. They told you Britain must invade Iraq because of its weapons of mass destruction. They were wrong. Now they say British troops must stay in Iraq because otherwise it will collapse into chaos. This second lie is infecting everyone. It is spouted by Labour and Tory opponents of the war and even by the Liberal Democrat spokesman, Sir Menzies Campbell. Its axiom is that western soldiers are so competent that, wherever they go, only good can result. It is their duty not to leave Iraq until order is established, infrastructure rebuilt and democracy entrenched.

Read on

My message to the occupiers – get out of the country before they kick you out.

George Bush. “One dead American for every day in office”.

Usayd — Mon, 29 Aug 2005 21:41:59 +0000

As if the death of 150,000 Iraqi’s wasn’t enough.

08/29/05 "ICH" — – President Bush’s latest milestone in the war on terror has been predictably ignored in the mainstream media. Bush, who is now in the fifth year of his presidency, has served 1727 days in office. With the death toll in Iraq currently at 1873 servicemen, Bush can now boast that at least one American has died for every day he’s been in office; a sobering tribute to a man who wants to be remembered "a war president".

Article

It’s amazing that it takes such a bold statement to stir the people of the world. Like Stalin said "A single death is a tragedy, a million deaths is a statistic." Maybe to some people it goes like this: "A single American death is a tragedy, a hundred thousand Iraqi deaths is a statistic."

It’s funny how civillised human beings think they have become…

Straight-shootin’ George Galloway

Usayd — Sun, 07 Aug 2005 10:21:34 +0000

"I am utterly against the punishing of innocent people for the crimes of the guilty, whether it is done on the underground of London or the streets of Falluja by George Bush’s air force". George Galloway MP

Lets face it, there aren’t many likeable politicians in the western (and of course everywhere else) governments today, so it feels good to say that I’ve always had respect for George Galloway and his views towards the current situations. I’ve attended seminars and talks with George Galloway as a guest and I’ve always been delighted with his impressive knowledge of the truth towards the atrocities that are occurring all over the world, for example, I was very much intrigued by what he had to say at the FOSIS conference about Palestine and the truthful views he portrayed about the happenings there.

Because of this i’m happy to report another article by ICH which is poiting out some of the great acheviements of George Galloway in the UK’s politics.

Imagine, for a moment, that the US was invaded by an army from Saudi Arabia for the transparent purpose of securing America’s great natural wealth. And, imagine that tens of thousands of American people were killed in that invasion, entire cities were leveled as reprisal for resisting, and scores of Americans were tortured and humiliated in the most despicable manner.

What type of man would risk his own life to travel to the United States to fight for the liberation of the American people from Saudi oppression?

A terrorist or a martyr?

Its funny, you know, how after years of campaigning against the war in Iraq – people finally start to realise this simple concept which is incredibly real! This is what we’ve been saying since the year 2000 but of course no one seems to learn from history and yet again thousands of innocents die due to the ignorance of a minority with a bit of power.

Those who doubt what I say should consider Blair’s news conference yesterday, where he rattled-off a whole new list of repressive measures to be directed at Muslims. Mimicking his Crawford mentor, Blair has decided that he has the right to unilaterally make law from his perch at 10 Downing St. without the consent of Parliament. The fatuous PM now claims the power to close down mosques, deport, clerics and shut down web sites where the views don’t meet the dubious standards of the state. Additionally, Israeli trained police-units have been deployed on London’s streets with orders to "shoot to kill" terror suspects (or fleeing Brazilians) if there is a perceived risk to public safety.

ICH [ article cont ]

Speaks for itself doesn’t it?

That’s why we need guys like Galloway who’ll stand up and take a few hardy swings at the scoundrels in power. His words put a little steel in everyone’s spine; and we’re going to need it, too. There’s plenty of bad road ahead.