this not the news story i originally wanted to post, it is about the same horrible thing though.
you cant speak English, you are traveling at night through bombed out streets, your car is a beaten up wreck, your family on the back seat, head lights smashed etc. you are approaching a group of men in uniform, armed with automatic weapons. they shout instructions at you, you don't understand. you keep going. the armed men open fire, the car is not armoured.
i will let the BBC do the rest: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/shared/spl/hi/picture_gallery/05/middle_east_shooting_in_tal_afar/html/1.stm
update, found the link: http://www.chrishondros.com/images.htm then click on "Iraq", then click on "the tal afar incident"
it will make you angry, sad and give a damn!
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Ignoring the rights and wrongs of the Iraq war as a whole, let's examine this incident in isolation, giving a bit more factual background. Evidently, it's utterly abhorrent that people die in such a way, and every reasonable precaution must be taken. But I think we're all intelligent enough to overcome our inital gut reaction of horror at such incidents, and examine them in more detials. The only real question to ask is, what do you suggest should have been done differently?
ReplyDeleteLet's make it clear that, according to the BBC report, not only did the armed men shout instructions, they make hand signals, and fire warning shots.
Let's examine this from the situation of the soldiers. A car is driving towards them. Given that the driver has ignored the combination of hand-signals to stop and warning shots, what do you suggest they do? Do they let the driver, who they may well perceive as a threat (possible suicide bomber, etc: remember the climate these soldiers operate within) continue towards them, possibly killing/injuring them?
It's a horrific situation. Soldiers are, in the end, only human. Look deep into yourself before criticising others: what would you have done? As I've said, its tragic. But gut reactions do nothing for constructive debate.
I see the both sides of the coin here. However, I can't help what role the 24 hour mass media plays in this. War always brings atrocities. My biggest worry would be that we all become a little more numbed by the shocking nature of this event.
ReplyDeleteRegardless of who was right or wrong here. As a society, the western world is running a very real risk of accepting war through media consumption.
in response, i dont suggest anything could be done diffrently. soilders had no idea who, what was in the car and had to do what they had to do.i have no argument with that.
ReplyDeleteits just an example of how screwed up things are,and found it a powerful story that i thought was worth posting.
Fair enough. I was in a terrible mood last night. It is indeed a horrific story, and the picture montage by the BBC helps to bring home some of the brutal reality of civillian casualties in warzones.
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