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mntlfngrs
The Art of Casterbation
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We?ve Been Suffering ... What Took You So Long?
#1450632 - 04/11/03 06:29 PM (20 years, 11 months ago) |
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?We?ve Been Suffering ... What Took You So Long?? Abdul Rahman Almotawa, Arab News War Correspondent BASRA, 12 April 2003 ? In the towns of southern Iraq many are asking the US-led forces: ?Where have you been? Iraq has been suffering under Saddam Hussein?s regime for 30 years. What took you so long?? A man told Arab News about the daily suffering and the destitution in which many in this area live. He talked of the exodus from Basra and other once progressive cities to little towns in the south, escaping British shelling and the jets on official and civilian locations at the entrance to Basra. ?We Arabs have been known throughout history for our pride,? he said. ?We are not poor ? my village Misan is the wealthiest in the world for its oil. We are afraid of an occupation masquerading as liberation. American and British companies will rebuild, but with our money ? and we will be forced to pay for any service we get. Is this the price of so-called liberation ? that we pay for what they have taken from our land?? He is not the only one to express these sentiments. But Iraqis have also led the Anglo-American forces to the hiding places of Baathist groups. They did this only after the American and British forces began to tear down the statues of Saddam Hussein and crossed out in red paint huge posters bearing his face. The cities in the south (Safwan, Azubeir and Umm Qasr) all suffer from lack of water, electricity outages and shortage of medical supplies. Chaos reigned international aid distribution posts. The cities are in need of security to prevent theft and pilfering that has increased in the administrative vacuum and as a result of hunger and destitution. An Iraqi woman carrying a child of no more than a year waits for clean water. The water provided to southern Iraq by Kuwait is not enough. Drivers wait for hours to get water from the pipe to then transport and sell it to citizens. But the water costs more than most families can afford. One young man suggested filling the huge reservoirs with water and pumping it into homes so that people wouldn?t have to wait for hours for water. Apparently, the engineers in the British forces say that the reservoirs are not suitable for use ? they must be cleaned and purified and repaired before they can be filled with clean water in order to prevent huge health and environmental problems. The military and civilians accompanying the journalists tried in vain to calm those assembled at entry points for aid deliveries. Some young men began to throw stones at the car. In Umm Qasr we stood in front of a group of children innocently inquiring about the equipment the journalists were carrying. One asked me: ?Did you see what Saddam did to us? No water, no food ? what is wrong with you? Don?t you have a brain?? Another child of about eleven, called Ali Abdul Rahim said: ?My father was in prison for about a year because my uncle opposed the regime.? Is he out now? ?Yes. The men of the regime, around 500 have escaped to their families in the north, leaving their posts. We are relieved.? The boy said the cities in the south are safe from war, but not from hunger. ?You could be walking in the street and an armed man will stop you and take your car and any equipment you have to sell it so that he can eat and drink and feed his family.? Does he still fear Saddam? ?Me, no. My father and uncle were both in prison, but in spite of that I am not afraid. I promise you, nobody is scared of the regime any more.? http://www.arabnews.com/Article.asp?ID=25014 I realy don't see anything wrong with using some oil to rebuild considering that the standard of living for every citizen is going to drasticaly improve and the small matter of being able to oppose the government without being imprisoned.
-------------------- Be all and you'll be to end all
Edited by Rono (04/15/03 10:42 AM)
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PsiloKitten
Ganja Goddess
Registered: 02/12/99
Posts: 1,617
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Re: ?We?ve Been Suffering ... What Took You So Long?? [Re: mntlfngrs]
#1450915 - 04/11/03 08:21 PM (20 years, 11 months ago) |
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Waiting for the Marines
Fadel K Jabr
Translated from the Arabic original by the poet Twelve years have passed And the Iraqis are turning over Like skewered fish On the fire of waiting.
The first year of the sanctions They said: The Arabs will come They will come with love, flour, and the rights of kinship. The year passed with its long seasons The Arabs never came And sent no explanation for the delay.
The second year of the sanctions They said: The Muslims will come They will come with rice, goodness, and the predators? leftovers The year passed with its long seasons The Muslims never came And sent no explanation for the delay.
The third year of the sanctions They said: The world will come They will come with manna, solace, and human rights The year passed with its long seasons The world never came And sent no explanation for the delay.
The fourth year of the sanctions They said: The Americans will come They will come with hope, sugar, and warm feelings The year passed with its long seasons The Americans never came And sent no explanation for the delay.
The ?fth year of the sanctions They said: The opposition will come They will come with victories, water, and air The year passed with its long seasons The opposition never came And sent no explanation for the delay.
The sixth year of the sanctions They said: We will sell whatever is extra We will be frugal until relief comes The year passed with its long seasons The Iraqis sold all unnecessary things Relief never came And sent no explanation for the delay.
The seventh year of the sanctions They said: We will give up our semi-necessities We will be patient until we get support The year passed with its long seasons The support never came And sent no explanation for the delay.
The eighth year of the sanctions They said: We will sell some of our organs We will be strong until the coming of justice The year passed with its long seasons Justice never came And sent no explanation for the delay.
The ninth year of the sanctions They said: We will sell some of our children We will sacrifice until the coming of mercy The year passed with its long seasons Mercy never came And sent no explanation for the delay.
The tenth year of the sanctions They said: We will emigrate To the wide world of Allah We will entertain ourselves with hope Until the coming of the gods? orders The Iraqis separated east and west The year passed with its long seasons The gods? orders never came And sent no explanation for the delay.
The eleventh year of the sanctions They said: The best thing for us is to die We will stay settled in our graves Until the coming of the day of judgementThe year passed with its long seasons Cancer, tuberculosis, and leuk?mia consumed their bodies The day of judgement never came And sent no explanation for the delay.
The twelfth year of the sanctions The Iraqis found nothing to wait for They said: Now is the time For the earth?s worms to devour us They might rescue us from this hell Where we are turning over like skewered fish.
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Xlea321
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Re: ?We?ve Been Suffering ... What Took You So Long?? [Re: mntlfngrs]
#1451577 - 04/12/03 12:16 AM (20 years, 11 months ago) |
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THE truly lasting memory of this war is written in the face of Ali Ismaeel Abbas, the 12-year-old boy I visit at Saddam General Hospital in North East Baghdad. He?s the boy who inspired the Daily Mirror Appeal, which has touched so many of you and moved you to sending tens of thousands of pounds to help him and others like him. Ali?s arms are amputated above the elbows. His body is covered in burns, 60 per cent of which are third degree. It is a miracle that his lovely face is unscathed. It is also a miracle that he is alive. I tell him how greatly moved people have been by his story. How he lost his father Ismaeel Abbas, his mother Azhar Ali, and his 11-year-old brother Abbas Ismaeel when the missile landed on their home in Al Zafariya at about 1am 13 days ago. ?We were all asleep. Suddenly there was a whoosh, the ceiling opened and there was fire everywhere,? he immediately starts to explain. ?I can remember my aunt screaming for a car to take me to hospital. Then there is nothing until I woke up in that hospital and found I didn?t have any arms any more.? He looks down at the blisters and burns covering his chest and his mouth twists in fear: ?My body feels like it is crushing me,? he says. His aunt Jameira tries to rearrange his sheet and blanket. The bed linen covers an old green-painted metal cage, which hangs like a shell over him. Ali says: ?The doctors said they had to cut off my hands. Can you buy me some new ones? Will they work? Can you eat with them? Can I play with them? Please make the answer yes. Please do it today, not tomorrow. God save me and help me.?
-------------------- Don't worry, B. Caapi
Edited by Alex123 (04/12/03 12:21 AM)
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mntlfngrs
The Art of Casterbation
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Re: ?We?ve Been Suffering ... What Took You So Long?? [Re: Xlea321]
#1451968 - 04/12/03 08:54 AM (20 years, 11 months ago) |
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Now see how many stories about tortures at the hands of Saddams regime there are. And how does this boy feel about the reasons this war happened?
Does he ( or you ) understand the difference between unfortunate civillian casualties durring war against a murderous mad man and the intentional murder and torture of hundeds of thousands of innocent people for an opinion or speaking a word or even something a family member did? Does he understand that for every one of him there are probably 5 who suffer chemical burns inflicted intentionaly by Saddam?
-------------------- Be all and you'll be to end all
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Phred
Fred's son
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Re: ?We?ve Been Suffering ... What Took You So Long?? [Re: mntlfngrs]
#1452028 - 04/12/03 09:44 AM (20 years, 11 months ago) |
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mntlfngrs writes:
Does he understand that for every one of him there are probably 5 who suffer chemical burns inflicted intentionaly by Saddam?
Ah, but to those who use emotions as their primary tool of cognition rather than logic, the fact that there is even a single Ali proves the war was wrong.
Besides, Ali suffered his wounds at the hands of the "invaders" -- his condition is a fact that exists today. You are only guessing that Hussein would have continued to torture and kill people had he remained in power. For all you know, he might have decided to stop.
pinky
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mntlfngrs
The Art of Casterbation
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Re: ?We?ve Been Suffering ... What Took You So Long?? [Re: Phred]
#1452044 - 04/12/03 09:52 AM (20 years, 11 months ago) |
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Playing devils advocate today?
-------------------- Be all and you'll be to end all
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zeronio
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Re: ?We?ve Been Suffering ... What Took You So Long?? [Re: Phred]
#1452132 - 04/12/03 10:37 AM (20 years, 11 months ago) |
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He was stupid. He could still torture his people if he remained an USA friend.
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arabmobster
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Re: ‘We’ve Been Suffering ... What Took You So Long?’ [Re: zeronio]
#1452150 - 04/12/03 10:45 AM (20 years, 11 months ago) |
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i am the next dictator hopefully i will reunite all the arab countries agin and we will rule the world
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mntlfngrs
The Art of Casterbation
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Re: ‘We’ve Been Suffering ... What Took You So Long?’ [Re: arabmobster]
#1452153 - 04/12/03 10:46 AM (20 years, 11 months ago) |
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So it is not an American war against Arabs but the other way around.
-------------------- Be all and you'll be to end all
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arabmobster
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Re: ‘We’ve Been Suffering ... What Took You So Long?’ [Re: mntlfngrs]
#1452160 - 04/12/03 10:47 AM (20 years, 11 months ago) |
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the white people are taking over land we have to protect i would do anything for my country
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mntlfngrs
The Art of Casterbation
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Re: ‘We’ve Been Suffering ... What Took You So Long?’ [Re: arabmobster]
#1452161 - 04/12/03 10:48 AM (20 years, 11 months ago) |
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SO you are no different from me then. edit: Actually I would do anything for the principles that my country was founded on.
-------------------- Be all and you'll be to end all
Edited by mntlfngrs (04/12/03 10:49 AM)
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arabmobster
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Re: ‘We’ve Been Suffering ... What Took You So Long?’ [Re: mntlfngrs]
#1452165 - 04/12/03 10:49 AM (20 years, 11 months ago) |
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just like how you guys love your country we do also and i will do anything to protect it
Edited by arabmobster (04/12/03 10:50 AM)
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mntlfngrs
The Art of Casterbation
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Re: ‘We’ve Been Suffering ... What Took You So Long?’ [Re: arabmobster]
#1452166 - 04/12/03 10:50 AM (20 years, 11 months ago) |
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Yes you are as far as protecting your country.
-------------------- Be all and you'll be to end all
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infidelGOD
illusion
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Posts: 3,040
Loc: there
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Re: ‘We’ve Been Suffering ... What Took You So Long?’ [Re: arabmobster]
#1452167 - 04/12/03 10:51 AM (20 years, 11 months ago) |
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revolt. that's the best thing you could do for your country.
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arabmobster
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Re: ‘We’ve Been Suffering ... What Took You So Long?’ [Re: mntlfngrs]
#1452169 - 04/12/03 10:52 AM (20 years, 11 months ago) |
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what would you do if your country was being invaded
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mntlfngrs
The Art of Casterbation
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Re: ‘We’ve Been Suffering ... What Took You So Long?’ [Re: arabmobster]
#1452185 - 04/12/03 11:01 AM (20 years, 11 months ago) |
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That would depend. I said I would defend the principles. Pretty much every other country is less representative of those principles than my country so I would fight. If my gov. had murdered my family and an invading force was more representative of my values I might become part of a revolutionary force to help the overthrow of my unsaveable, corrupt Gov. I view my country and my Gov. as two seperate things in many ways. The counrt consists of it's citizens. If the gov. no longer represented them I fight for my country even if that means a revolution.
Where do you live again? If you said I didn't see it or forgot.
-------------------- Be all and you'll be to end all
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arabmobster
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Re: ‘We’ve Been Suffering ... What Took You So Long?’ [Re: mntlfngrs]
#1452259 - 04/12/03 11:34 AM (20 years, 11 months ago) |
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i live in canada i use to live in palestine
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zeronio
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Re: ‘We’ve Been Suffering ... What Took You So L [Re: arabmobster]
#1452574 - 04/12/03 01:25 PM (20 years, 11 months ago) |
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Don't worry. USA is now correcting mistakes from the past. Soon they will liberate also Palestine from Israel occupation.
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Xlea321
Stranger
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Re: ‘We’ve Been Suffering ... What Took You So L [Re: zeronio]
#1452603 - 04/12/03 01:34 PM (20 years, 11 months ago) |
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Ah yes, the poor suffering palestinians, surely they must be next for a taste of Shrubs "liberation"...
-------------------- Don't worry, B. Caapi
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PsiloKitten
Ganja Goddess
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Re: ‘We’ve Been Suffering ... What Took You So Long?’ [Re: arabmobster]
#1452627 - 04/12/03 01:45 PM (20 years, 11 months ago) |
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I envy the fact that you lived in Palestine. I have never been there. I will never be able to see Israel either. And now, the only place Ive been in the middle east is a naval base in bahrain.. and it is probably the only place Ill ever see in the cradle of civilization.
I did stand in front of the tree of life one day. In the middle of a desert it still went on. A man offered me a camel ride back and asked for nothing in return. I gave him my water and fruit as well as 10 dinar. But he would not take the dinar and I felt like I had offended him, in my snide crass american way.. I had totally undermined his generosity. I tried to explain this to him, but I think he had already understood.
Now I sit here and cry when I hear about how the museum in Baghdad has been looted.. a whole history stolen by sanctions and bombs and so much blood. Some say that it has been put back in the hands of the people.. but people are fickle and should not be trusted to such things. Some of the greatest pieces of art sit in private collections, a da vinci in some marble bathroom somewhere.
I'm an american and Im sorry for what we have done. Im sorry for my cousins in in Palestine that the Jews have been slaying forever, it seems. We play seven degrees of seperation from Kevin Bacon-- but how many degrees seperate us from the beginning, of everything? They fight because they never got a knack for sharing. And Im sorry that we support men like Sharon who have been responsible for alot of "small pockets of genocide".
Im sorry that we are coming there soon, to help Israel bomb the church of the nativity-- if not in deed, then in word.
Im sorry that the only thing my nation knows of conflict is dropping bombs controlled from army bunkers safe at home. Killing 10s, 20s, 100s of OUR people at a time. Im sorry for standing idly by while children died of leukemia and depleted uranium made your cheeks rosy.. and sanctions killed 500,000.
Im thankful that the people of Iraq could still smile at the end.
And Ill never see mesopotamia. It seems only fair that civilization should end where it began. Some believe that Babylon fell on September 11th, some believe that it fell with Baghdad. Either way it has fallen and set in motion a chain reaction of events.
My brothers and sisters are all over the world.
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