Families of Slain Troops Raise $600,000 for Fallujah Refugees

a positive story for Christmas I thought.


Families of Slain Troops Raise $600,000 for Fallujah Refugees
http://www.truthout.org/docs_04/122504Y.shtml

U.S. Families of Dead Raise 600,000 Dollars for Fallujah Refugees
Agence France Presse

Friday 24 December 2004

Los Angeles - Families of US troops killed in the offensive on the Iraqi city of Fallujah are to travel to Jordan next week with 600,000 dollars worth of humanitarian aid for refugees of the attack.

The November assault on Fallujah left 71 US military dead, according to the families, and the Iraqi government said more than 2,000 Iraqis were killed.

"This delegation is a way for me to express my sympathy and support for the Iraqi people," said Rosa Suarez of Escondido in California.

"The Iraq war took away my son's life, and it has taken away the lives of so many innocent Iraqis. It is time to stop the killing and to help the children of Iraq," she added in a statement released by the families.

The families said with peace groups, physicians' organisations and relatives of the September 11, 2001 attacks victims, they raised 100,000 dollars in an internet appeal. Humanitarian groups such as Middle East Children's Alliance and Operation USA contributed 500,000 dollars worth of medical supplies.

..more..

This is the second time I've seen this one. Both times it was posted as good news of a sort from Iraq. I know it's Christmas and all, but it's 100,000 bucks in cash and $500,000 worth of medical supplies, and it may be balm for some folks' consciences but it doesn't do crap for mine.

$100,000 sounds like a lot of money, but divided among the survivors of a couple thousand dead Iraqis it ain't diddly.

As for the medical supplies, let's say they were owed.
US strikes raze Falluja hospital

Peace on earth, good will to all.
That's Christmas-y.
Let's give that instead.

It wasn't our government, who should be rebuilding instead of destroying. It was a group of people who supported their loved ones in the war, then extended a hand to the victims of that same war.

...I could be so loving and gracious.

Too little, too late. The dead of Iraq are scars upon the face of America, and like what happened to Dorian Grey, the hideous evil that this administration has done festers upon the very soul of us all. No government could force me to murder my neighbor, and no government should be able to force military people to surrender their values and fight an immoral war. If they do this, then they are to be held responsible along with their leader. Is that harsh and unpopular? You bet it is, but it also a moral truth, and I'm sick of pretending troops that murder innocent people are somehow innocent themselves while only the leaders are to be held responsible. As long as servicemen are human beings, they have a moral duty to resist and refuse immoral actions. I must admit at this time of year I've tried to forgive the servicemen taking part in the actions of Falujah, etc. and I'm finding it very hard. Eventually I will, but its a long journey because of the anger I feel about this situation right now.

How nice that military families of people who have taken part in horrendous immoral actions are now beginning to feel pangs of conscience. This whole thing only reinforces the cultural myth of supporting troops and excusing them from repugnant deeds. Perhaps if these folks had seen the Iraqis as human beings all along, then this could have been avoided.

where individual family members have stood on the war. Some were opposed from the beginning others not. (see www.mfso.org for instance)


I will take this woman at her word though:

"The Iraq war took away my son's life, and it has taken away the lives of so many innocent Iraqis. It is time to stop the killing and to help the children of Iraq,""

I completely agree there is choice for the soldiers because after being turned down for CC status during Vietnam, I told them at my draft physical that I was prepared to go to prison rather than participate in their war. I was just lucky a sympathetic 'shrink' gave me a deferment. There IS a choice and I would have gone to jail if I had to.

Will you break them out of prison when they refuse orders or desert? Will you put your life on the line to end the war? Have you quit your job in protest?

Pretty easy to criticize working class troops over here isn't it?

I full well know that most of you here at DU disagree with my opinion--that you are far to the right of me on this particular issue. But please don't stoop to using freeper tactics to suggest things I clearly didn't intend.

I detest how people constantly defend mass murder simply because its done by people in uniform (but its OUR uniforms doing the killing and that makes it okay--right?). The destruction of Falujah, like the fire-bombing of Dresden Germany during WWII, was a terrible war crime, done by ***our*** troops, but that didn't/doesn't make it any less murder. Of course history is written by the victors, always.

Just because someone puts on the uniform of the US military doesn't mean that they can take part in mass murder and destruction and be absolved of all responsibilities as a human being. This doesn't mean shoot their officers, smart-ass, but just the opposite--it means resisting violence and standing down, and taking the punishment if need be. If thousands of military stood together, there is strength in numbers, and they would make a powerful statement.

I wish more people would speak out against this cultural myth of our troops "defending freedom" in Iraq--when all they are doing is the bidding of rich military manufacturing CEOs and our imperialistic minded politicians. Tell me, why on Earth should I support that? Why should my tax dollars support that?

Finally, I HAVE put myself on the line by standing up for my values, regardless of whether that flies in the face of flag-wavers who think that the mass murder of innocent elderly and children in Iraq is a patriotic act. Everywhere I go, I encourage young people not to murder for Bush, not to die for Bush, not to destroy their own soul by fighting against the poor of another country. I give all the money I can to organizations that support these sentiments. And I sleep well at night, better than all those with the little China-made plastic magnetic "support our troops" ribbons on their gas-guzzling SUVs. As far as the pro-troops sentiment here at DU--its not surprising and very forgiveable, considering the mass indoctrination we've undergone as a society since WWII, by the rich and powerful who benefit from constant war.

You can criticize all you want - but obviously, you're not prepared to do anything inconvienent to yourself.

I for one, don't pretend that the USA could exist without an Army, and I also don't pretend that working class enlisted troops can pick and choose which military actions to fight in. When they do - when a solider really does resist - what happens? A news article, some comments on DU, and then they are forgotten.

What about you? There's a number of troops facing jail for refusing to go to Iraq. Do you know their names? Have you helped them in any way? Did you contribute to their legal fund?

No? So easy to criticize from the safety of home, isn't it? Does your company make any money from the war? Have you quit in protest yet?

How about stop paying your taxes in protest for paying for the war - have you done that yet?

Enlisted guys have to make the sacrifices that the civilians won't during a "just war" and during the "unjust war" they have to put their life and career on the line, again, this time to resist. There is nothing we won't ask them to do - especially things we wouldn't do ourselves.

Your both right with your ideas but wrong about each other. Save your anger for those that have earned it.

They talk about this issue and others that deserve your attention on Thursdays "Democracy Now"

http://www.democracynow.org/index.pl?issue=20041223

I Googled "support our troops yellow ribbon" and found several sites. These ones say "made in America" http://www.magnetamerica.com/Our_ProductsYRM.html http://www.usamagnetsandmore.com/. (They don't say where the profits go.)

But if this "election" taught me anything, it's that bumper stickers and buttons aren't enough. I still wear buttons and stickers announcing my beliefs, both political and personal, but I also write letters to my congress persons, I belong to organizations that fight for civil rights, and I am not quiet when asked why our current government disgusts me. I've educated myself so that I'm not just giving my opinion, but the facts.
I don't believe in war, I don't believe there is ever a good reason for it. If there were no aggressors, there would be no need to defend or retaliate. Maybe that's a simplistic way of looking at it, but it's what I believe. We've got too much wrong within our own borders to even think we could fix other countries. And, our governments (aka bush) idea of democracy is a sham. It's a spit in the face of what this country was founded on: Freedom!
Ok, I've run the course on this one, I know. I don't disagree with you. Your points are valid and true. I don't "support" our troops, aymore than I support our being over there. I don't know what it's going to take to end this "war". I fear bush and co. have dug so deep a hole that they can't get out. And they're pulling the country down with them.

(edited to correct typos)

Thank you.