"What a glaring double standard. The Arab world is enraged over the
shooting of a wounded, unarmed Iraqi insurgent by a uniformed US
soldier.
There is no similar outrage for Margaret Hassan. Is it because she
was an Anglo, a woman, or because she was killed by a Muslim?
The video of the soldier shooting is proof,
we are told, of America's evil. And the kidnapping, torture and
murder of Mrs. Hassan is then proof of what- that America is evil!
Muslims wouldn't do that unless evil America forced their hand.
Bombing children, defiling mosques, kidnapping civilians, executing
poor workers and cleaning women point blank: these are not
discussed, broadcast with frequency, or the source of much anger.
Videos where a masked man shakes a bloody head while the curtains
flutter do not evoke such fury. Why? The identity of the victim or
the perpetrator?
All tactics of the insurgents are excused. Hide among civilians.
Justified. Wear civilian clothes. Justified. Shoot from the holy
mosque. Justified. Feign death to draw soldiers in (the way one
marine died the day before the incident). Justified. Wave a white
flag as a ploy. Justified. Booby trap dead bodies. Justified. That's
just Fallujah.
Moving outward-Deliberately killing Iraqi civilians daily.
Justified. Bombing churches. Justified. Bombing cafes. Justified.
Using schools and mosques as arsenals. Justified. Attacking the
police. Just fine.
The rules of war don't apply to the insurgents, only the Americans.
And if one horrible act occurs at the hands of one American soldier,
the world howls.
The insurgents' constant inhumane tactics are acceptable. The
American rules of engagement prohibited shooting unarmed combatants:
this prohibition was followed by thousands of soldiers, thousands of
times. After the shootout at the mosque in which the man was
wounded, a call went to headquarters to send a medical team out to
pick him up. Its American policy that wounded fighters are given
good medical attention. Many are being treated now. A wounded
American soldier found by the enemy fighters would be tortured to
death after being paraded on al-Jazeera. And that would be fine.
The last war in which Arab militaries fought was the Iran/Iraq war
and executions were systematic. That was fine.
Al-Jazeera, marketing arm for anti-Americanism globally, is showing
the shooting nearly nonstop. Yet they refused to show the last tape
of Margaret begging for her life because it was "too disturbing."
How bad of a shape was she in? Is that why her bruised and battered
body is still alone and unrecovered? They refused to show her
execution because shooting this good woman in the head was not
a "war death," although it was carried out by those the US military
are fighting. Broadcasting terrorists' messages to inspire fear in
the Iraqi people is thought impartial journalism. Except in Iraq,
where al-Jazeera has been suspended numerous times for acting as a
tool of the jihadiis.
There is so little regard for Iraqi civilians when they are killed
by Muslims but when an unarmed fighter is killed by an American
soldier, the Arabs suddenly love the Iraqis. It is too perplexing to
consider that Arabs expect a higher standard of humanity from
Americans than they do from themselves.
The soldier will be tried. The facts will come out. A punishment
will be issued because the US has respect for the Iraqis and
enforces the rules of engagement. If the soldier was wrong,
Americans will say he was wrong, loud and clear. Americans
themselves will demand his punishment.
Tomorrow when Iraqi children are again deliberately targeted by
these terrorists-not freedom fighters-what will we hear from Arab
countries then, not even muted mumbling. Is it a lack of courage or
a lack of concern? Why is there so much more sympathy for the
fighter in civilian clothes who was shooting from a mosque than for
Margaret? For the insurgents than for the civilians? For the
terrorists than the police?
Elections are coming to Iraq. The Iraqis will rule themselves.
Saddam stole 21 billion dollars from the mouths of starving Iraqi
children. The UN closed its eyes. He filled mass graves and torture
chambers and the world stood silent. Now as the Iraqis struggle for
self-determination, for security, and for freedom from both the US
and the terrorists, Arabs back the suicide bombers. Habit perhaps.
For years, some Iraqis may harbor deep resentment toward the US for
its mistakes. The successes Of the insurgents, all those dead
civilians, will be remembered with anger by many. Perhaps the
greatest number will recall how they were not valued by
their "brothers" and were quickly forsaken in the greater cause of
anti-Americanism."
Amen sister, amen.
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