There Isn't A Home In Iraq NOT Suffering The Loss Or Injury Of A Loved One

[kpete]

Does anybody doubt that there isn’t a home in Iraq now which is not suffering the loss or injury of a loved one?

Saturday, November 18, 2006
Our Ali
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Ali is the nephew of my wife, the son of her sister, the son of her cousin and my friend Dhia and the brother of my son in law Mohammad. But he was much more than that to me. He was like my own son who kept my company for eight years in Baghdad when my own sons were away. He was indeed a son, a friend, assistant and a delight to be with. Ali was not academic and he ended being a man for all things. Excellent with his hands and all his extended family and friends appealed to him for help. He also earned his living form doing works at homes of all those who needed his services. He was great in dealing with children and loved so much my granddaughter Mariam who in return loved him and wanted him to be around as much as she wanted her parents. He was always there whenever I had guests or any reason for celebration because of his immense help and presence and the way he was liked by all my friends.

Ali was killed in Baghdad on Thursday, November 7 by the Americans or their protégés, the national guards who were manning a close check point. He was returning home on his bicycle from my house which he often did due to the proximity of both locations. No one will ever determine why he was shot because there was no apparent reason except that those who shot him were always seen as trigger happy. A single determined shot was all what was needed to end his life at close range and the incident happened in front of his brother Mohammad and his two frightened children.

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Does anybody doubt that there isn’t a home in Iraq now which is not suffering the loss or injury of a loved one? When will this nightmare end? When will we regain our country and see the back of this occupation?

My grief is endless for the unforgettable young Ali and for the fact that this year I wanted him to come to Amman to see me and my wife during our annual family gathering. He could not come because people of his age were not allowed entry! I should have gone somewhere else to be able to see him again but alas it is too late now and the only thing left to me is to expose the circumstances of his death and to damn those responsible.

May God rest his soul.

Saadallah Al Fathi

[NanceGreggs]

1. How many Alis ended like this?

And how many Alis will survive, only to live their lives mistrusting and hating Americans?

How many?

One is too many.

And the true number will never be known.

[leftchick]

2. I don't doubt it at all

it is a horror.

[brer cat]

3. Can you get your mind around this?

I can't. I can't even imagine every home in my neighborhood suffering a loss in such a brief time frame, much less an entire country. I have no doubt that it's true--EVERY family in Iraq has been hit in some way. God, how does * sleep at night?

I was just reading another thread about our service men/women with PTSD. This ties right in with it. How do they come home and deal with the catastrophic tragedy that they witnessed and were a part of? The innocents, especially the children, must haunt them every hour of the day or night.

edited to add:

My apologies to my many wonderful English teachers, and especially Mrs. Parker, for ending a sentence with a preposition. Sometimes, it just comes out that way.

[sam sarrha]

4. does your question include the 500,000 we killed in Gulf War 1..? and the Future deaths and birth

defects caused by dumping 2000 tons of Depleted uranium in Iraq