Guardian Unlimited Books | Games | Books games haiku:
Something old – the way
Rakat celebrates weddings.
Family and friends.Something blue – the sky
At desert dusk stretched above
The marriage tent’s love.Something borrowed – songs
Sung by Hussein al-Ali.
Jokes, laughter, food and drink.Something new – Children
Slaughtered by Americans
“They were firing low.”Dónal Thompson
Some say it was a militia meeting, some say it was a wedding. Does it matter now? Did it further any part of the occupation force’s objectives?
The idea of a distanced attack — missiles fired from the air — versus a ground operation reminds me of the V word (are we allowed to compare this to Vietnam?). Then, as now, technology was employed to minimize risk and exposure to soldiers but with increased risk to the civilian population and to some degree the mission itself. The results are predictable.
Some commentary on the radio just now used the phrase “colonial administrators” in reference to the occupation. I can’t recall when the US was openly a colonial power, like the European powers, especially given its roots as a group of colonies. (Some would argue that have military bases in Europe for almost 60 years would be equivalent, but I don’t buy that. )