A car bomb exploded with such deafening force, it rocked the ground and trembled the buildings around it. An instant later another explosion was triggered, sending a 2nd wave of billowing black smoke into the air. As ambulance sirens blared in the background, tearful survivors cried out in pain and fought for their lives.
This was Taji, 12 miles north of Baghdad on Tuesday morning, as 36 people were killed and 54 people were seriously injured, while this unending war continues to grow. "Flesh of people flew in the sky like birds," one survivor described the scene. *
This was the 2nd Iraq attack in less than a day. On Monday night, a powerful rocket was fired into the U.S.'s heavily secured Baghdad Green Zone, home to Iraq's government and to the U.S. and other embassies. Three people were killed and 12 more were seriously injured, as the attackers delivered the message no place in Iraq is safe.
15 U.S. soldiers had been killed in Iraq in June, the deadliest month for U.S. soldiers in two years.
While in Afghanistan, eight children were among the 14 people killed in a NATO air strike. A day earlier elsewhere in Afghanistan, two children were also killed by an air strike. "As violence has spread across the country, casualties have risen, and the United Nations said May was the deadliest month to civilians since they began keeping records four years earlier." ** This escalation in casualties results from President Obama's escalation of this war.
But thousands of miles away, in the Los Angeles area, in a near 80 degree temperature, our vigil for peace took place, as horn honks and waves of support often greeted Korean War veteran John Fortier and me.
"I have a cousin in Iraq," called out a 30 ish man from the passenger seat of a truck. "He's a mechanic and hopefully he's safe. He's been there three months. He's in the Army." We assured this man we too hope he is safe.
"I am a combat veteran of two wars," said a powerfully built 60 ish man in a serious voice as he stared at the vigil and stopped his car, blocking the right turn lane on Pacific Coast Highway at rush hour. "Vietnam and the Persian Gulf War." "I'm a Korean War veteran," John replied. This man continued to stare at the vigil and at us. "Thank you for what you are doing," he added. And with that he reached out and shook my hand and would have shaken John's hand if he could have reached it.
A little later, a 60 ish man in an SUV motioned me to his car. "These wars are a disgrace," his voice seethed in anger when I got there. It was all he could do to control himself as his facial muscles tightened and his eyes flashed in anger. "We never belonged there," he continued in his Irish brogue. "George Bush wouldn't listen to the United Nations.
"Because of those wars, we are deeply in debt to China. Now we are going broke! We should get out." Then he reached across the passenger seat and shook my hand. "Thank you for doing that," he added.
When I got back to the sidewalk, there was the realization that the long line of traffic in the right lane had stopped to accommodate this conversation which took place one lane further out. Although people were anxious to get home or to wherever else they were going, no-one honked a horn in anger, but instead waited patiently. Perhaps this was a sign of respect for the vigil, which is held to appeal to the consciences of others with the hope of ending these wars.
Dick
* http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/iraq/complete/la-fg-iraq-blasts-20110706,0,7205533.story
** http://english.aljazeera.net/news/asia/2011/07/20117785226411750.html
No comments:
Post a Comment