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Madinat al-Muslimeen Islamic Message Board
| Fog of War |
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| Maliha |
| 04/10/03 at 12:39:02 |
| [slm] Fog of War Speech given on April 5, 2003, at the 20th annual Black Workers for Justice Banquet; Raleigh, NC by Rania Masri; April 10, 2003 In the fog of war, we are being told that this invasion against Iraq, this premeditated act of aggression, is actually a liberation. We are told that our soldiers, our troops, are the good men and good women, doing good things, as they drop missiles and cluster bombs on cities and villages, and fire at families at checkpoints in Iraq. We are told that Iraqis should be welcoming an invading force with flowers and cheers. In the fog of war, we are not told about the deaths of Iraqis, but are given only numbers, if that at all. Yesterday, Geoff Hoon, the British Defence Secretary, suggested that mothers of Iraqi children killed by cluster bombs would "one day" thank Britain for their use. Hoon's claim came as the Ministry of Defence confirmed for the first time that it had dropped 50 airborne cluster munitions in the south of Iraq, leaving behind up to 800 unexploded bomblets. Last night, seven civilians, including three children, were killed by US Marines at another checkpoint. A few days ago, cluster bombs were dropped on Hillah, a town in southern Iraq. The Hillah hospital itself has seen 61 dead in a matter of a few days. Hundreds wounded. Among the wounded is 10-year-old Maryam Nasr and her 5-year-old sister Hoda. Maryam has a patch over her right eye where a piece of bomblet embedded itself. She also had wounds to the stomach and thighs. Hoda has a deep puncture in the right side of her head, just above her ear, congealed blood sticking to her hair but the wound still gently bleeding. And earlier, still, 11 members of Hassan's family were killed. His daughters, aged two and five, his three-year-old son, his parents, two older brothers, their wives and two nieces aged 12 and 15 - they were all killed by US fire at a checkpoint. 11 members of his family - killed by US fire. "I saw the heads of my two little girls come off," Hassan's heavily pregnant wife, Lamea, 36, said numbly. "My girls - I watched their heads come off their bodies. My son is dead." They were fleeing their farm town southeast of Karbala, where US attack helicopters had fired missiles and rockets the day before. "We had hope," Hassan said. "But then you Americans came to bring us democracy and our hope ended." In the fog of war, they want us to forget the humanity of Iraqi lives. They want us to forget that approximately 1000 Iraqi civilians have been killed thus far. And they want us to forget that the thousands upon thousands of Iraqi soldiers who have been killed - thus far - were killed defending their country. Defending their country from invaders. Defending their country from our invading troops. In the fog of war, we are not told the truth about the military. We heard, in passing, that Jessica Lynch - the rescued POW now in Germany - joined the military because it was the only job available in her town. She couldn't get the civilian job she needed at 16 in order to educate herself in her small town of Palestine, WV. Her brother and sister also joined. Why is that? Jessica is a European-American, a white woman. How many people of color face this choice daily? Why is that for too many Americans - primarily African-American, Latino, Native-American/American-Indian, and primarily low-income communities - why is it that for too many of them, of us, the choice is not between getting a job or joining the military, but the choice is between unemployment or the military? The choice is not between joining the university of your choice or joining the military, but rather not getting a college education or joining the military. Why is that? And what about Jose Antonio? Jose Antonio grew up in Guatamala in the 1980s when the US-backed government there was busy torturing its own people. He was 8 when he and his sister were orphaned. The children drifted on to the streets. In the world of the slums, a world with no safety nets, no social security. After his parents died, Jose Antonio went to work in a steel factory - it was virtual slave labor. At 22, Jose Antonio decided to make the journey of his life. He said goodbye to his sister Encina and his friends, and took the roads and the rails north to the US. Some 50,000 street children and teenagers make this journey every year. In the US borderlands, the ranchers hunt down the "illegals" and turn them over to the Immigration Service. They are not wanted. Jose Antonio was picked up and detained by the fabled and much-feared INS. But he was a persuasive boy and looked younger than his years. He said he was only 17 years old. They believed him. As a minor, he was entitled to asylum. What he wanted most of all was US citizenship, in order to be able to bring his beloved sister Encina to join him. He decided to sign up with the US Marine Corps, knowing that military service would speed his citizenship application. Last week, with the ground attack on Iraq in its opening hours, Jose Antonio was with his unit in the port of Umm Qasr when he was struck in the chest by a high velocity bullet. He died instantly. In this fog of war, both the domestic war at home and foreign war, and in the fog of slumberous peace that afflicts too many communities, we are told not to think about the conditions of Jose Antonio's life or death. We are told not to think about how his life is similar to our lives here. Or similar to the life of Thaer Othman, a Palestinian refugee, born in the slums of a Palestinian refugee camp in Lebanon. Made into a refugee by the Israeli government. He left Lebanon and moved to Denmark, and became so disgusted by the civilian casualties that he made up his mind to go to Iraq. So he headed for Beirut and joined up with a unit of Arab volunteers heading for Baghdad. Thaer was traveling in a minibus - he had yet to fire a shot - when it was hit by an American missile. He died in a Baghdad hospital. What kind of war is this? Who is killing who? People of color communities comprise 60% of the U.S. military's front line: African-Americans, Latinos, and, let us not forget, Native Americans. On a per capita basis, there are Native Americans soldiers and marines serving on the front lines than any other population group. The first female American solder killed in this war was a Native American. All of them, all of us, should be asking, "Why are we doing the rich white man's dirty work?" and "Why are we serving the empire that stole our homelands and massacred our people?" "Why are we serving the empire that chained our people and continues to chain our people?" And with all this fog that they are trying to push in our eyes, and in our hearts, what is happening in Palestine? More than 104 Palestinians, including 26 children, were killed in the West Bank and Gaza Strip in March by the Israeli Army. 638 wounded during this period. Christine Sa'adeh, a 10-year-old girl in Bethlehem. The 406th child killed Rachel Corrie who wrote: "Mama Love you. Really miss you. I have bad nightmares about tanks and bulldozers outside our house and you and me inside... mama I'm witnessing this chronic, insidious genocide and I'm really scared, and questioning my fundamental belief in the goodness of human nature. The West Bank has been almost entirely reoccupied by Israeli troops for months." Palestinian hospitals, medical centers and ambulances had been targeted by Israeli soldiers during Israeli operations in the occupied territories. Meanwhile, the Israeli troops rounded up at least 1,000 Palestinians in the West Bank city of Tulkarm two days ago. Soldiers in tanks and armored vehicles backed by helicopters imposed a curfew in Tulkarm and searched homes before telling males aged 14 to 40 to gather in the courtyard of a school or face punishment. About 2,000 people were rounded up. And throughout all of this, the former Israeli army chief who presided over the invasion and destruction of entire neighborhoods in the Jenin refugee camp, a man who was being investigated by the Scotland Yard over allegations of war crimes, become Israel's new Defense Minister last year. (November 1/ The Independent UK). And more recently, the US government has chosen to learn from the massive destruction and killing that the Israeli occupying forces did in the Jenin refugee camp. They want to learn how the Israelis killed and destroyed the homes - in case our government wants to employ the same technique in attacking Baghdad. In the fog of war, how many of us realized that the Israeli army Apartheid wall--A wall double the size of the Berlin Wall-- is going up? A wall that be built within the West Bank, seizing still more Palestinian lands. About 384,918 Palestinians shall be effectively illegally annexed to Israel, or hemmed into the wall. Palestinians unlawfully transferred to the direct control of the Israeli State will not be granted residential status or citizenship, while Israeli settlers already enjoy full Israeli citizenship. A wall that restrict Palestinian freedom of movement, Palestinian livelihoods and Palestinian access to land - a wall which divides upon ethnic, national and religious identity. We, here in the South, know of such walls. Don't we? Restrict freedom of movement for people of color? Restricting access to jobs? Access to homes? To education? We recognized that segregation here in the South as pure racism and we fought against it. We recognized that segregation in South Africa as apartheid and we fought against it. It is only magnified in Palestine. The Israeli government is hoping that in the fog of war, while the international community has its eyes on Iraq, the Israeli occupying forces will commit another ethnic cleansing 200 members of the Israeli academe have issued an "urgent warning" - warning us all that "the Israeli government may be contemplating crimes against humanity." They write: "We, members of the Israeli academe, are horrified by the US buildup of aggression towards Iraq and by the Israeli political leadership's enthusiastic support for it. We are deeply worried by indications that the 'fog of war' could be exploited by the Israeli government to commit further crimes against the Palestinian people, up to full-fledged ethnic cleansing." This past week, National Security Adviser Condoleeza Rice apparently promised Israeli Finance Minister Benyamin Netanyahu that the US will provide Israel with $10 billion in aid - $9 billion in loan guarantees, and $1 billion in military aid. Rice promised the Israel government $1billion more than they requested. Israel already receives more US aid than any other country in the world. Whose money is this? From whose pockets? And when has the Congress and the US administration ever responded to the people's demands for social services, for health care, for education, by actually giving us MORE money than we requested? What will we do with all this fog? It is our responsibility, individually and collectively, to keep our sight clear. To keep our hearts open. To inform our minds. We must keep our eyes, our hearts, our minds, and our actions on both the Iraqi people and the Palestinian people. We need to recognize how our struggles are all one struggle. They are using one oppressed people to kill another oppressed people. Let's also look inward and stamp out any western arrogance that is within us It is arrogant of us to 'grant' control of so-called 'post-Saddam-Hussein' to the UN. Arrogant of us to grant control of anything Iraqi to anyone not Iraqi, or even to grant control It is arrogant of us to ask the Palestinians to compromise more. They have nothing left to compromise. Nothing left to give It is arrogant of us to ask for a quick end to the war against Iraq. What is needed is an immediate end. It is arrogant of us to ask for a quick end to the occupation against the Palestinians - when what is needed is an immediate end. As we recognize our own rights for self-determination, and as we struggle to have our own freedoms - including the freedom to go to college without joining the military, and the freedom to have a job without joining the military - we need to recognize the intrinsic rights of self-determination of other peoples as well, including the Iraqis and Palestinians We need to recognize that all our freedoms are linked; one cannot be achieved with the other. |
| Re: Fog of War |
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| humble_muslim |
| 04/10/03 at 12:51:31 |
| AA Excellent speech, who is Rania Masri ? One of the really strange things about this war is how de-humanized everything has become. This speech really puts in perspective. I mean loss of life, which for any human being is a sad, emotional thing, has become an umemotional and unmoving reality for those invloved in this war. <b> Yesterday, Geoff Hoon, the British Defence Secretary, suggested that mothers of Iraqi children killed by cluster bombs would "one day" thank Britain for their use. </b> La hawla wa la quwaata illa billah. This may be the most shocking statement I have heard since the war started. Does anyone have the exact quote for this ? |
| NS |
| Re: Fog of War |
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| Maliha |
| 04/10/03 at 13:00:18 |
| [slm] [i]A quick search on Rania Masri yielded this...She was supposed to be one of the speakers for our march but couldn't come :( Anywayz, she is based in North Carolina right now..she seems awesome Mashaallah.[/i] RANIA MASRI Rania Masri is a human rights advocate and environmental scientist. She is a national board member of Peace Action, a member of the board of directors of the Education for Peace in Iraq Center, the Arab Women's Solidarity Association's representative to the United Nations, and the coordinator of the Iraq Action Coalition. Rania has written about peace and justice, racism, the sanctions Against Iraq, and the occupation of Palestinian lands in local, national, and international news magazines, and has spoken extensively at conferences and universities throughout the United States and Canada. She has been interviewed on numerous networks, including CNN, Fox National News Channel, Pacifica Radio, Radio Canada International, "Voice of America", Washington DC's "The Round Table", Arizona's "Perspectives on America," California's "Middle East in Focus," NPR national, NPR's Talk of the Nation, and several NPR affiliates. Rania has a doctorate in forestry from North Carolina State University, and a Master's in Environmental Management from Duke University. She is currently the director of the Economic and Environmental Justice Program at the Institute for Southern Studies. She can be reached at rania@nc.rr.com. PS: I don't know where she got the quote from... Sis, Maliha :-) [wlm] |
| Re: Fog of War |
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| freedom |
| 04/10/03 at 17:12:01 |
| loss of life? it's amazing how some people close their eyes to years of oppression in Iraq and all what they see is less than 500 civilians killed (but not on purpose) by coalition forces. I mean we understand that some are oppressed in this country, USA, we understand you blacks and other minorities, we understand you poor people and homeless people! do you understand us? how many of you have been gassed? how many of your women have been raped? the worst thing you complain about is poverty and lack of education. Hell that's the least thing that has been happening to us. But why? we are rich, we have so much oil and natural resources. we are smart people and we understand human values like freedom and liberty. workers! be happy you have actually a work to do. in the middle east doctors are unemployed. people who are much smarter than you and can give much better speeches than you do, are unemployed. but why? and that's a question we have asked thousands of times from ourselves. I'm tired of listening to a bunch of peple who are living in the west in freedom and comfort and then while drinking coffee and sitting on their comfortable chairs give speeches and type messages. Stop this nonsense. you are away from the trouble and so you are not in the position to judge the situation. those 500 civilians worth the liberty that iraqis have now. remember feron and his people were punished together. Lut's tribe was punished (men and women) and in Adan all people (believer and nonbeliever) were punished. because a tyrant has no power by himself, it's people who give him power by following him blindly. and when people leave amr bi ma'ruf wa nahy an munkar, allah swt punished the whole nation. Iraqis have been punished for years by allah swt. Now you remind us of 500 civilian death and this person and that person died because of coalition forces. Where were you when Saddam was killing thousands? You were silent that time so stay silent now. people are pursuing their agendas. unions, minorities, religious groups each have their goals and look at the war through their interests. It's not moral and it is selfish. You have problem wih big corporations, I don't; you have problems with white supremacy, I don't. You have problems with jews, I don't... so if your problems in USA makes you take a specefic side in this war, at least stop being hypocratic and show your true intentions. Don't pretend you are worried about iraqi people because if you were worried you would do something much before this. let freedom shine, tomorrow is ours. |
| Re: Fog of War |
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| muahmed |
| 04/10/03 at 17:37:21 |
| [slm] [quote author=The humble muslim link=board=ummah;num=1049992742;start=0#1 date=04/10/03 at 12:51:31]AA Excellent speech, who is Rania Masri ? [/quote] She is originally from Palestine. I met her in a Palestine teach-in last year. She works closely with the Atlanta International Action Center. A very interesting event she helped organised was a one-day demonstration in which a dummy checkpoint was constructed. People underwent what happens at check points in Palestine daily to protest against the Isreali occupation. |
| Re: Fog of War |
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| ascetic |
| 04/10/03 at 17:45:02 |
| [quote]I mean we understand that some are oppressed in this country, USA, we understand you blacks and other minorities, we understand you poor people and homeless people! do you understand us? [/quote] And who exactly is "us"? Your posts have all the markings of what the online community calls a troll. The same response has been given to all the threads no matter how convincing the arguments. I would urge the moderators to intervene. [wlm] |
| Re: Fog of War |
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| theOriginal |
| 04/10/03 at 18:04:57 |
| [slm] Fog of war, indeed. We have some prime examples of people who are "fogged" on this board, no? And that wasn't an insult, guys...it was just an observation... [quote]in the middle east doctors are unemployed. people who are much smarter than you and can give much better speeches than you do, are unemployed. [/quote] Before I continue, I just want a clarification on HOW that fits in with the rest of your soliloquy. Freedom, I think you are completely confused about what the viewpoint is of the various people on this board. And since I cannot speak for others, let me give you my POV.. First kf all, you know how you said that I am blaming the kuffffffffar for everything (yes you had those extra f's in your description)....I think you should go back and read what I wrote. On second thought, go back and read what everyone wrote, because no one is blaming the kuffar for the predicament we're in. I blame us. Muslims. Yes, once again, go read the post again. Do you know math? Try these equations: Americanism = general term used for defining a political system, NOT a social system...not limited to Americans. Anti-Americanism does not = Anti-Americans Anti-Americanism does not = Pro-Saddam Anti-Americanism does not = following Taliban/OBL You, on the other hand = anti-Saddam, which you equate with = pro-Americanism, which you equate with being = pro-white, which you equate with being = pro-Jewish. I find that kind of amusing. No, on second thought, that was an understatement, I find that absolutely hilarious. Now, let me just add, most of what you write is logically flawed, and I seriously suggest that you take a beginner's level course in logic or critical thinking, because it'll help you sort out your personal "fog". As an example, let's turn to your latest post: [quote]you have problems with white supremacy, I don't.[/quote] And yet, you attest to be free? ??? Once again, I don't even think there IS a white supremacy, I am just highlighting what YOU wrote. And let's not get into your examples of all the adhaabs. Seriously, man...read it again, it doesn't make any sense. Okay and what's this about: [quote]I mean we understand that some are oppressed in this country, USA, we understand you blacks and other minorities, we understand you poor people and homeless people! [/quote] what? what?!! Okay, never mind, let's let it pass. I think you miss the point that ALL of us are trying to make. We as muslims, should take charge of our own Ummah...yeah the WHOLE ummah...we don't need anyone who is not Muslim, who does not understand the ways of Allah swt, to do it for us. We are NOT pro-Saddam, but you know what, we are NOT pro-Amercanism, either. Can you deal with that? Can you deal with the fact that we are all going to die someday, and we will be responding to very hard questions on the Day of Judgment. And since it is fardh upon every muslim to look out for other muslims...can you understand that we will all be asked about what we did to help our brothers and sisters in Iraq...and YES!!! that includes during the Saddam era. Can you understand that the way you have defined "Freedom" in your 6 posts on the board, is not the way I define freedom? Understand it. And then speak of freedom. Wasalaam. |
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| a_Silver_Rose |
| 04/10/03 at 18:08:51 |
| [slm] [quote]Where were you when Saddam was killing thousands? You were silent that time so stay silent now. [/quote] This is true whether we like it or not, the fact cant be denied... When our brothers and sisters were tortured by Saddam, where were we? Why didnt we help stop this. Why didnt the Muslim countries stop it along long time ago. Why werent we as equally upset? but then again Allah (swt) knows best. Your sister |
| Re: Fog of War |
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| Dude |
| 04/10/03 at 18:34:39 |
| I think Freedom brings up some points worthy of debate. He's bang-on about one thing: they're there, we're here. We can't possibly begin to immagine how they feel. |
| Re: Fog of War |
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| bhaloo |
| 04/10/03 at 20:38:14 |
| [slm] There were not just 500 people killed. There were thousands upon thousands of Muslims killed because of this war (or did people forget the Muslim soldiers defending Muslim soil from the invaders?). I think I read something like over 100,000 iraqi soldiers killed in the last war, not to mention the thousands dying as a result of the US economic sanctions. How come people don't comment on the fact that Saddam was put into power by the US, and in fact it was the US that gave him weapons to fight and kills the shias in iran. Why hasn't this been addressed? And now the invaders plan to steal Muslim oil . What Saddam did was wrong, no one is denying that. What the US did (invade a Muslim country) is completely wrong, and a few of you are missing this point. We all want to see all the rulers in the world rule by Islam and we want everyone to be Muslim. Does that mean we kill every single kafir to achieve this? OF COURSE NOT. We answer to Allah (SWT) and we have an obligation to follow the laws of Islam. And cheering an invading army (that has killed hundreds of thousands of Muslims ) against the Muslims doesn't make sense at all. |
| 04/10/03 at 20:39:41 |
| bhaloo |
| Re: Fog of War |
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| panjul |
| 04/10/03 at 21:36:27 |
| it's amazing how some people close their eyes to years of oppression in Iraq and all what they see is less than 500 civilians killed (but not on purpose) by coalition forces. Are we forgeting how much sanctions killed? try voices in the wilderness website. they hae some figures from UNICEF. don't we have a member of the board that works for UNICEF? If you can't remember, these sanctions were led by the Americans with Britain as usuall doing whatever America said. What were you doing when the sanctions were imposed on Iraq? Cheering the US? |
| Re: Fog of War |
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| panjul |
| 04/10/03 at 21:42:54 |
| LOL. I just remebered something funny i heard on the news. So this iraqi guy was being interviewd by a journalist on why he's happy that Saddam's gone now, and his answer was: "Now we can have whiskey and sexy." ::) I just thought to share this. obviously this guy doens't want an islamic rule. he wants whiskey flowing. I don't know what he meant by "sexY' but i presume it was illicit sex or prostitution. But I would think that was possible in Iraq during Saddam too? his sons weren't very chaste. But perhaps only the Baath party could enjoy "sexy," and it was denied to the guy on TV. But perhaps Chalabi ,the guy picked by US as their man to run iraq after the US leaves, God knows when that will be, will be sure to provide him with the two things he desires most. Considering Chalabi can buddy up with the Israelis, he can do that as well. So from one kind of traitor, the Iraqis will go to another. Both times, picked by the US. |
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| a_Silver_Rose |
| 04/11/03 at 00:01:54 |
| [slm] [quote]And cheering an invading army (that has killed hundreds of thousands of Muslims ) against the Muslims doesn't make sense at all. [/quote] No my brother, ofcourse not...Im just happy for the Muslims that are happy because their oppressive ruler for 30 yrs is gone, insh'Allah. |
| Re: Fog of War |
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| freedom |
| 04/11/03 at 01:27:18 |
| theoriginal, I have to agree that in my reply to that speech I talked out of anger. I am just tired of listening to anti-americans who blame the US for every problem we have. just look at the post above saying that US empowered Saddam and now they are giving power to Chalabi. Well why are you letting them? so it's not solely americans who are responsible for our problems. Imagine what kind of people americans have to deal with: two to three hundred men attacked a shi'i cleric and killed him in Najaf by knife. they chopped him to pieces. subhanallah! Isnt that sad? this is the situation of islamic world. and this has just begun. wait and see how power thirsty groups in Iraq start fighting and making a nightmare for everybody in the world. I am sad when I see some people hope for that happen so that they can say: Aha! didn't I tell you? I knew that americans will mess up everything. But we are responsible too. Just wanted to make my point. freedom |
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