I salute your editorial on the latest atrocity in Iraq. Your site
consistently blows away the mainstream media in presenting the cold hard
reality of American military machinations abroad.
What is to be done?
Education is the first step, and I shall continue to recommend your site to
any who will listen.
I was working on a film in Toronto when the latest strikes ocurred. I
expressed my revulsion to as many members of the crew as I could, and was
pleasantly surprised to note that, were a poll to be taken, a clear
majority were in agreement with me. The 'masses' are not fooled.
Carry on the exceptional work.
OF
I really enjoyed and appreciated your article 'A shameful chapter in
American history' -- it captures my sense of outrage and bitterness
at America's criminal act. I have never been more ashamed to be an
American -- and I've been ashamed most of the time.
AA
On US policy on Iraq: in an exactly parallel fashion to the missile attack on
the El Shifa pharmaceutical plant, the US military has been
systematically destroying essential infrastructure in Iraq. The
International Action Centre documents the following example:
' Pentagon authorities acknowledged that a F-16 fighter jet launched a
HARM missile in southern Iraq on June 30 [1998]. The Pentagon
authorities assert that the missile was launched but justify the attack
on the grounds that Iraq turned on a radar site as ten U.S and British
warplanes were flying overhead in the so-called 'no-fly' zone.
Yesterday's missile attack hit near the town of Umm Qasr, the site of
water reservoirs. The temperature in this part of Iraq is over 110
degrees(F) right now and the potable drinking water is nearly
non-existant as a result of the sanctions.
'Iraq has not been allowed to import sufficient quantities of chlorine
and vital spare parts necessary to provide its people with drinkable
water.'
KM
Melbourne, Australia
Dear sir:
After reading your presentation about the recent US attack on Iraq, I
thought to myself: this guy hit the nail on the head. What an
accomplishment to brag about! Bombing the defenceless starved
inhabitants of a third world country. You are correct. It is indeed
anagous to our extermination of the American Indians in the last
century. And we can well imagine the propaganda that was used to
justify that extermination; one can still see it in our Hollywood
movies.
Thank you,
GH
Thank you very much for a very informative and eye-opening newsletter titled, 'The bombing of Iraq: A shameful chapter in American history' by Martin McLaughlin and David North on 19 December 1998.
I am ashamed and disappointed at the acts of my government and the waste of my tax dollars for such barbaric acts. You are right about the heroism of Saving Private Ryan and the total lack of it in this case. All we see are sailors taking out their Instamatic cameras and taking pictures of cruise missiles leaving the ships to carry out their murderous deeds.
Thank you once again.
JJ
21 December 1998
Bravo!!
Your editorial on 19 Dec. is truth. May the ghosts of the Iraqi victims haunt the US for eternity. I am ashamed to be an American.
CM
19 December 1998
Dear Editor,
This is the first information about the new US strike against Iraq that I found on the Internet in English that does not talk about how beautiful it is to kill people without warning. I have searched the preceding events that drove things to this, and I learned that it was the refusal of Iraq to 'cooperate' with the UN investigation of 'weapons of mass destruction' that caused the attack. I still don't understand why the USA should possess these kinds of weapons and why any other countries shouldn't. I'm writing from Brazil, and from here the USA seems as crazy as Hussein. I feel very concerned about how easy it is for the USA to attack any place on earth, without suffering any strike back, just because other countries don't cooperate with their policy. I also feel sick when I see that a nation goes to war when its internal political situation is near chaos. Is Bill Clinton's position so threatened by his last scandals that he has to declare war to turn people's heads in a different direction?
Anyway, I liked your report about the attack. At least not all people are blind in your country. The problem is that your people really enjoy war and never feel guilty about it. No matter how many movies you make about Vietnam or Korea, or whatever (even Pearl Harbor, because people around the world believe it was a fake attack, made by your own government, so you could have an excuse to join war), you'll do it again in real life.
You should show more concern for foreign opinion about such attacks. Britain doesn't count, of course. They might be in so great a need of money, that they'll do whatever you say. But the rest of the world has a lot to say. And if your country is willing to listen, they'll see there is no praise about what you did.
Thanks for the attention,
CC
19 December 1998
The US celebrates the war against Iraq (kills people in Iraq), but cries about young cats and dogs being killed in China to make furs exported to the US. It is very sad !!!
W
19 December 1998
I agree that the long-term goal of the US is to maintain control over Middle Eastern oil, and that the primary short-term goal was involving Clinton's impeachment.
RS
18 December 1998
See Also:
The bombing of Iraq: A shameful chapter in American history
[19 December 1998]
Controversy mounts over role of UN inspectors in Iraq
[18 December 1998]