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HW35B Response to River
By pianofanatic | April 9, 2008
In this reading of Baghdad Burning, (blog posts August 31 to September 16, 2003), Riverbend mentions the bombing of a bomb shelter in 1991 during the Gulf War in Al- Amiriya. This was a “mistake” later by America, but in fact it was very unlikely that this place would have held any questionable items at all. This bomb shelter was near an elementary school and was the central location for the surrounding families to do their laundry, get food and have a place to stay if needed. This unnecessary attack caused the horrific death (very similar to the death sentences of witches in the 17th century) of about 1,200 people, most of which were women and children. Riverbend says how boys over the age of 14 were not permitted in this dwelling, so the children were all quite young (Riverbend 47). They were burned and boiled alive as the bomb that was dropped created an atmosphere of around 1,000 degrees in the shelter. There was also a basement and those that lived in there were boiled from the hot water tanks that were burst from the puncture of the bomb.
Riverbend mentions this tragedy when she speaks of emails she received saying she was not grateful for what the U.S. has done in Iraq. Going on to say she did not jump for joy at the fall of the Trade Towers, she goes on to explain that death of anyone, any human being regardless of what religion they practice is extremely saddening. She remembers the day that 3,000 Americans died on 9/11, but even more have died in Iraq and she remembers those too. She is called ungrateful for not appreciating what Americans have done, but they have not recognized the countless Iraqis that have died, the casualties of war and the countless other deaths that could have easily been prevented, lives spared and futures accomplished.
Visit the site that describes the events of Feb 13, 1991:
http://www.geocities.com/iraqinfo/index.html?page=/iraqinfo/sanctions/sarticles2/amiriya.html
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