The Taking of Baghdad Airport

[Skunk]

No, Animal, it is NOT human nature at its finest. This is.

Indeed it is an act of compassion - but that is only one photo from the series. The original caption to this photo is:
"A U.S. marine doctor holds an Iraqi girl in central Iraq. Confused front line crossfire ripped apart an Iraqi family on Saturday after local soldiers appeared to force civilians towards U.S. marines positions. REUTERS/Damir Sagolj - Mar 29 11:34 AM ET
http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmp...170/3nozj.html

But here is another photo and caption in the same series:
"A wounded Iraqi girl is treated by U.S. marines in central Iraq. Confused front line crossfire ripped apart an Iraqi family on Saturday after local soldiers appeared to force civilians towards U.S. marines positions. The four-year old girl, blood streaming from an eye wound, was screaming for her dead mother, while her father, shot in a leg, begged to be freed from the plastic wrist cuffs slapped on him by U.S. marines, so he could hug his other terrified daughter. REUTERS/Damir Sagolj
- Mar 29 11:38 AM ET"
http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmp...170/3noy3.html

The fog of war is operating back at home in the media too.

My only point is this. When we push the nobility of the troops, demonise the enemy and ignore the suffering of the civilians, we sink back into the "It's us against the gooks" mentality - with all of the inhumanity that comes with it.

[ 04-06-2003, 06:00 PM: Message edited by: Skunk ]

[Attalus]

I see no demonization of the enemy, here. I am sorry that civilians are suffering and dying. But, the troops are, by and large, good-hearted kids. I am very proud of them. [img]graemlins/awesomework.gif[/img]

Originally posted by Skunk: Quote: There is something poignant in catching the human element on film

But since those pictures are only about our 'brave boys at the front', does that imply that the brave civilians at the front are 'sub-human'?

Have a look at my brave countryman, here seen getting a picture taken for his family photo-album. And here is the perverseness of this war and the effect of dehumanising the population. The soldier smiles as he poses - and the civilians is literally praying that he will not die.

Here is the human element - without blood and gore:
[/QUOTE]Wow, was I misunderstood. I left out my personal critique of some of the pictures intentionally and still feel that dissecting them (as photos) to approve or disapprove of the human element caught in them isn't necessary...the airport pics weren't the only ones I looked at; the pics of capturing the human element on film with war as the backdrop weren't the only ones I was thinking of when I posted; but my appreciation goes out to those of you who posted what can be described as the human element from different perspectives using war as the backdrop...it certainly gives us all something to think about.

I'll add that I wasn't implying anyone is sub-human...I don't even know where you got that out of my post considering what was going through my head when I posted...keep in mind that I am a amatuer photographer and that my professors and "family" are pushing me to be an English major, so both the pics and the essay play a big part in what I see and what I've been conditioned to critique in both.

[ 04-06-2003, 08:16 PM: Message edited by: Lil Lil ]

[Skunk]

I'll add that I wasn't implying anyone is sub-human

Sorry Lil Lil, I wasn't accusing you of that - rather the western media and how it chooses to portray the action.

That's my mistake for not being clear - hope you can forgive me!

Not a problem, Skunk! Thanks

[norompanlasolas]

Originally posted by Attalus: I see no demonization of the enemy, here. I am sorry that civilians are suffering and dying. But, the troops are, by and large, good-hearted kids. I am very proud of them. [img]graemlins/awesomework.gif[/img]

yes, ryan sounds like a real charmer.

taken from the brit sunday times, by mark franchetti
As I walked by, Lieutenant Matt Martin, whose third child Isabella was born while he was on board ship en route to the Gulf, appeared beside me. "Did you see all that?" he asked, his eyes filled with tears. "Did you see that little baby girl?" I carried the body and buried it the best that I could but I had no time. It really gets to me to see children being killed like this, but we had no choice".

Martin distress was in contrast to the bitter satisfaction of some of his fellow marines as they surveyed the scene. "The Iraqis are sick people and we are the chemotherapy" said corporal Ryan Dupre. "I am starting to hate this country. Wait till I get hold of a friggin' Iraqi. No, I won't get hold of one. I'll just kill him."

[Mordenheim]

Find another coalition or war that allow's one side to put down guns after firing at them and surrender. Find another war where one side worked hard at supplying food and water after positions were taken. Find another where so much effort went into not hurting the population.

You are never going to stop every ignorant person from showing a ugly face. Impossible

Amen. [img]smile.gif[/img]