THIS IS WHAT YOU'VE DONE!

(This post will remain at the top for the remainder of the day, scroll down for fresher posts.)

Baghdad neighborhood mourns children killed in suicide blast (link)
By Leila Fadel, Knight Ridder Newspapers

BAGHDAD, Iraq - A gaggle of boys who played soccer together in the eastern Baghdad neighborhood are gone.

A 10-year-old twin is without his other half.

One whole family disappeared, their home destroyed by a suicide blast.

On Thursday, the sobs of the grief-stricken filled the air, mourning those who were killed when an SUV exploded the day before in a crowd of Iraqi children who had gathered to accept candy, gifts and water from an American military patrol. Most of the 40 people who died in the suicide bombing were children and teenagers. A U.S. soldier perished as well.

In every home for blocks Thursday, distraught parents said that at least one child was dead.

Doors of homes opened, offering glimpses of a sea of women in traditional black gowns crying together inside as little girls passed precious cold drinking water to their guests. Christian, Shiite Muslim and Sunni Muslim women sat cross-legged throughout the neighborhood, calling for their dead sons and daughters.

A coffin was tied to the top of a van. Women screamed inside the vehicle, while a father hysterically called, "My son, my son!"

Some men lined up in funeral tents near the bombing's 10-foot-crater, which had been filled with dirt but couldn't cover a landscape scarred by shrapnel, broken glass and blood.

Thursday was supposed to have been a celebration at one small Sunni home. A little white gown called a dishdasha, threaded with gold, hung on the door. Karima Jameel Sabri's 5-year-old son, Ahmed Jassim, was to have been circumcised according to Islamic practice.

His mother had expected to throw chocolates at him in his new traditional garment. Instead, Sabri scratched her face until it bled, beat her chest and described the image of her son's head dangling from the curb.

Her grief was compounded that day when she found her 8-year-old son, Mohammed, on the other side of the road covered by dead bodies. The new tracksuit he was wearing had burned away, his arms and legs were gone and his face was unrecognizable.

But a mother knows. Only he had the small birthmark at the back of his head, perfect little teeth and purple underwear.

"There is fire in my heart, oh mother," she screamed and slapped her face. "They'd been kissing me in the morning, my two boys."

Is this what you hoped to accomplish? You bastards. You filthy unspeakable monsters. I take comfort only in knowing you will rot in Hell for all eternity.

Are you happy now?

All in a day's work for your child-raping, murderous, illegitimate "prophet" of doom, right?

I hope it was worth it.

Declare a fatwa for my head, I'd only be so honored.

UPDATE: I am truly wrestling with my commentary for this post---- I know as a Christian I am called to love my enemies, but Lord only knows how filled with anger and rage I was after reading the article.

Luke 6:27-36
27"But I tell you who hear me: Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, 28bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you. 29If someone strikes you on one cheek, turn to him the other also. If someone takes your cloak, do not stop him from taking your tunic. 30Give to everyone who asks you, and if anyone takes what belongs to you, do not demand it back. 31Do to others as you would have them do to you.

32"If you love those who love you, what credit is that to you? Even 'sinners' love those who love them. 33And if you do good to those who are good to you, what credit is that to you? Even 'sinners' do that. 34And if you lend to those from whom you expect repayment, what credit is that to you? Even 'sinners' lend to 'sinners,' expecting to be repaid in full. 35But love your enemies, do good to them, and lend to them without expecting to get anything back. Then your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High, because he is kind to the ungrateful and wicked. 36Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful.

Show me where you will find such a commandment to love in the Koran.

I am truly torn by this.

Posted by Kyer at July 15, 2005 12:44 PM | TrackBack