Raed on Hurricane Katrina

You may know Raed in the Middle already. If you do, you probably have an opinion on his perspective of things.

But you can’t deny that he is there, on the ground, and his opinions are likely those shared, if not by all, then by a large number of others because, in his position and listening to his words, you can’t help but feel his conviction and belief.

He says:

“One of my readers from the US wrote me today saying:”

You have heard, of course, of the devastation that the hurricane Katrina has done to the city of New Orleans. I heard that the situation is desperate there, because there is “no clean water, no sewage system, no electricity, no food…” and it struck me that this is the situation that parts of Iraq have been facing not for days, but for months now.

“I’m sure that every Iraqi has very much of compassion with the US people during this catastrophe, because Iraqis understand the meaning of death and collective displacement. Death and displacement were a part of Iraqis lives for the last years.”

….

When the A’emmah Bridge, which has been closed for the last 9 months by the occupation force, still has two feet-high concrete barriers placed in the way of pilgrims, everyone will tell you who’s responsible for the fall and death of the one thousand Iraqis. When hundreds of pilgrims fall in the river and die drowning because of the lack of emergency staff or river police boats, all of us should know who to blame.

No, not Canada.

Blame the US-led occupation for killing more Iraqis.

….

The US and Iraqi decision makers should be held responsible for this human tragedy in Baghdad. The minister of health asked for the resignation of both the ministers of interior and defense. As-Sadr movement supported the minister of health in his request too. The US administration should stop wasting US people money in killing Iraqis and occupying their country. The US money should be spent on the US citizens in need: the ones who lost their homes and relatives by Katrina.

Bush should pull out the US troops from Iraq as soon as possible and stop wasting billions of dollars on mass murders and destruction. The US citizens should stop funding and supporting Iraq’s chronic Katrina and its concrete barriers.

Perhaps it is not yet time to move out the US forces… but it seems clear that the time is drawing very near.