Is there such a thing as an innocent Iraqi Civilian?

Question

I am asking this MAINLY of those who have served in Iraq. I know the answer my husband and everyone he went to Iraq with has, but I want to know what the rest of you think.

Sade May... I love how you think that when I know of three children who have tried to kill someone in my husband's unit.

Mrs. Gower... OORAH, SEMPER FI, and God Bless... I hope your brother in law comes home safe

I love how some people are trying to act like my husband is fighting a uniform. May I remind you all that there is no uniform that our troops can look at and decide it is the enemy. And despite some opinons I am not racist. Half these answers are the reason I asked MILITARY MEMBERS.

I would like to see a fe of you dropped in Iraq and then try to tell me the difference between an enemy and a civilian. After that, have your best friend killed and not be allowed to fire because the governmet back home will charge you if you there are less then three identifiable shots fired from one location.

OK, LET ME CLARIFY BECAUSE I'VE BEEN CLEARLY MISUNDERSTOOD. First of all, I was asking a question more in refrence to the fact that it is not as simple as one is the enemy, one is the civilian. No one in the military can automatically assume anyone is innocent was my point... so how do you know? How does the media tell the difference between the "innocent civilians" and the "enemy"?

Answer 1

As harsh as it may sound, my answer is "not really." We're talking about primitive nations that teach women and children how to point, aim, and shoot guns or set up mines and bombs. It makes it very hard to know exactly who the enemy is, and who you're supposed to be protecting, doesn't it?


Edit:

Bring on the thumbs down. Some people just can't face reality, especially if it's something they don't want to hear. Keep sleeping well at night, living in your fantasy world where you're children aren't kidnapped from the streets to be made to run through mine fields.

**Note to Iraq51:

I am capable of making a yes or no decision. It's just a tough call to label someone shooting at you "innocent," especially if it's a child. I said "not really," merely because some of these children were taken from the streets and MADE to do these things, not by their choice. But, in the end he's still pointing a gun at someone. So a simple yes or a simple no doesn't clearly define shades of gray.

I chose the words "primitive" because that's exactly what they are. Thousands of years of war, and blowing up their own people makes them barbaric in a civilized world. They might as well be hitting each other over the head with clubs. So, "ill-informed" about my word usage is incorrect. I'll accept "opinionated" though.

Answer 2

Oh.. No!! Mam! What a burning question to pose, I am curious why you just placed it into the hands or people that are familiar with the situation in IRAQ??? This is so much like the mess that took place for 10 years in Viet Nam.. and it was the same thing... the local barber would / could cut your hair during the day and walk off clicks so you could be motored at night .. same problem .. I don't want to sound non-patriotic.. I would did for this country and in fact did.. in a sense.. There are no easy answer's to the posed question except maybe a flaw in "rules of engagement" ... and I might say this in closing!!! I volunteered to go to Viet Nam under the premise to HOPEFULLY prevent anyone else having to go off to someone Else's land and fight. boy!! oh boy was I NAIVE!!! but it was my country then as well as now.. I truly wish your husband a SAFE as WELL AS A SPEEDY RETURN...THIS link was my outfit bck in the days... and I would never ever send something that might make your night's longer and your days waiting .. but your deleima is the same that existed in Viet Nam.. and even that ,, I am notorious about mispelling words and when this was run thru the spell check it doesn't understand either Viet or Nam.. I hope that is never the case in IRAQ..

Answer 3

War objectives in Iraq:
1. Look for and eliminate certain dangerous weapons , so the world could be a better place to live in. Result- failed, nothing was found.
2. "Your children and grand children will be safer." Result- failed , American children , as soldiers are dying regularly in Iraq.
3. Liberate Iraqi people from a dangerous dictator - failed , dictatorship is contageous and passess on to a much more powerfull one.

Now what? Well ,can't you see , they are trying to liberate Iraqis from Iraqis themselves!That is bushism at its best!

I don't think America represents this.
Is it American reason?
I don't believe it.
Is it the same liberal America of yore which gave the concept of modern liberalism?
I don't believe it.
Are all Americans so myopic and self centered?
I don't believe it.
I am sure majority of Americans , as shown through the recent elections,are the same liberal people.

Then why an Amercan is asking such a question which on reading sickens even one's soul?
Read this short story ,
" A large family living in some kind of discontent was invaded and their family house was occupied by a far neighbour .The neghbour dismantled the authority channel in the family and eliminated the head of the family and created chaos and made the near and far relatives living in some kind of harmony earlier, fight and kill each other.Will the children of the family forgive the far-neighbour?'
What would you do if you were one of the members of the family?Live in harmony with the invading neighbour?
It is patriotism when one army travells thousands of miles to invade a country on false pretexts and it is non-innocence and cruelty when the defenceless natives want them to leave by sacrificing their own lives!For the army it is merely a profession and a war game,for the natives it is a question of basic survival and a desperate measure.
I wonder if age of reason is already by-gone and chaos has begun to set- in in our world.
I don't believe it.

Answer 4

Yes there are innocent Iraqi civilians. I am a former army officer and went over to Iraq to work as a civilian for 18 months. In the dozen cities and towns I went to along with the Iraqis working on the US bases, Camps and FOBs I worked at I meet dozens of kind and generous Iraqis. All they really want is what most of us want. To be safe, be with their families and to work and earn a living.

A non innocent civilian is not a civilian, period.

NOTE to patios: I am a was a US contractor in Iraq and I happen to be a Republican. By your answer are you calling me what? Guilty...and of what? My job was providing logistical support to our troops. Fine, I'm guilty of helping the troops. How have you ever support the troops? Guess what? I met plenty of Democrat contractors in Iraq.

NOTE to Karma: ??? "not really"? Are you incapable of making a yes or no decision? And primitive isn't the right word...3rd world, backward, lacking technology...perhaps. Look up the word primitive before you label an entire country. You are vastly ill informed.

Answer 5

A friend of mine just came back from there and he told me 90% of em were good people but the other 10% are making it a living hell over there . Also terrorist are flocking there to mess with US Troops and try to destabilize Iraq goverment in my opinion we are just being way to nice over there drag a few of em out and shoot em in the streets in front of everyone is what they need to do. And take all the cars away from em ( no more car bombs ) go door to door and take all the guns they can find. Close borders with Syria and Iran and break up Iraq into 3 different states for Shites ,Kurds and the Sunis and just get the heck outa there taking as much oil as we can steal

Answer 6

Honestly this is a very good question. My ex-fiance came back from a 16 month deployment in Iraq, and said that they couldn't even trust the intel. that they would get, because the informant was playing both sides. I appreciate you supporting your husband 100%, and give him a huge "I'm proud of you" for me.
I know that really doesn't help answer your question though.

Answer 7

Yes, there certainly are !! Sadly, since the insurgents are in civies, fire from homes, and are using female bombers it's awful tough to trust anyone.

I fly door-gunner in the SH-60B for the first gulf war, and I'd be DAMNED nervous flying over Iraq today.

Answer 8

Yes.Their are many.However there are no innocents in the ,Sunni VS Shiite, battle.What most people tend to ignore is that 98% of Iraqi civilian casualties are the result of other Iraqis.Not the US.

Answer 9

Depends on whose definition of innocence. It is likely they don't know what to believe themselves. It sucks to be a civilian around soldiers.it sucks to be soldier around civilians. Some say its tough to discriminate. When it comes to me or them its only fair to be honest to say lets blow em all to bits.
They probably feel the same but have conceded out of fear.

Answer 10

There are innocent Iraqi civilians, the ones not supporting the terrorists.

Answer 11

The Children.