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Karl B | all galleries >> politics >> Pictures from Iraq >
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MARLON 17-Feb-2006 13:01
....i wish the officer in the photo is safe until now as well as the soldiers in the back ground...theres no winner in war..all are loser....i dont know what is the feeling of being a civilian or a soldier caught in pierce fighting we are just sitting here,...i salute men and women who are serving in iraq eventhough im too far away from both countries...im worried about the sniping and ied attacking in iraq..it sucks..my heart fells everytime i saw footages of damn sniping..i wish militray manufacturer can create area radius surveilance...its hard to be trained as ranger,delta,spec-ops..and caught only by cowardly act...its not clear for me why bush wont leave iraq...i dont want to have malice on it and i dont want debate about it....i hope all this things will not end like vietnam.........keep up the good deeds guys....if not you, whoelse??....keep moving, stay alert ,stay alive!!! GO MARINES !! scream EAGLES !!! WHOOAAHHHHH !!!
guest 19-Jun-2005 13:58
Freeman, I had to add my two cents to this. For me, this isn't a Republican versus Democrat thing. I'm not going to offer my political opinion but I will offer my personal feelings on what I've seen. I'm here in Iraq, not as a soildier, but as an Army civilian. I volunteered to be here because I felt it was the right thing to do. There were too many soildiers that were here, mothers, fathers, sons and daughters and I was offered the opportunity to come here and help. I did my time in the service over 30 years ago, at the tail end of the Vietnam conflict.Without getting too involved I will tell you that I'm stationed in Najaf area working on the rebuilding process. While Najaf has been quiet these days compared to 8 months ago, I can tell you first hand that we've had contractors excecuted for working alongside Coalition Forces. There is nothing good about any war...war is war and people die......good people and bad people. Why don't you go speak with their families about the loss of their loved ones who just wanted to offer their family a better life and the impact that this has had on them. You are naive to think that these pictures are just propaganda. For the one picture you just saw, there are at least a thousand that go unshown. You have no idea what we see on a daily basis, if you did you'd think differently that you do.

Essayons!!!!!
Jenn 22-May-2005 09:04
I am moved by this picture and by some of the comments made. Now speaking in direct response to "FREEMAN", you do not know the story behind the soldier shooting the wounded Iraqi. If you did then you wouldn't make careless assumptions. Remember what happens when you assume. As for the weapons, Saddam never needed us to give him anything...the Russians took care of that. I have seen proof of that. Whatever, you personally feel for America or its troops, I'd like you to know that the fine sevicemen seen in this picture actually saved this child at great risk to themselves. You may think it is some ploy but this soldier didn't think of it as one. He risked his life. This child will grow up and remember the day that a US soldier came to her aid. Nothing else matters. Children are a great judge of people. A baby will cry if put into the arms of the wrong person. This child is not crying but look at the face of the soldier. He truly feels the agony of war. WAR IS HELL. Not a truer statement has ever been made. For those that risk their lives everyday, we should be proud of them. We should thank God for them. We should remember those that have been lost because once your boots are on the ground you are no longer fighting for an ideal. You are fighting for your fellow soldiers and those that you care about the most. Those that fall, are true heros, they fall while protecting others. To give up your life for another human being is the greatest sacrifice that a person can make. Now look at the insurgents, what are they doing? They are giving up their lives but the reasons are different. They do it to take lives, they don't care if it is Americans or whoever that dies. They kill their own without hesitation and call it a holy war. They destroy their own beliefs and do it under the assumption that it is God's will. Remember what happens when you assume.
lisa 11-May-2005 04:06
i just love this picture after everything that is going on there
you see a soldier and this cuttie.its likehis own little girl.
i would like to say a big thanks to all of our soldiers.
i have family there we are so proud of him and everyone who
is over there risking their lives!!! we love you please becareful
come home soon everyone
LYDIA 10-May-2005 19:34
I AM SO PROUD AND HONORED TO BE PROTECTED BY SUCH GREAT MEN AND WOMEN. EVERYONE WHO THINKS THAT BUSH IS DOING THE WRONG THING, NEEDS TO ALL BE PUT TOGETHER IN A BIG ROOM AND FORCED TO WATCH THE TRAGEDY OF 9-11 OVER AND OVER AGAIN UNTIL THEY GET THE PICTURE THAT BUSH DID WHAT NEEDED TO BE DONE. YES, IT SUCKS SO MUCH THAT FRIENDS AND FAMILY HAVE TO BE SO FAR AWAY, BUT I BET THAT 99% OF THEM KNOW THAT THIS IS WHAT THEY WERE TRAINED TO DO, AND THEY JUST BITE THE BULLET, AND GO DO IT. BELIEVE OR NOT, THE MEN AND WOMEN WHO ARE IN THE MILITARY SIGNED UP ALL BY THEIR SELVES. NOBODY FORCED THEM TO JOIN THE MILITARY. I ALSO BET THAT EVERY SINGLE ONE OF THEM KNEW FROM THE GET GO THAT THERE WAS A CHANCE THAT THEY COULD GO TO WAR. ALL THE MEN AND WOMEN OVER IN IRAQ ARE HELPING ALL OF US, AND ALL OF THEM. WE SHOULD BE PROUD. WE SHOULDNT HAVE PEOPLE SAYING THAT IT IS A WASTE OF TIME AND STUPID STUFF LIKE THAT. MY FIANCE IS PREPARING TO LEAVE FOR IRAQ, AND I AM GOING TO MISS HIM SO MUCH. I AM NOT MAD A BUSH FOR SENDING MY MARINE OVER TO IRAQ, BECAUSE I KNOW IF HE SENDS HIM THERE, HE WILL SEND HIM BACK. I KNOW THAT THERE IS A CHANCE THAT SOMETHING COULD HAPPEN, BUT THAT IS JUST SOMETHING THAT I HAVE TO DEAL WITH. IF HE IS BRAVE ENOUGH TO FIGHT FOR US, I SHOULD BE BRAVE ENOUGH TO HAVE HIS BACK ALL THE WAY THROUGH .I WILL LOVE HIM AND THANK HIM FOR THE REST OF MY LIFE, ALONG WITH MANY OTHERS WHO ARE FIGHTING FOR FREEDOM!!!!
Swiftarrow 04-May-2005 03:02
Maybe Iraq wasn't the country most "in need" of being protected against, but in regards to N. Korea - the U.S. cannot just go into N. Korea the way it has with Iraq, because N. Korea has too much military power deployed towards S. Korea - for example, Seoul, Korea has countless N. Korean artillery pieces pointed at it, constantly. If the U.S. tried anything, Seoul would be wiped out in minutes.
rajeev 26-Apr-2005 09:50
It such a amazing pictures where the love can be shown in the hands of the father,it reminds how much our lord jesus hold us in times of difficulties, pain and suffering,I am from india,but it makes me to think the love of the US soliders in this land, i pray for there mother whose womb has been blessed when these soliders are doing there christian duty into this land.God Bless the mothers and the people of america where the christian faith can be seen in these land.
Rae 07-Mar-2005 06:01
May God bless us, each and everyone of us.
Kim Randolph 04-Feb-2005 14:11
This really tugs at my heart. I hope that baby is okay. Powerful things happen when people embrace each other over the barriers that divide us.

I do not believe that the Bush admin had pure motives regarding Iraq and truly cared about liberating the people from tyranny. If that were true we would also be in Korea and other oppressed countries (with no oil).

I do believe that God will make good things come from this, regardless of our blunders.

Kim
justanotherliberal 04-Feb-2005 09:52
While I do not agree with the war in Iraq, I still support the service men and women overseas. My father was military for over 20 years. Although some people believe us "bleeding heart liberals" hate the military, I don't. I have a deep respect for the military and what it does for the country. The pictures I have seen so far have been very touching and it is a relief to finally see some heartwarming pictures coming from Iraq. This one is amazing. It shows a lot of compassion and warmth, unlike what the world is force fed through mainstream media. Thank you to the owners of this website, to the military and their families. It has given a "liberal" a whole new view on the war in Iraq.
Phred U 31-Dec-2004 09:09
This image hits home... God bless this man. He is a saint among men.
igadget 12-Dec-2004 07:17
I knew I had seen this photo before and thought that I would add the caption it appeard with.

COMPASSION
In central Iraq, active duty Navy hospital corpsman
HM1 Richard Barnett holds an Iraqi child on Mar. 29
--- May 2003 "The Naval Reservist"
lyndsey 07-Dec-2004 23:45
this is beautiful!!!
Tiffany 02-Dec-2004 17:14
I had passed over this picture last year during my daily search of photos while my Marine was over in Iraq. It instantly hit the spot and brought tears to my eyes. It first touched me deeply, then angered me as all I saw at the time on the news and read about in the papers were protestors fighting for (in my opinion) the defeat of America and our troops. How can people not see what we're doing over there? My fiance is a reservist Marine and was at the front lines of the war in March '03. I thank god everyday that he came back to me safe, and pray for the families of his brothers that didn't make it back. We both get so angry when we see the news (he won't watch CNN)and his blood boils when he hears ignorant Americans/liberals speaking of the war and making it seem like our honored troops who've sacrificed so much should just die in vain because they want America to pull out of what they call a "selfish war".. I feel that was the mistake in Vietnam and we shouldn't repeat the same mistake twice. It's sad, but for many it seems like the only way they'll understand what our troops and military families have to go through to protect their freedom, is to have to fight for it themselves. When people have to fight for their own freedom is when they'll realize how ignorant and ungracious they really are. Maybe that is America's problem... we've spoiled our citizens who now take everything for granted and don't appreciate a damn thing. With my Marine being an immigrant who fled from terrorism and myself a refugee, we realize that a liberal can never understand how freedom isn't free. So everyone can have their opinion, but the Michael Moores of the world that live in their own little protected shells, who hide when their countrymen need them, and disgrace our military men and women by saying they "support the troops, but not what the troops are fighting for" should think twice before they can call themselves anything close to a proud AMERICAN!!!
A true patriot will have honor and pride in defending their country.

To all the Vietnam Vets- We thank you and deeply appreciate your contribution in the war effort. Heroes will never be forgotten.
Ric 20-Nov-2004 06:56
I'm sitting here in Orlando, Florida looking at this pic of the two of these awesome people that God gave us and tears are flowing down my face because I just want to reach out and give a hand of comfort and support for the both of them.
Karl B 18-Nov-2004 21:48
Freedom has never been FREE. TOTAL Civilians killed in WWII: approximately 39.2 million - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_World_War_II_casualties_by_country#Civilians_killed.
Fortunately there weren't embedded reporters in WWII or some may have thought it wasn't worth it.

Here is some good inisght from a former Marine:
"Let me be very clear about this issue. I have looked around the web, and many people get this concept, but there are some stragglers. Here is your situation Marine. You just took fire from unlawful combatants shooting from a religious building attempting to use the sanctuary status of their position as protection. But you're in Fallujah now, and the Marine Corps has decided that they're not playing that game this time. That was Najaf. So you set the mosque on fire and you hose down the terrorists with small arms, launch some AT-4s (Rockets), some 40MM grenades into the building and things quiet down. So you run over there, and find some tangos wounded and pretending to be dead. You are aware that suicide martyrdom is like really popular with these kind of idiots, and like taking some Marines with them would be really cool. So you can either risk your life and your fireteam's lives by having them cover you while you bend down and search a guy that you think is pretending to be dead for some reason. Also, you don't know who or what is in the next room, and you're already speaking english to each other and its loud because your hearing is poor from shooting people for several days. So you know that there are many other rooms to enter, and that if anyone is still alive in those rooms, they know that Americans are in the mosque. Meanwhile (3 seconds later), you still have this terrorist that was just shooting at you from a mosque playing possum. What do you do?
What about the Geneva Conventions and all that Law of Land Warfare stuff? What about it. Without even addressing the issues at hand you first thought should be, "I'd rather be judged by 12 than carried by 6." Bear in mind that this is a perpetual mindset that is reinforced by experiences gained on a minute by minute basis. Secondly, you are fighting an unlawful combatant in a Sanctuary which is a double No No on his part. Third, tactically you are in no position to take "prisoners" because there are more rooms to search and clear, and the behavior of said terrorist indicates that he is up to no good. No good in Fallujah is a very large place and the low end of no good and the high end of no good are fundamentally the same... Marines get hurt or die. So there is no compelling reason for you to do anything but double tap this idiot and get on with the mission.

If you are a veteran then everything I have just written is self evident, if you are not a veteran than at least try to put yourself in the situation. Remember, in Fallujah there is no yesterday, there is no tomorrow, there is only now. Right NOW. Have you ever lived in NOW for a week? It is not easy, and if you have never lived in NOW for longer than it takes to finish the big roller coaster at Six Flags, then shut your hole about putting Marines in jail for war crimes. Be advised, I am not talking to my readers, but if this post gets linked up, I want regular folks to get this message loud and clear.

I have also seen a lot in the way of explaining this Marine's actions by taking into account the fact that he was wounded the day before, that he was tired, he was caught up in the "fog of war", and similar excuses for his actions. He doesn't need any excuses in my book. While all of those factors were in play, they aren't germane to the subject at hand. Combatants generally fake death for a reason. The reason is not important. That there is a reason is important. Site's presence clearly attenuated the natural response of the Marines in that situation. Which makes the shooting of the one tango all the more justifiable in my estimation. The fact of the matter is that this Marine acted with RESTRAINT and only shot the one hostile who was acting in a suspicious manner. Kevin Sites certainly owes his life to this and many other Marines he was straphanging with last week. I glad he was able to offer them his gratitude in such a compelling way."
http://froggyruminations.blogspot.com/

This Marine has it right. Some people choose to think that freedom can be fought for with white gloves. Chances are if your living in a free country today - Soldiers such as this - are why you are free - it's not a pretty thing - war - but it has been the only tool in the history of free civilization to get the job done. Im sure if you could observe the conflict that made YOU free there would be things that would be unsettling to you - but none the matter you enjoy your freedom that came at a cost - to those who fought for and against it - FREEDOM.
Free man 18-Nov-2004 18:33
I just wonder what you all will say when you say when you see a USA soldier killing wonded man in iraq , what you will say when you see bodies of the cildren who killed by the USA warpalne ,why you all don't ask your self why the USA armey in Iraq , do you think they are there to libriat Iraqi peoples from Saddam ?if you think so , why you dont ask yourself from where Saddam got the weapons whick by them killed alot of iraqis , Of course he got them from USA in his war with Iran , I just can say that this picture is progopanda and they will not show here picture of innocent peoples .
Susan 10-Nov-2004 17:13
Very moving picture.I'm just glad that our country has enough guts to do what it HAS to.Enough said!
God bless our troops and God bless the U.S.A.
Jeff 04-Nov-2004 08:38
As a man with two young children of my own now, images of suffering children affect me more now than before I was a father. This photo helps confirm to me how thankful I am Western troops are in Iraq, liberating the country and fighting terror. In Canada, like many countries in the world, we didn't join the war effort because it was politically unpopular for the government. This despite our agreement with the United Nations to punish Iraq if Saddam Hussein broke his agreements to inspections, weapons construction and humanitarian efforts. He defied everything, and my government showed cowardice instead of a sense of duty. I back America's war effort. May God bless your country and our world.
Gayla 03-Nov-2004 17:57
I support our troops 110%. The picture is very heart rendering. But remember our men are there for this countries freedom as much as they are for ours. I pray the people of this country are able to prosper from our efforts. It is very apparent that thier leaders are the only prosperous ones!
Jessica 03-Nov-2004 15:35
This is a very compelling picture but did any of you ever think that this wouldn't have happened if Bush hadn't decided to go into Iraq. Yes there are many injustices throughout the world and Iraq is no exception. But as much good as Bush has claimed that we've done there, we've done just as much damage. This isn't about a democrat or a republican issue. This is about what is right and what is wrong. And Bush is wrong for the United States and the world.
And don't blame anything on the liberal media, because so much of the media is conservative. Look at all the stations who claimed Bush the winner before the polls have closed.
I just got home from Iraq so you can say whatever you want about my comments and my views. But if you got a chance to say what you think, then give me that same respect.
Thank you...
SMH 02-Nov-2004 05:35
I feel badly that many of you see this as a Democrat vs Republican issue. My son has now served two 6 months tours over there and I can assure that it is not a battle between the two parties over here. Yes...this picture is powerful no matter what your starting belief. But it is that starting belief which will define this picture for you. I support the troops 110%, always have, always will. This does not mean I have to support the reason why my child, my neighbors child, and many others are over there. As citizens of our country we have an obligation to question our leaders...it provides a great system of checks and balances. Questioning should not be seen as an act of treason, but as an act of patriotism.
Guest 01-Nov-2004 09:55
PRINT AND STICK PICTURE'S ALL OVER YOUR CAR!!!
that WILL turn democrat's into republican's!!
Kimberly 01-Nov-2004 09:48
Hi, I am 13 years old and I support BUSH CHENEY 04 because of all the great thing's including this picture.. (that bush has done) my aunt say's that bush sent our kid's to war and that they died but that's a lie! she NEED'S to see this picture!!!
SHELLY 01-Nov-2004 06:42
GOD LOVE EM! THESE ARE THE KINDS OF IMAGES THAT ALL OF AMERICA NEEDS TO SEE, JUST TO REASSURE THAT BUSH IS DOING THE RIGHT THING. GOD BLESS ALL OF OUR TROOPS AND THE PEOPLE OF IRAQ...WHO ARE FINALLY FREE FROM TORTURE.
Jessamyn 28-Oct-2004 02:30
I've seen this image before. It is in December 2003 Reader's Digest. I know this because I felt attached to it and began to sketch it. It looks very realistic, but it doesn't give the image here justice. Its a very emotional picture. I even have the caption that was in the book. It's a very sad story. But its a great photo.
Janet 28-Oct-2004 02:28
This picture was in the news and newspapers. The girls' family died.
Steve Davidson 23-Oct-2004 03:52
wouldn't it be nice to see this on magazine covers all over the world, along with on the tv
Jody 19-Oct-2004 13:13
I agree strongly!!! This picture should be on EVERY magazine to show America the good that we are doing in Iraq!!!
freedom 19-Oct-2004 01:07
"WHY DONT WE SEE THESE ON THE TELEVISION?!?!?!?!?!?!?"

Because the Liberal media wants you to believe that Bush has failed miserably. IF Kerry gets elected you will see these images everyday - I guarantee it.
vince 17-Oct-2004 22:04
WHY DONT WE SEE THESE ON THE TELEVISION?!?!?!?!?!?!?
Ayane 17-Oct-2004 19:49
aww :')
ashter 16-Oct-2004 22:48
This should be on a Times magazine cover.
Mary 16-Oct-2004 20:25
TWO precious ones...God be with you.
gatorgriz 16-Oct-2004 19:01
Tears in my eyes too. God bless our troops!
Jan 16-Oct-2004 06:10
God bless them.
Rollee 16-Oct-2004 02:03
Tears in my eyes.