Thanksgiving in Fallujah
As part of a cultural exchange and understanding program, Marines of the 1st Expeditionary Force celebrated Thanksgiving just outside Fallujah with refugees from the recent fighting there. During the celebration, Iraqis were asked what they were thankful for."I am thankful for the insurgents," said Sayed ibn Faisal, a carpenter who lost his home in the first day of fighting, "I did not realize I was against the infidel invasion, until al-Zarqawi's men came and told me they would kill me and my family if I didn't fight the Americans. Now I understand why al-Zarqawi is good for Iraq."
"I am thankful that Saddam trained these partisans during the time the U.N. was arguing over what to do," said Abdel Hadi Karbalai,"Most of us regular people were for the infidel invasion, but Papa Saddam was wise, he trained these men and hid weapons for them before the invasion. Now, thanks to their example, I know we, the people of Iraq, were wrong. We should not have supported the U.S.. We should have listened to the small minority in the Iraqi Army leading the insurgency."
Ahmed "Coco" ibn Talib, a 10 year old boy, said "The insurgents killed my dad and dumped his body in a mass grave because he wouldn't fight with them. I am thankful for that. My dad said he wanted a better life for us, but thanks to the insurgents, now I know he was just a whore for the infidel. Thank Allah he is dead now, otherwise the Quran says I would have to kill him, and he's a lot bigger than me."
A doctor that would not give his name, said "Under Saddam we had the highest infant mortality rate in the world, even worse than Africa. Now, thanks to the insurgents, we have the highest adult mortality rate as well." After a nurse interrupted us to let us know one of his patients was going to survive, he added "Now that the Americans killed so many partisans, our mortality rate might go down, we won't be number one. Thanks a lot, America."
Moayed al-Adhami, sitting next to his wife, said "I am thankful the insurgents made women put burkas back on. My wife was getting harder to control, with her crazy ideas about getting a job and driving. Even under Saddam these 'feminists' were becoming too powerful. But the insurgents brought us back to our roots. Plus, now I can get another three wives! I already have my eye on my neighbor's 13 year old daughter. But I haven't seen them since the fighting began."
posted by Pluto's Dad @ 11/27/2004 09:38:00 AM
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