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June 24, 2003

Winning Their Hearts and Minds

If this is the best we can do, we shouldn't expect to be buddy-buddy over beers with the Iraqi people anytime soon.

On a scorching afternoon, while on duty at an Army airfield, Sgt. David J. Borell was approached by an Iraqi who pleaded for help for his three children, burned when they set fire to a bag containing explosive powder left over from war in Iraq.

Borell immediately called for assistance. But the two Army doctors who arrived about an hour later refused to help the children because their injuries were not life-threatening and had not been inflicted by U.S. troops.

Not life threatening? Not yet - but maybe if we let some of the burned tissue fall off and the wound get infected we can then help the young boy by cutting his arm off for him.* All because we did exactly nothing.

Found via Silflay Hraka.

* And yes, far lefty kooks, I realize we unintentionally maimed and killed many Iraqi civilians during the execution of the war. This refusal to help is something altogether different, and hopefully you know it. But I won't bank on it.