U.S Troops given the O.K to shoot unarmed Iraqi looters - Oh

[Urban Rubble]

I just read that the U.S army has been given the "official" word that they are to shoot Iraqi looters, hijackers or basically anyone commiting a crime. Great, just what the "liberated" people of Iraq need, another excuse for U.S troops to shoot at them. As if all the childeren being killed by un-detonated cluster bombs wasn't enough, now we have this. You know, the cluster bombs we weren't going to use in residential areas.

I'm so ashamed to be a U.S citizen.

[truthaddict11]

i read this today too sickening

[Exploited Class]

Well now Government officials are denying this, of course.

Here is the scary thing however, looking at yahoo's message boards when this was first posted lastnight and seeing how many people thought this was okay.

What is more scary, the US doing this, the US thinking it over, or much of the population being actually okay or for this type of action?

[Wolfie]

this is what makes me think why there isnt any more people on this board!!!

[WUOrevolt]

This is almost unbelieveable. I can't believe that this monster aka George Bush can get away with things like this. The worst part about it is that people are okay with evil behavior like this. The military should be cut in half or by 75% and we should use this money to fund human nedds.

[Nobody]

Wow. I knew Bush was pro-death penalty, but shoot people just becasue they are stealing from old government offices? Maybe if you cap some old lady in the strees, fine shoot 'em, but waste some poor guy over some office funirture, I beg to differ. Just another sign of the coming revolution!

[Conghaileach]

Letter From Former US Attorney General Ramsey Clark to President Bush

May 14, 2003

President George W. Bush
The White House
By fax: 202-456-2461
1600 Pennsylvania Ave., NW
Washington, D.C. 20500

Dear President Bush,

The authorization to U.S. military personnel in Iraq to shoot looters
reported in the press today must be rescinded immediately. Neither the
laws of war, nor peace, or any legal definition of "American Justice",
authorize soldiers, or police to shoot looters. Any soldier who shoots a
looter has committed armed assault if injury results and murder if death
results. You must not put this Iraqi blood on the hands and conscience
of young American soldiers.

During the racial turbulence of the 1960's, there was "Much loose talk
of shooting looters." As Attorney General I said "this talk must stop!"
"If America has a conscience we had best awake from this wild talk of
shooting looters and face reality." "Far from being effective, shooting
looters divides, angers, embitters, drives to violence... Is this
American justice?"

Deadly force, including firearms, can be employed only as a last resort
when necessary to stop a direct and immediate threat to life.

This new authorization to shoot looters compounds the excessive use of
force employed against the people of Iraq by the shock and awe
aggression already committed. It means the U.S. does not respect the
lives of the people of Iraq and will use its armed might to kill them as
it chooses.

Only your immediate action can prevent more deaths and greater hatred
toward our country.

Sincerely, Ramsey Clark

*********

Ramsey Clark will be one of the featured speakers at the MAY 17-18
National Conference Against War, Colonial Occupation & Imperialism. A
full list of plenary and workshop speakers will be send out in an email
later today. For a detailed schedule of workshops and plenaries,
transportation to the conference, online pre-registration and more
information, go to http://www.internationalanswer.org

[Urban Rubble]

Good letter, too bad Bush will probably never see it.

Here is a quote I thought was perticularly scary. I can't remember who it was fron, some White House press release guy.

"The soldiers have been ordered to shoot a few looters just to get the message out."

Since when do we have to kill people to get a message out ? Is it really so hard to stop these people that they have to resort to shooting them ? This is why I feel so ashamed to say I'm an American. I think from now on I'll tell people I'm Canadian.

[ComradeJunichi]

That's horrible.

Just wondering. Socialist revolution victorious. Socialists take office, however there are many rebels and people who disagree and it's on the brink of civil war. These rebels start to loot from stores and offices building a barrier to order. Red Army is under the governments control, and they're trying to store order over the new born socialist country. What do they do? Ofcourse this isn't the same as what's going on in Iraq, but just another look.

(Edited by ComradeJunichi at 8:38 pm on May 15, 2003)

[the SovieT]

this is plain stupid...

because hte unharmed looters assault only fridges, chairs and other material..

yet the art objects... the golden stuff is all taken away by the american troops...

this is just yet another proof of hte american colonialism...

by other words its ok for USA soldiers to loot and rob the Iraquian art objects (this not to mention the oil and valuable natural resources) yet for the population to rob some chairs and more elementar stuff its a crime?

talk about hipocrisy...

[Ian]

Is the the American Justice Cluster George was talking about?

[dopediana]

this is one of bush's many politically and socially unacceptable new policies.

to shoot a man in the back because he's trying to support his family? shame on the looters for profiting from the spoils of america's war.

hah. i was watching air force one in class today. greatest line in a movie ever. said by a security official in a fit of rage banging his fists on the table:

"noone does this to the united states!"

[t29dmoney]

I think there are two sides to this decision.
1) To shoot a man in the back for trying to feed his family is wrong. Despite of what he is doing. Looting from a market or working hard for it.
2) It is wrong for Iraqi civilians to break into museums and steal ancient artifacts. Especially Biblical artifacts.

Either way it's a bad policy. They shouldn't shoot the looters who are taking things such as food or clothes, these people are lootin because the American Government isn't taking responsibility for those families. The American government isn't bringing the meals in. Even to those stealing from museums. They shouldn't be shot they should be put in prisons. But because the U.S. military doesn't want to go through arresting people and having more prisoners to look after. I guess they think that it's ok to just kill them.

(Edited by t29dmoney at 6:13 am on May 16, 2003)

[Urban Rubble]

Oh my God !!! He's got a chair, SHOOT HIM !!!!!!