The Story of Salee

Go to this site and take four minutes and thirty seconds of your time to watch this gut-wrenching video from Iraq. Salee, an adorable little Iraqi girl, tells how she lost her legs and her two friends to a precision attack by an American air-to-surface missile.

Let's be clear about the significance of this event. The best estimate is that--as of last summer--something over 80,000 Iraqis had been killed by American air attacks in Iraq -- more than all the terrorist attacks combined (including car bombs, suicide bombs, and death squads). And that is not counting the people killed when U.S. gunships shot into inhabited areas (those are not counted as air attacks); or the deaths caused by soldiers on the ground shooting into buildings as their chase real, suspected, or fantasy insurgents.

Unfortunately, Salee is the typical Iraqi casualty--wounded or killed at the hands of the American military. Probably something over 500,000 dead and an equal number wounded...so far.

Comments

[WorkingClass]

If this little girl was a dog there would be hell to pay.

[brooklyncitizen]

Thank you for your post.

What many Bush supporters ignore as well as politicians, is that in "modern wars" the casualties are primarily civilians of which most are children.

In Israel's war against Lebanon last year 80% of the casualites were civilians, and half of those children similar to Salee just playing and carrying on their lives.


If the media were to show how Iraquis live, this family is an example, Americans will finally see the "face of the enemy" and the "insurgents". They are families like Americans here, with kids and they once had jobs and went to school and had aspiratons.

The true terrorist is the US govt; how much longer will they terrorize Iraq and Afghanistan?

Gee the price of "American Democracy" is a bitch.

[maddogbitesback]

So given that there are hundreds of thousands of stories as bad or worse and millions of refugees, tellme that Bush et al are not war criminals.

[kwright]

our so called leaders and the war machine continue to murder and maim the innocent, the aged, and the infirm. old and young. it doesn't matter. in their world it is called collateral damage. only god knows how many iraqis have perished in this "blood for oil" massacre. i wonder how many americans are wiling to take responsibility for the actions of our corrupt government. it can start by not paying any witholding federal taxes on your paycheck. no money means no weapons. salee will have to live her life in spite of her horrible mutilation as will possibly millions of others just like her. to the evil men that did this to her, i pray to god every day that they are taken before a war crimes tribunal and hanged in front of the whole world world.

[shellylefty]

Thank you.

[JoAnnCr]

I have to admit I didn't go to your link. Salee's story was heart wrenching enough just reading your account.

I am at a loss to explain why folks stand by this president and this war. I am at a loss to understand why Fox News joins the administration in its propaganda. I am at a loss to know what to do.

While I am thrilled at the quality of Democratic candidates for president and support John Edwards, I fear the onslaught of nasty ads, swiftboating and expert propaganda of fear will be the ultimate influence on the voters.

I leave it to the candidates and their handlers to see we need to align ourselves behind truth and decency to restore American to its honest leadership in the world and stewardship of the planet.

[Sheila1]

I have met Salee, at the airport when she arrived for treatment at the Shriners Hospital here in Greenville, S.C. and it is an experience that will be with me for a lifetime. She is an AMAZING little girl. She has captured the hearts of everyone in our community regardless of their political beliefs. Marvelous people whom I know and who have been active in the some of the same organizations of which I am a member have worked for a long time to make this happen and inspiring those of us who spend so much time in trying to end this war to volunteer some time to help one small, courageous victim of this war.
Thank you for bringing Salee to the attention of as wide an audience as regularly comments on Huffington Post.