Some thoughts on 'Beyond Baghdad'

Hi everyone,

I had the chance to see PBS' Frontline last night, entitled 'Beyond
Baghdad,' and found it suprisingly good. By suprisingly good, I mean that
it looks like he was able to dig into the on-the-ground issues about
halfway. The journalist didn't spend too much time on the prisoners
situation but at least mentioned it, and I felt it was important that he
did show US troops demolishing the home of two aged parents in ill health
because their son is part of the armed resistance. They also depicted US
soldiers putting plastic bags over bound men's heads. He did not mention
that they were both human rights abuses (the first being collective
punishment and the deprivation of shelter). A person in one of my talks
was quite suprised to hear about the plastic bags. They have been shown
on TV news quite frequently, I am suprised. Even on Fox. I think it was
also helpful that he allowed people in Fallujah to voice some of their
anger. For those of you following the Iraq team reports, Fallujah and
Ramadi have experienced the most human rights abuses from US forces, and
have subsequently brought forth a large number of attacks on US forces.

US officers' comments on the money for reconstruction running out in
October was somewhat stunning. The journalis was still there through
mid-December (left the day before I did), so I am wondering, where did
that $87 billion reconstruction aid package go?

There were a few things I thought he failed to mention which would have
been good. While people are lining up in day-long queues for gasoline,
the US is reporting record high _exports_ of Iraqi fuel, which they are
using to fund the Occupation. Iraqis have said the reason oil pipelines
are being sabotaged is because the oil is being exported without concern
for the needs of the people. Second, a US officer was complaining that a
wealthy local sheik (who the journalist just showed as having his
warehouse vandalized by US soldiers during a search) should be
contributing to the reconstruction effort, that it can't be funded solely
by the U.S. Actually, under international law, while the country is under
military occupation, the occupying powers are solely responsible for the
costs of providing civilian infrastructure and well-being. Iraqis may
begin to contribute while under a non-occupation international security
presence and interim representative government--although donations equal
political power, something that must be handled very carefully. Third, it
might have been good for him to contact a human rights or humanitarian aid
group (Iraqi or international), as this perspective is almost entirely
left out.

That said, it was good for US television; Canada and European countries
seem to 'get it' a little quicker though. Finally, it did have a lot of
nice background footage of several places our team tromps around on a
regular basis (like the holy shrines in Najaf and Kabala).

You may catch a rerun of Frontline sometime this weekend (check your local
listings) or view it online at www.pbs.org. There are apparently some
good study resources there also.

I am getting packed up (well, piles of stuff to take on the floor,
including industrial sized containers of oatmeal and peanut butter for
teammates' cravings) sewed up (patching, adding drawstrings for that
sudden inevitable on-project weight drop, making a conservative black
skirt) and wrapping up lots of paperwork (especially seminary forms for
next fall). I'm down to three days left, so plenty to do--including
preaching and leading the Sunday School at my aunt's church this weekend!

Time to sign off and get busy.

peace,

Le Anne