Shocking
images shame US forces
By Yvonne
Ridley and Lawrence Smallman
Monday 10
November 2003, 0:46 Makka Time, 21:46 GMT
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Fearful women and children are bound by
US
soldiers |  |
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A series of shocking pictures revealing US soldiers tying up
Iraqi women and children in their own home has provoked
international outrage.
The occupying forces have now come under renewed
fire for their treatment of ordinary Iraqis as shown in the pictures
published today by Aljazeera.net.
CAIR, the Council on American-Islamic Relations, is
conducting an investigation and seeking advice before taking further
action.
"This kind of image increases resentment of American
troops in Iraq and can also play a major part in demoralising troops
who are having to tie up small children.
"We are seeking to raise this issue further in the
appropriate arena," said Washington CAIR spokesman Ibrahim
Hooper.
A spokesman for the London-based Islamic Observation
Centre said the pictures showed a "complete disregard for the human
rights of the Iraqi people".
He added: "A normal human being should be repulsed by the very
idea of tying up children.
Carrying explosives
"You have to question the mental state of soldiers
who are being forced to do this."
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A child, aged
around six, watches
nervously as a US soldier ties
her |
The IOC recently supplied pictures to Aljazeera.net
showing US soldiers frisking a four-year-old boy in an Afghan
village in Paktika as part of a military operation.
A senior officer justified the action at the time
saying the child could have been carrying explosives. He added the
security of US soldiers came first before any hearts and minds
operation.
Those particular pictures provoked a huge,
mixed response from Aljazeera users who inundated the website
with feedback expressing concern.
This latest series of pictures was sent to US
military headquarters Centcom in Florida for a
comment. Major David Farlow warned Aljazeera.net not to publish
the pictures on this site.
"It would be irresponsible. I can't second guess
what has happened here without knowing all the facts but US forces
operating in Iraq have to use the appropriate level of restraint to
the mission.
"US soldiers will use minimum forces wherever
possible," he added.
However John Rees, head of the British Stop The War
Coalition, condemned the behaviour of the occupying
forces.
Colonial occupiers
"This kind of behaviour produced a response which
forced the British out of India and will undoubtedly force the
British and Americans out of Iraq.
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This picture shows
a US soldier
frisking a four-year-old
Afghan |
"The American and British forces in Iraq are showing
all the worst traits of colonial occupying forces throughout
history."
A spokeswoman for the Ministry of Defence in London
said: "There are a range of options available to the commander on
the ground based on the information received. Restraint depends on
the situation."
However a senior military source said: "This sort of
action would be highly unusual for British troops and would have to
be authorised at the highest level.
"We just don't do things like that. We are working
very closely with Iraqi people on the ground in Basra and prioritise
in winning hearts and minds.
"We made a dreadful error earlier on in the campaign
and lost some military police as a result. It was a tragedy which we
have learned from and do not want to repeat."
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