Philotic Web

Series of bombs kill nearly 200 in Baghdad

BAGHDAD–In the deadliest day in Baghdad since the latest American-led security plan for the city took effect two months ago, close to 200 people were killed yesterday in a series of bombings that tore through predominantly Shiite crowds gathered at a bus depot, on busy shopping streets and near a police checkpoint, the authorities said.

"The street was transformed into a swimming pool of blood," said Ahmed Hameed, a shopkeeper

"Some people were burned alive inside minibuses, nobody could reach them after the explosion," said a witness.

Countrywide, the number of people killed or found dead yesterday was 233

How atrocious, right? How vicious and evil and tragic, huh? Hardly. This is only the second worst day in Baghdad, and then even only after records started being kept in 2005. What's got our attention though? The 30+ victims of a single mad gunman with no other reason than to die while taking people with him. Yeah, I'm a cynical sonofabitch and I know it, but I'm not wrong. Ironically, it didn't take a gun to kill those 230+ people, just the same willful disregard for human life. Congratulations, world.

But all the people dying here were Iraqi, and we all know that their lives don't mean as much as American lives.

*sigh* This is just... terrible.

Unrelated question: in your profile, that's a Ride the Wings of Pestilence quote ain't it?

Nope. The Heathers. Great movie from the late 80s.

"Great" and "80s" typically don't get together that often.

Not usually, but the Heathers really was terrific.

I think that the difference is that this sorta thing is shocking in America, whereas a day with 30 kills in Iraq is actually a pretty good day. Americans tend to feel safe and comfortable. Anything that shakes that up becomes big news.

Edit:

I am actually inclined to think that how rarely these things happen in the US is a testament to how great teh country is. Its people tend to be very safe. It gets big news coverage because it scares the living s*** out of people when they hear about it happening in their backyard, whereas when it happens overseas, they simply cannot connect with it. It isn't as real.

Hahahahahasafe.

See, what pisses me off is, the people who are so shocked by this?

Jesus, it is not that shocking. People die all the time, and they really shouldn't be so surprised. But people have a false sense of security. This country is really not so secure that this absolute shock is warrented. It's no Israel, it's no Iraq, and it's no Palestine, but it's not like crime doesn't happen around these parts.

The people in this country who are removed from this s*** are the ones who end up being really bothered by it, too. I'm sorry, but no one is going to bomb your cornfield, farmer in Iowa. Someone might blow up my train, but you don't see me wanking about the terr-o-ists and how scared I am. Meeeh.

It also bothers me that this is getting such attention internationally, when it takes a f****** tsunami to make this country pay attention to atrocities elsewhere. Why is this getting more international coverage than much more destructive things happening elsewhere?

Because the United States is the center of the universe. Galileo got it all wrong. We don't revolve around the sun. Everything else revolves around the US.

Whether you guys want it or not over there, US is the empire of the modern days. Empire understood as the hegemonic power that can enforce their laws outside their frontiers, and the country who is usually referee in international disputes. If anything bad happens in the US it's bound to be reflected in the rest of the world, even if only by the overwhelming presence the american culture has in any free country.