Thanks and Praise
Comparisons to Rosenthal's iconic Iwo Jima photo are both obvious and immediate. Rand Simberg thinks Yon should win a Pulitzer for this photo. Frankly, that honor should have come two years ago. Instead, they gave it to a gaggle of Associated Press photographers, one of which, Bilal Hussein, was later arrested with a known al Qaeda terrorist and remains in jail. No, this photo is not as iconic as the Rosenthal photo, nor Yon's 2005 photo of Major Mark Bieger carrying a mortally wounded Iraqi child after an al Qaeda car bomb attack. The symbolism of an ending sectarian conflict, and possibly the dawning of an Iraq that is appearing more and more like it is verging upon moving into a post-war period, however, is every bit as great. Update: Chris Muir captures the moment at Day-by-Day. 11/08 Update: Major Kirk Leudeke, Public Affairs Officer for
I photographed men and women, both Christians and Muslims, placing a cross atop the St. John's Church in Baghdad. They had taken the cross from storage and a man washed it before carrying it up to the dome. A Muslim man had invited the American soldiers from "Chosen" Company 2-12 Cavalry to the church, where I videotaped as Muslims and Christians worked and rejoiced at the reopening of St John's, an occasion all viewed as a sign of hope.
The Iraqis asked me to convey a message of thanks to the American people. "Thank you, thank you," the people were saying. One man said, "Thank you for peace." Another man, a Muslim, said "All the people, all the people in Iraq, Muslim and Christian, is brother." The men and women were holding bells, and for the first time in memory freedom rang over the ravaged land between two rivers.
4th IBCT, 1st ID, states that 2-12 IN is one of the units attached to his brigade, and that they've been in combat for about a year. He said that St. John's Church had been bombed and burned back in 2004, but that since that time, the church's inner sanctuary has been restored, and putting the cross back on the building was the "crowning touch."
Posted by: Confederate Yankee at 08:24 PM
Comments
1
Another man, a Muslim, said "All the people, all the people in Iraq, Muslim and Christian, is brother."
Now there's a Muslim I would gladly call "brother."
Now there's a Muslim I would gladly call "brother."
Posted by: C-C-G at November 07, 2007 08:49 PM (PGjzz)
2
Check out Day by Day.
Posted by: capitano at November 07, 2007 09:27 PM (+NO33)
3
For many this will come as "an inconvenient truth"
Posted by: Lurker of sorts at November 07, 2007 11:12 PM (1aM/I)
4
He's amongst the best.
He is the best!
Vote for Yon in the category of Best Military Blog here:
http://2007.weblogawards.org/polls/best-military-blog-1.php
He is the best!
Vote for Yon in the category of Best Military Blog here:
http://2007.weblogawards.org/polls/best-military-blog-1.php
Posted by: ryyannon at November 07, 2007 11:49 PM (PhgYC)
5
Prayers for our soldiers and Iraqi brothers. If only our tormented and confused citizens on the left would realize that events like this are what creates true human brotherhood and love, and not surrender, retreat and defeat.
Posted by: redherkey at November 07, 2007 11:50 PM (kjqFg)
6
The dead enders at the DNC web site are still pitching defeat. Really quite amazing how out of touch they are.
Posted by: Purple Avenger at November 08, 2007 12:20 AM (lGu29)
7
I'm running into this photo all over the blogosphere and am off to Mr. Yon's site to toss a few bucks in his tip jar. He's doing the work the MSM won't do.
Posted by: Retread at November 08, 2007 07:40 AM (P/AfD)
8
This is like a moonbat nightmare - success in Iraq and a cross
Posted by: bandit at November 08, 2007 08:16 AM (nX3lF)
9
I hope Reid,Pelosi and Sheehan see this.
Posted by: william jonas at November 08, 2007 08:58 AM (GQsxt)
10
Folks, you may not realize it, but Iraqi Christians and Muslims got on well enough for well over a thousand years. It was not until the US Army unleashed mayhem in Iraq that the Christian community really began to suffer. Many thousands of them are now dispersed, living as refugees in countries outside Iraq, or in the Kurdish areas (Oh, I guess those aren't real refugees then, just IDPs). I don't see too many of them heading home anytime soon.
It would be great if what's shown in the photo was the reality all over Iraq. Sadly it's not. In many cases the reality is ethnic cleansing, a process that seems almost complete at this stage. Well dream on, anyway.
At least this photo seems to be one of a real event. As opposed to the "iconic" one of Saddam's statue being toppled, which was staged by the US Army.
BTW Don't forget the Iwo Jima photo was also staged!
It would be great if what's shown in the photo was the reality all over Iraq. Sadly it's not. In many cases the reality is ethnic cleansing, a process that seems almost complete at this stage. Well dream on, anyway.
At least this photo seems to be one of a real event. As opposed to the "iconic" one of Saddam's statue being toppled, which was staged by the US Army.
BTW Don't forget the Iwo Jima photo was also staged!
Posted by: Max at November 08, 2007 12:27 PM (VRb5p)
Posted by: Patrick Chester at November 08, 2007 01:19 PM (oQWuH)
12
Sure glad "Max" stopped by to straighten us out.
Posted by: Larry Sheldon at November 08, 2007 01:48 PM (mg373)
13
Wait. What?
Instead, they gave it to a gaggle of Associated Press photographers, one of which, Bilal Hussein, was later arrested with a known al Qaeda terrorist and remains in jail.
What charges have been brought against Bilal Hussein? Was he a terrorist?
Instead, they gave it to a gaggle of Associated Press photographers, one of which, Bilal Hussein, was later arrested with a known al Qaeda terrorist and remains in jail.
What charges have been brought against Bilal Hussein? Was he a terrorist?
Posted by: stickler at November 08, 2007 01:49 PM (b6F/Z)
14
Wow. That pic sure makes the absence of WMD's a distant memory.
Posted by: PD100 at November 08, 2007 04:40 PM (06Exb)
15
Riiiiiiiiiiiiiight, Max. There was no outbreak of violence between 1998-2002 in Indonesia (a mostly Muslim nation), so this article must be wrong.
So must this article from 2001 be incorrect about Muslim-Christian violence.
And this one from CNN surely can't be correct, because it blames Al Qaeda for the violence in 2002, and we all know that Al Qaeda didn't do anything until ChimpyBushHitlerHalliburtonCheney invaded Iraq in 2003.
It must be nice to live in such a fantasy world where everyone gets along with everyone. Unfortunately, it bears no resemblance to the real world. I suggest you get professional help.
Good day, sir. I said, good day.
So must this article from 2001 be incorrect about Muslim-Christian violence.
And this one from CNN surely can't be correct, because it blames Al Qaeda for the violence in 2002, and we all know that Al Qaeda didn't do anything until ChimpyBushHitlerHalliburtonCheney invaded Iraq in 2003.
It must be nice to live in such a fantasy world where everyone gets along with everyone. Unfortunately, it bears no resemblance to the real world. I suggest you get professional help.
Good day, sir. I said, good day.
Posted by: C-C-G at November 08, 2007 08:02 PM (PGjzz)
16
Well, marc, according to your demented view of things, it's entirely because of those American Christian conservatives that things like this are able to take place. Praise Jesus, and you do the math.
BTW, we're not fighting pagan hordes. We're fighting headchopping jihadis, and we're doing it alongside rational Muslims, who don't dig headchopping either.
What's makes you think Bob is going to delete your twaddle? It's a fine testament to the idiocy of the left and I think it should remain in perpetuity as an object lesson in that idiocy.
BTW, we're not fighting pagan hordes. We're fighting headchopping jihadis, and we're doing it alongside rational Muslims, who don't dig headchopping either.
What's makes you think Bob is going to delete your twaddle? It's a fine testament to the idiocy of the left and I think it should remain in perpetuity as an object lesson in that idiocy.
Posted by: Pablo at November 09, 2007 06:28 AM (yTndK)
17
C-C-G,
It must be nice to live in such a fantasy world where everyone gets along with everyone.
A world which must also not include Thailand where al-Qadea affiliated jihadis are getting their freak on with the Buddhists.
Buddhists. Let that sink in for a minute. Who the f&*k has a beef with Buddhists, and how can we make this Bu$hco's fault?
It must be nice to live in such a fantasy world where everyone gets along with everyone.
A world which must also not include Thailand where al-Qadea affiliated jihadis are getting their freak on with the Buddhists.
Buddhists. Let that sink in for a minute. Who the f&*k has a beef with Buddhists, and how can we make this Bu$hco's fault?
Posted by: Pablo at November 09, 2007 06:32 AM (yTndK)
18
Ah, Max is pining for Saddam. Isn't that cute?
Posted by: Pablo at November 09, 2007 06:33 AM (yTndK)
19
Pablo, I did end up deleting Marc's "twaddle," and tossed him as well.
Testament to a bigoted 11th century worldview if serious, but much more likely just a childish troll's attack on people of faith, it served no purpose other than to instigate.
Testament to a bigoted 11th century worldview if serious, but much more likely just a childish troll's attack on people of faith, it served no purpose other than to instigate.
Posted by: Confederate Yankee at November 09, 2007 07:06 AM (HcgFD)
20
Bob, I thought of it as being along the lines of a Chris Dodd speech, or maybe Michael Moore's career. Not something you want to buy into, but worth examining to observe the mental deficiencies behind it.
Your house, your call, of course.
Your house, your call, of course.
Posted by: Pablo at November 09, 2007 08:03 AM (yTndK)
21
Pablo,
how can we make this Bu$hco's fault?
Easy. Everything is the fault of ChimpyBushHitlerHalliburtonSwiftBoatCheney. Logic is not required... look at the people who claimed that Bush deliberately aimed Katrina at New Orleans, not to mention Rosie "fire won't melt steel" O'Donnell and the rest of the 9/11 troofers.
how can we make this Bu$hco's fault?
Easy. Everything is the fault of ChimpyBushHitlerHalliburtonSwiftBoatCheney. Logic is not required... look at the people who claimed that Bush deliberately aimed Katrina at New Orleans, not to mention Rosie "fire won't melt steel" O'Donnell and the rest of the 9/11 troofers.
Posted by: C-C-G at November 09, 2007 09:30 AM (bEQr6)
22
C-C-G
It would be nice if you actually read what I wrote before springing into action. I wrote that "Iraqi Christians and Muslims got on well enough for well over a thousand years...". That's I-r-a-q-i. And it is a FACT that the small Christian minority is now facing the greatest threat to its existence since the Americans invaded.
The references you linked to are completely irrelevant to my point.
It would be nice if you actually read what I wrote before springing into action. I wrote that "Iraqi Christians and Muslims got on well enough for well over a thousand years...". That's I-r-a-q-i. And it is a FACT that the small Christian minority is now facing the greatest threat to its existence since the Americans invaded.
The references you linked to are completely irrelevant to my point.
Posted by: Max at November 09, 2007 09:32 AM (VRb5p)
23
My apologies. I did miss that word, and freely and openly admit my error.
Of course, you now presuppose that things were better under a brutal dictator who gassed his own people, filled mass graves, locked up children because their parents weren't considered loyal enough, and shot those who dared to vote against him in his sham elections.
One also has to ask, so what? The different faiths are working together now, what use to go back and sling mud about what used to be? It's not like Bush is running for re-election, and thus you wish to convince people not to vote for him. Are you perhaps intimating that the accusation you made is impeachable?
Or are you, like Chuck a few days ago, just slinging mud because you are so consumed with hatred for one fellow human being that you wish to blacken his name for no other reason than out of spite?
Inquiring minds want to know, "Max."
Good day, sir. I said, good day.
Of course, you now presuppose that things were better under a brutal dictator who gassed his own people, filled mass graves, locked up children because their parents weren't considered loyal enough, and shot those who dared to vote against him in his sham elections.
One also has to ask, so what? The different faiths are working together now, what use to go back and sling mud about what used to be? It's not like Bush is running for re-election, and thus you wish to convince people not to vote for him. Are you perhaps intimating that the accusation you made is impeachable?
Or are you, like Chuck a few days ago, just slinging mud because you are so consumed with hatred for one fellow human being that you wish to blacken his name for no other reason than out of spite?
Inquiring minds want to know, "Max."
Good day, sir. I said, good day.
Posted by: C-C-G at November 09, 2007 10:09 AM (bEQr6)
24
And it is a FACT that the small Christian minority is now facing the greatest threat to its existence since the Americans invaded.
No, that's not a fact. The highpoint of that threat has passed and the situation is on the mend. See the post.
No, that's not a fact. The highpoint of that threat has passed and the situation is on the mend. See the post.
Posted by: Pablo at November 09, 2007 12:18 PM (yTndK)
25
Wow, that photo must really upset Harry "the war is lost" Reid and Nancy "no light" Pelosi
Posted by: Grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr at November 09, 2007 03:06 PM (gkobM)
26
This Max idiot thinks Sadaam was all nice and loving with the Christians in Iraq? When one is this stupid nothing can be said or done. All we can do is mock and ridicule the insanity of his comment.
Posted by: Capitalist Infidel at November 10, 2007 04:04 PM (Lgw9b)
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