http://www.theage.com.au/news/world/troops-who-spoke-against-war-are-killed/2007/09/13/1189276900589.html#
Troops who spoke against war are killed Suzanne Goldenberg and David Stout Washington September 14, 2007 Olga Capetillo cries as she holds her favorite family snapshot of her son Sgt. Omar Mora with his daughter Jordan Photo: Pat Sullivan TWO US soldiers who helped write an article from the front saying America had "failed on every promise" in the Iraq war have been killed in Baghdad. Staff Sergeant Yance Gray, 26, and Sergeant Omar Mora, 28, were among a group of seven soldiers serving in Iraq who wrote a piece excoriating America's conduct of the war, published in The New York Times last month. "Engaging in the banalities of life has become a death-defying act," the soldiers wrote. They were referring to the daily ordeals of Iraqi citizens, trying to go about their lives with death and suffering all around them. But sadly, although they did not know it at the time, they might have been referring to themselves. The two soldiers died when the five-tonne cargo truck they were riding in overturned on Monday. The Pentagon had yet to confirm their deaths. Their public criticism caused a flurry of debate in the US because of the candour with which the men, all serving in the 82nd Airborne, described the war. "Four years into our occupation, we have failed on every promise," the seven wrote. "When the primary preoccupation of average Iraqis is when and how they are likely to be killed, we can hardly feel smug as we hand out care packages." Mora's mother, Olga Capetillo, said her son had grown increasingly gloomy about Iraq. "I told him God is going to take care of him and take him home," she said. A native of Ecuador, Mora had recently become an American citizen. "He was proud of this country, and he wanted to go over and help," said his stepfather, Robert Capetillo. Gray's daughter, Ava, was born in April. His mother, Karen Gray, said: "My son was a soldier in his heart from the age of five. He loved what he was doing." Added his father, Richard: "But he wasn't any mindless robot." The seven men directly challenged official claims of progress in the war, calling the debate in Washington surreal. "We operate in a bewildering context of determined enemies and questionable allies," they wrote. The men's deaths were reported the day before US President George Bush was due to give an address in which he will try to persuade the public to support the war at least until the middle of next year. Mr Bush is expected to announce the withdrawal of 30,000 troops over the next nine months. But he is also expected to say he does not envisage the bulk of US forces leaving Iraq before January 2009. Even while the seven soldiers were composing their article, one of them, Staff Sergeant Jeremy Murphy, was shot in the head. He is expected to survive. "We need not talk about our morale," the seven wrote in closing. "As committed soldiers, we will see this mission through." GUARDIAN, NEW YORK TIMES The war as we saw it An extract from the soldiers' critique that appeared in The New York Times on August 19, 2007."In a lawless environment where men with guns rule the streets, engaging in the banalities of life has become a death-defying act. Four years into our occupation, we have failed on every promise, while we have substituted Baath Party tyranny with a tyranny of Islamist, militia and criminal violence. When the primary preoccupation of average Iraqis is when and how they are likely to be killed, we can hardly feel smug as we hand out care packages. "As an Iraqi man told us a few days ago with deep resignation, 'We need security, not free food.' "In the end, we need to recognise that our presence may have released Iraqis from the grip of a tyrant, but that it has also robbed them of their self-respect. They will soon realise that the best way to regain dignity is to call us what we are, an army of occupation, and force our withdrawal." [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] Post message: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Subscribe : [EMAIL PROTECTED] Unsubscribe : [EMAIL PROTECTED] List owner : [EMAIL PROTECTED] Homepage : http://proletar.8m.com/ Yahoo! Groups Links <*> To visit your group on the web, go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/proletar/ <*> Your email settings: Individual Email | Traditional <*> To change settings online go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/proletar/join (Yahoo! ID required) <*> To change settings via email: mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] <*> To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] <*> Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to: http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/
