The Gates of Fallujah (w/Apologies to Kurasawa)

Interesting how the angle of the story changes depending on who's observing it. The unfolding of the Fallujah attack has been almost beside the point to many Americans. It's not as if we have been glued to the TV or eating up the papers following it, or that the import and ramifications of it have been on everyone's tongue. It almost seems as if the use of a few crude words in the telecast of "Saving Private Ryan"got more hype, as if our lives go on without even the slightest pause or inconvenience, except for those who kill and die in our name, and whose loved ones do likewise. But for those who pay attention, the story gets a bit hard to pin down.

Reports at The Chicago Tribune and the NYTimes are upbeat, told exclusively from the standpoint of American forces, and have nothing to say on civilian casualties. The Tribune even states that nothing is known of the number, and hints that foreign sentiment is on our side this time, stating,

"Even the worldwide outcry was muted this time, by revulsion at an insurgency blamed for grisly beheadings of hostages."

On the other hand, The Guardian and The Independent each spend an entire article on civilian impact, and what comes through is the growing realization of just how enormous the devastation to civilians is turning out to be.

Rahul Mahajan at Empire Notes lays it all out with some nasty quotes from the AP, USA Today, and the Daily Telegraph, but read his previous post, too, where he cites Allawi's threats to the media to refrain making negative reports on the action.

And here's the perceptive Riverbend, whom I've never heard use the word "genocide", before, with a plea for the world to pay attention.

And this is how our government plans to keep us safe from terrorism. By earning the undying hatred, fear, and disdain of peoples all over the world.

Didn't Bush say he didn't have to explain himself to anyone? This is one of the comforts of religion; that one can meditate on the likelihood that such a foul excuse for a human being may some day get his reward from a force greater than we ourselves can summon.