http://www.andyworthington.co.uk/2007/07/12/desperate-pentagon-files-new-charge-against-omar-khadr-guantanamos-child-soldier/ Investigative journalist, author, filmmaker and Guantanamo expert Thu, 09 Feb 2012 15:40:36 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.2.1 http://www.andyworthington.co.uk/2007/07/12/desperate-pentagon-files-new-charge-against-omar-khadr-guantanamos-child-soldier/comment-page-1/#comment-4753 Mary Sun, 26 Aug 2007 04:18:24 +0000 http://www.andyworthington.co.uk/?p=73#comment-4753 <p>This story is both disturbing and heartbreaking. Why are Canadians not responding? The story as I get it, is that a 15 year old boy (a teenager or boy, not a 15 year old man) was fighting with his friends and family. They were bombed by US military for hours..deafening, I am sure. Terrifying. Everyone else was killed...how totally traumatizing for Omar. I am sure he was told it would be different by his elders. I am sure he was in shock and exhausted if he threw the grenade...how clearly do you think he was thinking? Probably thought his death was near. He wished to be allowed to die after he was wounded but the US troops worked hard to save him so he could be charged. He was 15...so many teenagers make mistakes that are forgiven or brushed off because they are so young. One US soldier died, but it was a war situation?? He did not kill an unarmed civilian. And afterwards, he was put in a prison and has been in solitary confinement for 5 years..imagine yourself being in solitary confinement, for 5 YEARS! He has been destroyed, both physically and mentally...he has lost everything, and I am guessing many times has not wished to live but the US has made sure he has done just that. Absolutely disturbing. Have they not tortured him enough. I now can more easily understand how other countries see the US as terrorists and how easy one can confuse who the terrorists really are. And now possibly desperate stories of reward money? I can see how others can no longer see the US as America the Brave, America the Good and the True. Would "Good People" treat a 15 year old boy like this? How are wars to end and everyone to live in harmony if there is such persecution, such vengeance by the Good Guys? What happened to being merciful and to forgiving others, (especially a boy)? Are these to apply to only the US soldiers or to people on their side? The US is teaching the world how not to be merciful and how not to forgive, not to forgive even a boy. Sadly, I think the rest of the world is learning this too well.</p> This story is both disturbing and heartbreaking. Why are Canadians not responding? The story as I get it, is that a 15 year old boy (a teenager or boy, not a 15 year old man) was fighting with his friends and family. They were bombed by US military for hours..deafening, I am sure. Terrifying. Everyone else was killed…how totally traumatizing for Omar. I am sure he was told it would be different by his elders. I am sure he was in shock and exhausted if he threw the grenade…how clearly do you think he was thinking? Probably thought his death was near. He wished to be allowed to die after he was wounded but the US troops worked hard to save him so he could be charged. He was 15…so many teenagers make mistakes that are forgiven or brushed off because they are so young. One US soldier died, but it was a war situation?? He did not kill an unarmed civilian. And afterwards, he was put in a prison and has been in solitary confinement for 5 years..imagine yourself being in solitary confinement, for 5 YEARS! He has been destroyed, both physically and mentally…he has lost everything, and I am guessing many times has not wished to live but the US has made sure he has done just that. Absolutely disturbing. Have they not tortured him enough. I now can more easily understand how other countries see the US as terrorists and how easy one can confuse who the terrorists really are. And now possibly desperate stories of reward money? I can see how others can no longer see the US as America the Brave, America the Good and the True. Would “Good People” treat a 15 year old boy like this? How are wars to end and everyone to live in harmony if there is such persecution, such vengeance by the Good Guys? What happened to being merciful and to forgiving others, (especially a boy)? Are these to apply to only the US soldiers or to people on their side? The US is teaching the world how not to be merciful and how not to forgive, not to forgive even a boy. Sadly, I think the rest of the world is learning this too well.

]]>