2008.11.17
Effects of War, Part II: The Children
As I noted in my most recent column, one of the most common sights soldiers see in Iraq is trash. As products of a rebuilding government, garbage-strewn fields are everywhere.
But far more profound is the collateral damage left in war's wake. Children may be safe physically, but the lives of many of them are a far cry from what we are accustomed to seeing in the States.
And that view is often heartbreaking.
A bony boy of about five runs barefoot through the trash. In hot pursuit is an older girl, hopping over a sun-bleached juice carton. They resemble children playing at the beach. But instead of being soaked with seawater, they are covered in dust. When playtime is over, these children will not be washed and wrapped in clean clothes.
These children may be orphans. Widows and orphans are a fact of war.
Statistics of orphan rates vary. The United Nations Children’s Fund estimates that 6 percent of Iraqi children, or 870,000, are orphans or fatherless, which equates to being an orphan in the male-centric Iraqi society. The Iraqi government puts the estimate far higher, from 22 to 33 percent. That equates to 3-4.5 million orphans.
The majority of Iraqi children can be seen playing soccer, going to work with their parents, and walking to and from school in clean clothes. The orphans are distinct. Some stand on the side of the road with gasoline jugs, trying to earn money on the black market. Others huddle with their fully covered mothers beneath lean-tos on the side of the road.
Just like the piles of trash that overwhelm the landscape, no one intends on picking up the pieces of these children’s lives.
Unfortunately, more than the lives of men are lost on the battlefield. Childhoods are lost there, too. These children know the sound of gunshots and have seen the carnage of war.
Well-intentioned soldiers with big hearts toss water bottles, soccer balls, and food to the children. Other times soldiers might donate school supplies, clothes or books to local leaders. The result is that children are conditioned to chase after military vehicles, waving and soliciting for sustenance.
That might be unsafe and undesirable, but wanting to help these children is only natural. After all, soldiers have hearts and want to help Iraq succeed.
Center: A child sells gasoline on the black market--side of the road. His gasoline costs roughy 2700 dinar for one gallon, or $2.29. At a gas station, a gallon costs about $1.31.
View is from gunner's turret looking down. These children want food, water or soccer balls. This view is common.
Cropped version of the child selling gas. Notice the lean-to along the wall to the right. This boy probably works here every day.
This post was originally printed on the front page of the Virginia section of the Roanoke Times on 17NOV2008.
The Thunder Run has linked to this post in the blog post From the Front: 11/18/2008 News and Personal dispatches from the front and the home front.
Comment by David M — November 18, 2008 @ 9:49 am
Greetings, Richard! Over the past few days, I've read all your posted messages and comments and viewed every one of your photographs from the beginning of your deployment to Iraq back in August through today, and I am most impressed with all that you have accomplished and related to us. Maintaining one's sense of humor and focus in the face of adversity is an admirable trait, and it appears that you have been able to accomplish that in addition to everything else that you have done.
I've been intending to correspond with you for quite a while now, and things have finally slowed down enough for me to do so, but I must apologize for this delay, regardless. It's just a matter of setting priorities for oneself, and I have finally completed that important and necessary adjustment.
I can't remember whether we ever discussed this, but one of my greatest life regrets is never having served in the U. S. military, so I am particularly proud of all those who are now doing so or have done so in the past. I've been most impressed with your and Bobby's military service to date, and I have especially enjoyed meeting and getting to know your VMI friends and others with whom you have trained and served.
From your messages and photographs, I have learned much about the U. S. military's operations, challenges and successes in Iraq that I may not have known otherwise, and I am all the wiser and better informed as a result of your efforts. From this point forward, I intend to keep up with your activities as you relate them to all of us back home here in the Roanoke Valley.
I/we greatly honor your service and sacrifices and look forward to your return home as soon as possible. In the meantime, please know that we civilians understand quite well that we are the direct beneficiaries of your much appreciated dedication and hard work.
Thanks again!
Your old pal,
Steve McGraw
Comment by Steve McGraw — November 18, 2008 @ 12:06 pm
Big Steve,
No need for apologizing about not writing me earlier. You are writing now. I am glad that you've enjoyed my writing. I hope that I am passing on something to the populace that supports our military. Sometimes I wish that I could write more.
You have told me about your regret of not serving the military before. It must weigh heavy on you. Raising two sons is no small job, and you have done plenty through public service. All that you can do is your best, eh?
It's still funny to me that Bobby and I both commissioned into the military. Who would have guessed it back in high school? I cannot thank you enough for your open pantry and more in those years.
I assume that you were pleased with the results of the recent elections, eh? I'll look forward to hearing about it in future correspondence.
Comment by richconnaroe — November 20, 2008 @ 8:03 am
Thanks for the fast response to my message, Richard; I'm very impressed with your quick e-mail and Internet capabilities and connections - it's an amazing communications world these days!
While I don't dwell on my own lack of military service, I am certainly reminded of it when I communicate with you and Bobby and others, and I'm particularly gratified that people whom I know so well are successful, contributing members of our military establishment.
When you have time, I'd like to hear/see more about the many positive movements - such as the Sons of Iraq (SOI) - and other such occurrences in Iraq upon which you've already touched briefly. Those are the types of information pieces and news items that we may not normally see in the main stream media coverage of the war, and your perspective on such matters is very important to me and, probably, to many of the readers of the Roanoke Times.
Looking forward to your future correspondences - thanks again!
Steve McGraw
Comment by Steve McGraw — November 20, 2008 @ 11:02 am
Big Steve, I will keep the updates from Iraq coming. Thank you for the encouragement. You made a difference in my life. Honestly, knowing how important the SOI are for me right now, it is hard to even imagine not knowing about them. And that is exactly why I am writing to the readers across the Roanoke Valley.
Comment by richconnaroe — November 21, 2008 @ 3:34 pm
Good job, Richard! I Googled "Sons of Iraq" and located the following main stream media (MSM) news articles published during this year - in date order and generally indicating continued progress - about SOI and the "Awakening"
...from the February 6 Columbia University Journalism Review; http://www.cjr.org/the_kicker/meet_the_sons_of_iraq.php
...from the February 16 Long War Journal; http://www.longwarjournal.org/archives/2008/02/sons_of_iraq.php
...from the March 1 National Review Online; http://article.nationalreview.com/?q=NzE4Y2Y4ZjlhZGMyMWQwNTg5MDQ1NDZmYjlhYmQ4NjY=
...from the March 30 Washington Post; http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/03/30/AR2008033001920.html?hpid=topnews
...from the April 28 Washington Post; http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/04/28/AR2008042801120.html
...from the October 1 USA Today; http://www.usatoday.com/news/world/iraq/2008-10-01-iraq-fighters_N.htm
...from the November 5 Los Angeles Times; http://www.latimes.com/la-fg-iraqelect5-2008nov05,0,2940832.story
...from the November 11 Los Angeles Times; http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/babylonbeyond/2008/11/iraq-payday-for.html
...from the November 18 BBC; http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/in_depth/7734978.stm
...from the November 20 AFP; http://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/article/ALeqM5h5acQAkGrKmxn69nV2JS4O922M8g
...and from the November 20 Associated Press; http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5gZCqH1nHm8dFtB9I7JW6bq-I-e9gD94IQJCG0
From what I have learned about the SOI and the Awakening, I can readily understand why this movement is so important to you and to the future of Iraq.
Please stay in touch...
Thanks!
Steve McGraw
Comment by Steve McGraw — November 21, 2008 @ 6:15 pm
Good stuff, Big Steve. I actually just wrote about the SOI's progress: http://blogs.roanoke.com/rtblogs/iraq/2008/11/24/sons-of-iraq-progress-an-uplifting-surprise/
Comment by richconnaroe — November 24, 2008 @ 1:24 pm
Hello Capt.
I just had to comment on the Children blog. It stirred up my memories of all the beautiful children I saw in the streets and the deplorable conditions they were enduring. It always made me want to bundle them up and keep them safe and get their needs met.
Also, it is great to see the SOI and the IA together. I am hoping for even greater success for the Iraqi people. They have came a long way since the first elections in 2005. I hope they never forget the joy they had of having a purple finger after voting.
Comment by mike thorne — November 25, 2008 @ 9:05 am
Mike,
The only way to keep going is to see past it and not dwell on it. I am glad to hear someone relate. I don't even imagine my kids being those kids anymore.
About the elections, the ones coming up here won't be as monumental, but we are looking forward to it. New leaders elected, seeing democracy at work. New ideas coming in, the ineffective going out. New majorities. Iraqis working together. How exciting. Hopefully, it will be a large success.
Comment by richconnaroe — November 25, 2008 @ 3:04 pm