U.S. Apology Doesn't Appease Angry Iraqis
 

Angry mourners swarmed this central Iraqi city Saturday, firing into the air, attacking journalists and cursing the American occupation as they followed the flag-draped coffins of eight Iraqi police killed in a friendly fire incident involving U.S. troops.

The U.S. military apologized Saturday for the shooting that killed nine people the eight Iraqis and a Jordanian guard and badly damaged a hospital. U.S. troops only opened fire after they were attacked "by unknown forces," the military said.

The U.S. military issued an apology for the shooting and said an investigation had begun. However, military spokesman Lt. Col. George Krivo said the Americans only fired after they were "attacked from a truck by unknown forces."

"Coalition forces," he said, "immediately returned fire and the subsequent engagement lasted approximately three hours. Regrettably during the incident extensive damage was done to the (Jordanian) hospital and several security personnel were killed, including eight Iraqis and one Jordanian national."

The military, he said, wished "to express our deepest regret for this incident to the families who have lost loved ones and express our sincerest condolences."

http://abcnews.go.com/wire/World/ap20030913_1363.html

Fuck iraq, we have enough problems in the us to worry about it.

We haven't nuked Iraq yet?

Hell ya... Starting with our MEDICAL system

isn't iraq why the neutron bomb was invented?

:ak47:

Fuck Iraq.

The fucking middle east has never been able to rule itself. Time to show them who's boss.

Socialised medicine is the ONLY answer.

No fuck you.

Get the fuck out of Iraq and fix up the damage you Americans caused before you leave.

Warmongering motherfuckers.

:thumbsup

Bush and the right wingers don't want to spend money on American health care, they'd rather spend taxpayer money on free health care for all Iraqis. :1orglaugh

Hmm.... you sick?

Unfortunately one only has to look at the Canadian system (atleast in Quebec) to see that socialized medicine does NOT work. There are severe shortages of doctors and nurses, even going to the point of hospital cancelling or postponing surgery. It's not uncommon to wait for six hours or more at the emergency room. Heck in flu season the newspaper is filled with stories of people waiting 48 hours at the emergency room and warnings not to go the the hospital. Its practically impossible to find a family doctor in Montreal. Someone I know needed some sort of kidney test, and he needed to wait 5 months to get it.

:xomunch

The world we live in is a pretty fucked up place, eh?

Private insurance is an option open to any citizen.

Many prefer it. But many will be unable to ever afford it. These are ordinary working people who's jobs are essential to the economy. I believe that basic medical care is a right of every citizen. I don't believe it comes down to a matter of economics. I think its a matter of right and wrong.

:thumbsup

Do you actually think the US can solve a problem thats hundreds of years old and tied directly into the culture and religion of a region? Think again buddy.

Don't you feel even a little guilty citing what is one of the least efficient, least cost-effective socialized health programs as your proof that "socialized medicine does not work"? After all, 4 out of 5 Canadians are unhappy with their system, but it is a long way from being the only example of socialized health care. Nor, despite its shortcomings, does it actually function too badly in keeping its citizens healthy.

Life expectancy for males in the US is 74.3 years, ranking the US 33rd in the world according to the United Nations: behind both Canada and the UK. Males in Sweden, home to one of the most extensive and cost-effective socialized health programs, live 5 years longer on average than US males.

The US does not rate any higher in terms of infant mortality, again lagging behind Canada, UK, Sweden and other countries that have socialized health care. For overall health care standards, the US is ranked 15th in the world by the WHO, with Canada 7th, Britain 9th, Sweden 4th. This is despite the fact - according to Johns Hopkins Institute reporting May 2003 - that the United States spends more on health per capita than any other nation: 44% more than Switzerland - the next biggest spender. "At the same time, Americans had fewer physician visits, and hospital stays were shorter compared with most other industrialized nations. The study suggests that the difference in spending is caused mostly by higher prices for health care goods and services in the United States."

If socialized medicine does not work, it would seem that the current system in the US isn't functioning too well either.

Japan BTW scores highest on almost every health indicator: it too operates a socialized health care program.

While basic care is in theory available to all Canadians, in practice it's not unless you're willing to wait an unreasonable length of time to get it. Even having private insurance or very deep pockets doesn't help much.

Ignorance is bliss ...

Ever sortof includes the time before the US existed... :thumbsup

Very true.. Too bad more Americans don't say something about it! I said something along those lines and I got slammed. I think it's because I'm Canadian though hehe.. I'm not supposed to have an opinion about the US.

To a certain extent yes.. and it also depends on where you live.

it will always be that way
people that cant afford it want the best while people who dont qualify for free health care get high bills and little coverage
here in california, the welfare lamers get the best healthcare
nice to know i get to pay for theirs and mine
lazy fucks

Umm, yeah the place will run great by itself with all the looting those people do.

Maybe it wouldn't be in half as bad a state it's in if they left the hospitals n' shit alone when the old regime were getting forced out... :2 cents:

Hey netrodent, what you claim about the Canadian Helath system about waits happens every day in the US with people who HAVE medical Insurance AND bank accounts. So whats the diff?

Case in point... the hubby fell thru a roof... we won't discuss his 3 hr deal with even getting TO the ER. And oh oh! His own graduating schools (no less) had their football team their for physicals. A hospital janitor brought towels to him to stop the blood leaking from his leg and moved the wheelchair to mop up the blood he lost as he WAITED for HOURS. And then the Doc got snotty with him for having an "attitude". He had laid 2k on the desk for treatment IN CASH. (They then tried to charge him 3k more. lmfao)

And our ever soooo great prez JUST signed an order that hospitals NO LONGER have to treat EVERYone insured or not. So don't get hurt here or you might just expire without ANY sort of help.

socialized healthcare would never work in the states.

With posts like these, you're really giving Scots a bad name.

And I know there's plenty of intelligent and informed Scots.

Why don't you try a little harder at becoming one of them?

Depends on where you live though. THe big cities are ALWAYS busy especially, but Rural areas are somewhat better. We're shorter on doctors but hospital visits aren't as hectic.

Thousands of years old. There has been fighting in the middle east for all of recorded history. It's part of who they are.

Yes, but it IS there. I'd rather have a health care system where I don't have to pay for my upcoming c-section out of my pocket, because a normal birth would kill me AND the baby.

As far as socialized health care I think you guys been listening to right wing radio hosts. lol My family went to visit Quebec on vacation, my brother got very sick had to go to the emergency room and was treated very well. My father had a heart attack in the UK while on business and he got wonderful care. I am friends with a restaurant owner they are canadian citzens their home is toronto, the son needed knee surgery and the father needed a by pass flew back home to get it done they did a great job. Now lets talk about my paid insurance I pay for, to see a doctor takes anywhere from 1-3 weeks. If I am really sick and go in without a appointment plan on waiting 5 hours easily. Our paid health system sucks and I think if you asked most Americans are just as unhappy with their pay system and as people are unhappy with government system in other places. People are weird about heal th care they want to pay the least and get the best,so most of the time no one is happy with it lol.