In his article, “Iraq insurgents say election truce won’t last”, Fadel al-Badrani offers the reader a view from the insurgents’ side of the war. According to al-Badrani, “secular insurgents and Islamist militants” (AKA Islamofascists) plan to resume attacks against US troops and Iraqis that cooperate with the United States. Politicians, such as Prime Minister Ibrahim al-Jaafair, Deputy Prime Minister Ahmad Chalabi and Abdul Aziz al-Hakim, are also listed as targets.
Al-Badrani, an Iraqi journalist working for Reuters, was able to obtain quotes from leaders of the insurgent groups, such as “Muhammad’s Army” and the “Islamic Army”. Leaders called the attacks part of their “holy war”. The leader of Muhammad’s Army promised that “the coming days will be tough on the Americans and their supporters in the Iraqi Army.”
This is not the first time that al-Badrani has written news stories with a decidedly anti-American military point of view. He filed reports from Fallujah during the November 2004 battle. He accused American soldiers of using excessive force in Fallujah. According to one of al-Badrani’s reports, the medical staff at a Fallujah hospital was killed and all the equipment destroyed by American soldiers. Al-Badrani reported that a US air strike in Fallujah killed 11 at an Iraqi wedding, including the groom.
In another report from Fallujah, al-Badrani said, “No aid is getting into Fallujah right now. There are many families that cannot leave their houses because of the American snipers, especially in east, west and south.” Al-Badrani also recounted a story of a nine year old that “bled to death” after his home was hit by an US air strike. According to al-Badrani, the family was unable to take the child for treatment due to the fighting in the streets. He ended his report with a quote from the child’s father - “We buried him in the garden because it was too dangerous to go out."
Al-Badrani’s reports from Fallujah originate from Reuters but frequently pop up on Common Dreams, US Labor against the War and Revolutionary Party websites. The reports are carried across the world on the news wires.
Like his compatriot, Bilal Hussein, al-Badrani is paid for reports that present the insurgent point of view. He has full knowledge of the identities of the insurgent leaders and their locations. Al-Badrani also knows of plans to kill American soldiers and Iraqi citizens. Instead of roaming the streets to get another story, al-Badrani should be in jail. He is not a reporter. Al-Badrani is a paid mouthpiece for the terrorists killing our soldiers.
