My letter to Time on line:

Hello Times
Ive seen your article on the market bombing in bangdad:

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/world/iraq/article3287373.ece?Submitted=true

in which we learn:
‘We found the mobiles used to detonate the women,” Major-General Qassim Moussawi, an Iraqi military spokesman, said. He said that both women had Down’s syndrome. ‘

Government sources?

‘Iraqi and American officials blamed al-Qaeda, and accused the terrorist organisation of plumbing new depths of depravity. ‘

Now what wrong with this story? Well, what you dont report is this:

‘But a police official told McClatchy Newspapers that authorities were still investigating whether the explosion at the second market might have come from a bomb hidden in a cage or a box of eggs.’
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/iraq/2004159900_iraq02.html

Youd never know that from your article! Looking at the emotional comments, i see the article has done its work.

Now to use a foreign military occupier and a Major-General Qassim Moussawi, an Iraqi military spokesman, as sources of information in what is a police matter is really dodgy journalism! Indeed, it sounds like propaganda. Why is the police story not mentioned? The McClatchy newspapers mentioned…Its there in the Seattletimes!

Downs sydrome women? Greg Mitchell has more information:
‘Iraqi officials are sticking to the Down’s syndrome claim, but McClatchy now reports: “However, Bob Lamburne, director of forensic services for the British embassy in Baghdad, cautioned that suggesting the two bombers suffered from Down syndrome based on photographs of their severed heads was ‘dangerous.’ He noted that the heads would have suffered massive trauma when the bombers’ explosives detonated. ‘The diagnosis would have to be more scientific than that,’ said Lamburne.”
http://gregmitchellwriter.blogspot.com/2008/02/print-headline-then-let-fact-catch-up.html ‘

Was the reason for the ‘Downs Syndrome women that its necessary to explain why women with bomb belts wouldnt appear nervous and hysterical? the women were described as:

Iraq has death squads:
‘Iraq’s interior minister has admitted death squads and other unauthorised armed groups have been carrying out sectarian killings in the country. ‘
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/middle_east/4901786.stm

John Pilger has this to say:
‘This is the campaign of terror by death squads armed and trained by the US, which attack Sunnis and Shias alike. The goal is the incitement of a real civil war and the break-up of Iraq, the original war aim of Bush’s administration’
http://www.johnpilger.com/page.asp?partid=175

So, who really bombed those markets? AMSI has this interesting testimony:
’ The former collaborator said that the Americans have a unit for “dirty jobs.” That unit is a mix of Iraqis, Americans, and foreigners and of the security detachments that are deployed in Baghdad and other Iraqi cities. This unit doesn’t only carry out assassinations, but some of them specialize in planting bombs and car bombs in neighborhoods and markets. This unit carries out operations in which wanted people whom the American army does not want killed are arrested.

The former collaborator said that “operations of planting car bombs and blowing up explosives in markets are carried out in various ways, the best-known and most famous among the US troops is placing a bomb inside cars as they are being searched at checkpoints. Another way is to put bombs in the cars during interrogations. After the desired person is summoned to one of the US bases, a bomb is place in his car and he is asked to drive to a police station or a marked for some purpose and there his car blows up.”
http://www.heyetnet.org/en/content/view/490/27/

So maybe it wasnt Downs syndrome women who unwittingly blew up those markets. But youd never know by reading the Timesonline!

regards

The arguments in support of suicide bombers on this blog are bizarre.

How could anyone believe that suicide bombers who intentionally kill innocents have a moral code that would draw the line at sacrificing women with down syndrome?

That slippery slope was crossed long ago.

They would not send mentally ill in with bombs. They treat the mentally ill better than the US does.

There is no lack of suicide bombers so why send someone it.  It is just more CIA propaganda.  The CIA is getting desperate.

Do you remember the “nurse” that said the Iraq Solders took babies out of incubators and put them on the floor to steal the incubators.  It was a lie.

They so called nurse was the daughter Kuwaiti ambassador in Washington another CIA lie.  Just look it up.  This attack is the same.  I am also upset that people call people with Down’s mentally ill. I have worked with them and they have more sense then Bush!

While I agree with the basic sentiment that we should be skeptical of supposed facts that come out of this war, I have point out that I think it is very unlikely that the fact that these women had Down Syndrome is wrong..

As a father of a daughter with DS, I can tell you that it is extremely easy to determine if someone has DS based solely on their facial features.  Heck, our OB/GYN did it 10 seconds after Elise was born.  Now familiar with DS, I do it at the grocery store from a distance.  The facial features are simply obvious signs of DS.

Btw, a quick chromosonal test (for us, it took a couple days) will provide conclusive proof of whether or not there is indeed a 47th chromosone.

http://www.editorandpublisher.com/eandp/news/article_display.jsp?vnu_content_id=1003705961

It turns out on the following day, that the evidence for the mentally disabled part was that one of the alleged bombers’ head recovered after the blast was deformed, suggesting Down’s syndrome. Now the AP and The New York Times point out that the severed head may have merely been deformed by the blast.

Also, McClatchy’s crack Baghdad bureau now reports that Iraqi officials “have made similar claims in the past” about mentally crippled bombers—and a police official told them “that authorities were still investigating whether the explosion at the second market might have come from a bomb hidden in a cage or a box of eggs.”

I think you folks have been reading way to many conspiracy theories.  One sure fire way to prove that these women had Down syndrome is through DNA testing of any recoverable DNA from them.  But then you wouldn’t believe the evidence then either.  It just had to be the evil American regime. Pathetic.

It is amazing how your ignorance completely astounds me.  I do not know where you are getting your information about how these women were identified as having Down syndrome by their severed heads.  They were identified as having Down syndrome by others in the markets that happened to survive the blasts.  In your rush to vilify Bush, (whom I think is a total moron), do not forget that these terrorists are nothing more than brutal murderers and cowards.  They should be shown no mercy for what they have done to these two women.  This affects me because my daughter has Down syndrome, and these monsters played upon these womens’ innocence and trust.

By the way, get it through your heads that it is DOWN syndrome, NOT DOWN’S syndrome.  It was named after the doctor that identified it as a chromosomal abnormality, sometimes referred to as Trisomy 21.

Also, if you are going to make a rational argument, at least learn what the condition is called and HOW TO SPELL IT. If your recruits have not figured out by now, that war is a possibility when they sign up, and that the consequences of war are brutal, then they lack understanding.  Your use of the term “retarded” is also an insult.  No one is holding a gun to these people’s heads as they sign up.  Many enlisted because of the promise of training and an education.  If they were too blind to understand that the military might be called upon to fight a war, then that is their fault.  Do not compare someone with Down syndrome, or any other mental handicap as being on the same level as someone that has all of their faculties.  I suggest that you actually get to know someone with Down syndrome.  It will be an eye opening experience.

And what disorder does our president have?
Books have been written.

Why in the world would you believe this Down’s Syndrom angle considering the propaganda machine that Iraq is now?  Why would you not be extremely skeptical of this?  This is pure spin to make this act seem like some monstrous abberation.  In this world of the “surge”, a monstrous act like this needs to be saturated in fiction.  Its horrendous as it is, but making them “retarded” gives those who glance at this story in the headlines the ability to not feel so bad about it.

As Ronald Reagan would say, “There you go again, believing what you read in the media.”

I don’t believe for a minute that the women (if indeed it was women) were mentally handicapped and therefore ruthlessly exploited by the “terrorists.” Our government, and that BOGUS joke of a government in Iraq, will say anything at all to advance their goals and that includes hiring people to set off explosives and then blame the local resistance. The real terrorist reside in Washington D.C. and are lead by George Bush and it’s important to bear that in mind when evaluating the veracity of media statements coming from Iraq.

Hey, didya know Saddam threw the babies out of the incubators too?

Gimme a break, pure BS here.

Down’s syndrome has some characteristic facial features. So if they had a head they might be able to identify the syndrome.  However, given the size of the blasts, I doubt they have enough left to make any kind of identification.

Really! What kind of “BS” is this? If it weren’t for the loss of so many innocent lives because of the madness of this administration, I might laugh. Downs Syndrome, indeed… The crap out of this administration and there lackys keeps getting deeper and deeper every day. Sick bastards, all of them..

No evidence;not credible, thus far. Most Muslim suicides are done knowingly and willingly, with many candidates. Evil passions abound, cloaked with religion.

Whenever I hear a story like this, one that creates this kind of instant outrage towards Al-Qaeda or Iran or any of our enemies in “the war on terror” I’m suspicious. How is it that a mere 24 hours after the attack the investigation has already reached a conclusion. Of course, the report may very well be true, but is anyone asking questions about the conclusions and how they were reached. All information coming from any branch of our government, military or the puppet government in Iraq should be examined vey thoroughly before being accepted.

1/ The time reports, that the fact that bomb carriers had Down syndrom was a statement by Iraki officials (it does not mean it is not true, but it is not presented there as a proven fact)

2/ Who is most likely to want to randomly blow up people in order the keep the insecurity feeling high?

Invaders or mytholigical resistance organizations?

Robert Fisk wrote an article in the Independent more than a year ago describing how people whose mobile phone did not work survived but saw the car they had been driving blow up as they were phoning their headquarters to report that they had arrived in a crowded place.

So are there really that many suicide bombers in Irak or is it just a very useful propaganda trick?

This is one of the most ignorant statements I have ever heard!  There is a WORLD of difference between someone that cannot choose for themselves and a person that chooses to enlist in the military!  A soldier is fully aware of the risks associated with his job.  These two women were probably completely unaware of what was happening to them!  How do I know?  My daughter has Down syndrome.  Also I find you use of the term “retarded” repugnant.  Please educate yourself before you make such ill informed comments!

This just makes me sick!  My daughter has Down syndrome, and I cannot imagine what those dear women went through.  They were so innocent, and did nothing to deserve this.  They probably had no clue as to what was going on.  My heart goes out to them.  May they rest in peace.  They are in a far better place, away from all the violence and hatred.