Even though this is an Onion article I swear many people would be floored to discover this fact:
CHAPEL HILL, NC—A field study released Monday by the University of North Carolina School of Public Health suggests that Iraqi citizens experience sadness and a sense of loss when relatives, spouses, and even friends perish, emotions that have until recently been identified almost exclusively with Westerners.
“We were struck by how an Iraqi reacts to the sight of the bloody or decapitated corpse of a family member in a not unlike an American, or at the very least a Canadian, would,” said Dr. Jonathan Pryztal, chief author of the study. “In addition to the rage, bloodlust, and hatred we already know to dominate the Iraqi emotional spectrum, it appears that they may have some capacity, however limited, for sadness.”
Something that is often forgotten in war is that both sides are human. Separated by the Iraqi invasion we only get to see one side of the story. It’s easy to boast about the greatness of the United States when we’re not witnessing the torn families left in its wake. The next time you’re championing the United States invasion of Iraq or Afghanistan stop and consider the fact that the United States isn’t the only side losing people. Then consider what the families of the Iraqis and Afghans think when one of their sons is killed by the invading American army. Does it really make sense to put American lives in the Middle East if it only breeds hatred by giving families a reason to hate the United States?