Marines try to win over civilians

[thedrifter]

Marines try to win over civilians
By Adam Mynott
BBC correspondent in Nasiriya


Two men have been brought in to an ad hoc US military first aid centre here in Nasiriya with the most dreadful wounds.

One is sitting here in front of me on a stretcher, his face is very badly burned. Bits of skin are peeling off, other areas are simply weeping wounds, his hands are bandaged.

The other man, his nephew, has lost all the skin off his back. It is a sickening sight.

One of the men explains that the bombing from an American aircraft came without warning.

There was no reason to attack their house. They had no weapons and were just relaxing at home.

'Remarkable response'

Speaking through a US marine interpreter the man said the US air strike killed 11 members of his family.

Six were also badly burned as the phosphorus turned the inside of his home white hot.

He says he is not upset at what happened, he does not take it personally, he knows the Americans are trying to free his country.

It is a remarkable response from a man who had seen his mother and father and most of his family wiped out by a US air strike.

Whether he was in shock, was aware perhaps of the US military audience to his words or what, I do not know.

Lieutenant Michael Humble is a medic treating both men.

"These are injuries that in the United States are surgical, they need plastic surgery and skin grafting and so forth.

"We can dress the wounds, give them some antibiotics and hopefully keep them from getting infected but they are already going to be disfigured for the rest of their lives," he explained.

Children, too, have been brought in here.

"We had three kids in overnight, all with chest wounds and we did some dressings and made them stable," Lieutenant Humble told me.

Need for aid

As well as medical aid, the marines have set up a water treatment plant along the Euphrates river.

Long queues of locals have formed.

Lieutenant August Emple is in charge of the massive filtration system.

"The city's power is down as well as their water treatment facilities," he said.

"We have to provide them with water because they have nothing.

"Otherwise they have to go to the Euphrates and boil it to make sure it is safe for themselves to use," he added.

There is not a humanitarian crisis in the town of Nasiriya but the town is teetering on the brink of such a catastrophe.

People hear there is humanitarian aid coming into the country.

But when, they ask, will it reach them here?

Sempers,

Roger

[the humper]

I did not see the situation you described. Was that an army Lt. medic treating casualties in the Marine sector?
SF
NC

[thedrifter]

Let me try to check on that for you......

SF

Roger