Roadside Bomb Hits Coffin on Way to Funeral

Eric Garris, January 28, 2008

When searching for photos, I often run across some very sad stories that don’t make it into the regular news articles.

An Iraqi man gestures next to a coffin in Baghdad, Iraq, Monday, Jan. 28, 2008. The coffin was on top a mini bus for a funeral ceremony when a roadside bomb missed a police patrol in eastern Baghdad but hit the mini bus, killing three passengers and injuring five others, police said.
(AP Photo/ Karim Kadim)

According to Reuters, there are now 10 people reported injured (in addition to the three killed) in the minibus bombing.



16 Responses to “Roadside Bomb Hits Coffin on Way to Funeral”

  1. peace
    January 28th, 2008 at 5:28 pm

    Captivating photo. Thanks you so much, Eric. If I was the gentleman, I would hate Americans.

  2. Stanley Laham
    January 28th, 2008 at 11:22 pm

    Thank you as well Eric. Poor, poor Iraqis. It feels me with sadness. What woes the barbarians have brought to their land. I think a quote from Edgar Aleen Poe is appropriate:

    “…and Darkness and Decay held illimitable dominion over all.”

    That is George Bush’s gift to Mesopotamia!

  3. Skulz Fontaine
    January 29th, 2008 at 8:11 am

    Bush gave his last (?) State of the Union and one can only hope that is in fact, the case. Bush has given the Iraqi people suffering that will blowback on Amerika for years to come. Way to go George and thanks for your treason, your utter corruption, your lack of simple human decency, the torture, the horror, the loss of civil liberties, and mercy one could go on and on. 935 lies to get Amerika into the Iraq War of Attrition and one photo tells the comprehensive story. Thank you Eric and good choice. There certainly have been worse photos and yet, this one says it all. Suffering and despair! Blowback indeed.

  4. brad smith
    January 29th, 2008 at 7:45 am

    War is the ultimate failure of humanity. How can any American be proud of the death and destruction we have created in Iraq. Shame on us. I for one would like to say how sorry I am for not having done enough to stop this war. I'm sure that this is no consolation. However, I will be doing all I can to stop this insanity.

  5. Paul D. Alexander
    January 29th, 2008 at 10:31 am

    This country has sown the wind, and will no doubt reap the whirlwind—probably sooner than anyone thinks.

  6. Michael G.R.
    January 29th, 2008 at 11:42 am

    Very sad story. There are no good wars. Even those that might seem somewhat justified are usually just the extension of an unjust war (WWII -> WWI, etc).

  7. justaguy
    January 29th, 2008 at 4:28 pm

    Thanks Uncle Sam.

  8. Mesogen
    January 30th, 2008 at 1:00 pm

    This reminds me of the stories of funeral bombings. People would be killed in a bombing and then their funerals would be bombed as well.

  9. Bob Bogus
    January 30th, 2008 at 11:25 pm

    Will the tragedy ever end? And will Amerika stop its decent? For quite a while I’ve been spelling America as Amerika. And I notice a few people like Skulz are doing so, too.

    I’ve had several people tell me I misspell America but when I point out what replacing the c with a k signifies I see the light goes on for them.

    I suggest we all spell America as Amerika as a protest and a chance to educate the sheeple.

  10. salem s
    January 31st, 2008 at 12:32 pm

    ” In order to save the country and its people “WE?” must first totally destroy it??!!”

    If this is the outcome of Amerika’s love for the Iraqis,one wonders how its hate would be?!

  11. Tim R.
    February 2nd, 2008 at 7:17 pm

    To Mr. Laham and others:

    You believe that Americans are the “barbarians” in this situation. Perhaps you or someone else on this blog could answer a question for me that I just can’t quite grasp:

    First, for the sake of arguement let’s say you are correct, we Americans are “barbarians.” We are only interested in getting oil money and increasing our empire and we are dirty rotten imperialists with no regard for human life and we have spread misery all over the Middle East. So let’s assume for the moment you are right about all that.

    My question is this: Why are you only angry and outraged at the United States? Are we the only country that does wrong in the world? Why is it that the United States is singled out for condemnation and other countries are not? Some examples:

    Over 1.2 Billion people live in China, the most populous nation on Earth. Do you have any idea of the atrocities commited by the Chinese Communist Party? Do you know what they are doing to Tibet? Do you know that they don’t have any respect for the most basic human rights? And where is your outrage about the 1.2 billion people that must live under this regime?

    How about Burma? Where is your outrage about the military government that does not allow for democratic elections and has killed thousands of people over the years?

    What about the Middle East? In Iran a 9 year old girl and be forced to marry. A person can be put to death for having gay relations or for deciding to convert to Christianity. In Syria, the Kurdish minority is oppressed and a woman needs her husband’s permission to travel. In Jordan, “honor killings” of women are commonplace. In Saudi Arabia the whole world was horrified to hear that a woman was sentenced to 200 lashes after she had been gang raped. Her crime? She was in parked car with a man that was not a relative. In Sudan, the government of Pres. Bashir has sent out the Janjaweed to kill over at least 200,000 innocent people ( and counting).

    So my simple question is, where is your outrage about all of that? You think the United States is an imperialist barbarian. Ok fine I get that. I understand that. But is it not hypocritical that you don’t have the same scorn and outrage at these other countries? Why is it that only the United States is singled out? Why do you let these other countries off the hook?

  12. justaguy
    February 5th, 2008 at 12:25 am

    You, Tim R. are an indecent cretin.

  13. Alissa
    February 8th, 2008 at 4:55 pm

    I send out a huge HOOAHHH to you Tim R.!!
    I guess everyone is upset with our American government due to the fact they have freedom of speech!?!? They just dont get the fact that here in the states we get to say what we like and judge everyone who opposes them. So my advice is go live in a forgein country, with out the rights, with out the freedoms, with out every comfy bit of your life as and American…..Only then will you be able to admitt that living in America and being and American is not so bad after all!!! Trust me… other countries could care less about your opinion and would rather kill you than have to put up with your bitching!

  14. wife of a US Soldier
    February 9th, 2008 at 7:53 am

    I dont see anything on here about the funerals of our American soldiers… and the fact that groups protest them!
    Isnt it the same thing? Isnt it in every right the same amount of dis-respect? Oh but wait… I guess you showing and American Soldiers funeral protest would take away a little of the spot light off of you guys and give your groups less meaning! I mean isnt this what this site is for?
    To place the US Soldiers in a place that titles them “murders, babrbarians, heartless”? I dont really think ANY funeral is a place for bombs or protests but it still happens!… I dont think anti-war sites should be able to speakout against its own government!..but it still happens!
    And the cold hearted truth about it all is… These groups are no better than the terrorists…These sites are on the exact same level as terrorism! And its people like that…organizations like that, that will keep the madness going! You think you are helping? Or doing something good?
    You are only spreading hate! You are only cause a void in our government, and separation of its people!

  15. wife of a US Soldier
    February 9th, 2008 at 8:08 am

    I have to inform you sir that the “barbarians” as you put them came long before the rise of our great nation! That land has been at war since the days Jesus walked the earth as a man!! Are you going to blame him for this also? Those people were born into war… we didnt start it for them! They statred it on their own with a sence of only having on religion..only serving one god! They didnt realize that no matter what religion you claim.. you still worship the same creator! How about you read the Islamic bible..It says and i quote this..”Our nation will come to war and awaking a fierce eagle, that eagle will cleans the land and although the people of this land will be frightened they will rejoice in what the Eagle brings and they shall worship together as one being’” …….. THE EAGLE…You tell me what icon is so treasured in American? And What military unit is by far the boldest and most relied on in time of war?……
    THE 101ST AIRBORNE SCREAMING EAGLES!! Makes ya wonder huh?
    Guess the terrorists woke the wrong EAGLE???

  16. An American
    December 14th, 2008 at 2:45 pm

    First off, Alissa, freedom of speech is limited in America because of tort laws, and furthermore, what the government will not punish you for, society and the media will. Secondly, internationally, I think it hardly matters what freedoms Americans profess themselves to have; what matters are the atrocities Americans commit. We deny rights basic rights to innocent people across the world– innocent people who have been held for years without trial and outside communication. Some of these people have been tortured.
    It is true that horrific things are done by all countries and all peoples, but the hypocrisy of our country in proffesing itself civilized is all the more disgusting for the lie.
    We despise terrorists, and yet an air raid conducted by Americans killed 8 civilians in Syria only a few months ago.
    We are not the panacea to the world’s ills, and we need to realize it. War harms the innocent more than it helps them.