iraq

SHOCK: Are U.S. Soldiers Responsible for Executing Iraq’s Gays?

iraq_iran_gay

So not only are Iraqi militias like al-Qaeda and the Mahdi Army targeting queers with violent attacks because it makes them look like the un-cowardly, non-feminine heroes that they are, but new allegations say the U.S. military is, uh, doing the same thing. Sorry, what?

Maybe American-led violence toward Iraq’s LGBTs explains why U.S. government officials, including the president, are basically silent on the matter.

At a fundraising event in Lebanon last week, two gay Iraqi refugees showed attendees images of abuse and violence, claiming the photos depicted American soldiers “preparing to execute gay Iraqis,” according to the Washington Blade. One of the men, Hussam, “also said U.S. service members were involved in anti-gay hostility. For example, he said service members displayed signs in front of their barracks with the words Fuck Off Fags.'” And then: “But the reaction from the audience turned from anger to shock when Hussam said U.S. service members had detained Iraqi civilians perceived to be gay and executed them.”

To be sure, Hussam won’t turn over photos he claims to have showing American soldiers executing gay Iraqis. Military officials said they weren’t aware of any allegations similar to what Hussam described.

If the allegations are true, there are all sorts of Geneva Convention rules the U.S. would be breaking. We’re pretty sure there’s one about, uh, not murdering civilians for sport.

And while we really, really want to believe Hussam’s claims are exaggerated, we wanted to believe the same thing about rape allegations made against soldiers serving in Iraq, or at Abu Grahib prison (link NSFW, very graphic photos), or even the solider who threw a puppy off a cliff (also perhaps NSFW).

At the very least, an investigation should be under way, with Hussam’s photos as Exhibit A.

(Note to USA Today: When you describe a one Ahmed Sadoun Saleh as someone who “wore his hair long and took female hormones to grow breasts,” you are probably not talking about someone who is “gay.”)

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