Barbara's Sharebook 

Apparently, the truce was started by the Germans, who shouted across no-man's land at the British, "If you no shoot, we no shoot!" Officers tried to stop the "fraternization", but couldn't, and ended up exchanging Xmas gifts like candy and cigars with their fellow-officers on the opposing side. The troops evacuated their wounded, and buried their dead; they played games of soccer and football, sang Xmas carols, and prepared meals together. They had Xmas trees and lit candles, and each others' cigarettes. Fiction of the era reproduces the types of dialogues that took place between soldiers who were only ARTIFICIALLY placed on different sides; because some fat-cat money-hungry plutocrats said so.

Comment:

IN ESSENCE, THE IRAQI RESISTANCE HAS SAID TO AMERICAN SOLDIERS OF THE OCCUPYING FORCES, the SAME thing that the German soldiers said to the British soldiers: "IF YOU NO SHOOT, WE NO SHOOT". This information has been WITHELD from both the American soldiers, and the American public, by the Bush Administration.

The Bush Administration has, on the contrary, painted the Iraqi Resistance as Mad Dogs, fanatic Muslims who want to "kill every infidel everywhere in the world". This last is an almost direct quote from a source that has been circulating for some time on the Internet, which many of you may have seen, disguising itself as a "post" from just another person on the Internet, or a Care2 member, but almost certainly originating with the Bush Administration Department of Propaganda and Mis-information and Dis-information; in ITSELF, the Department ENTIRELY responsible for this immoral, useless war in the first place!

The information that they are not letting you know, that the Iraqi Insurgency WILL NOT FIRE ON OUR TROOPS IF THEY STOP FIRING ON THEM, is available from sources OUTSIDE the U.S.; as, in an issue of the U.K. Financial Times of February, 2005,[sorry, don't have the exact date with me], where a group connected with the Muslim clergy says that when the U.S. sets a specific date for withdrawal, the Iraqi Resistance will stop fighting the American troops [don't know if that months-ago offer still stands]. Obviously, the Bush Administration not only ignored the offer; but saw to it that it was NOT publicized or known in the U.S. -- let alone to the troops. How many hundreds of U.S. troops have died since last February?

Even MORE telling, THE IRAQI RESISTANCE ITSELF HAS MADE A TAPE, available on the Internet, and on Care2 in June and July of this year, in which they state that THEY -- WILL -- NOT -- FIRE -- ON ANY AMERICAN SOLDIER WHO LAYS DOWN THEIR ARMS! This caused at the time a huge amount of controversy on Care2. Obviously many on the Internet bought hook, line and sinker the Bush Administration propaganda that the insurgents were nothing but Mad Dogs, Insane Irrational Bloodthirsty Fanatics, and Out To Get Us All -- they're in your backyard! if we're not fighting them in Baghdad. I have heard the Bush propagandists say, that they are "not even Human"! I am old enough to have heard the EXACT SAME THING, "not being human, and not sharing common human values with the rest of humanity", said about the Japanese people, when we were fighting THEM in World War II.

LET US HOPE THAT THIS STORY OF THE CHRISTMAS TRUCE, WHICH GOVERNMENTS ARE ALSO TRYING TO SUPPRESS IN THEIR OWN INTERESTS, HOLDS A LESSON FOR -- ALL! -- OF US!!!!!!