Shedding much-needed light on Iraq war

Re Inside Iraq, April 29 Congratulations to the Star and CTV for sending reporters to join Canadian forces in Iraq. Now we’ll get some idea what’s been going on.

For years we’ve had troops in Afghanistan, but had no idea what was happening. Then we sent a half-dozen megamillion-dollar fighter planes over to spray costly laser-guided bombs at pickup trucks armed with machine guns. But if we ever took out one of those decapitation brigades, that too was kept secret.

Occasionally, the troops would be favoured with a visit from Stephen Harper, who would stand at the open door of his airplane and wave at the peons, just like a real commander-inchief, or a Hollywood version of one. Usually he would utter a hackneyed Bushism, like “We won’t cut and run.” Then he would skitter back into the plane and make haste back to his closet in Ottawa.

As for your reporters on the front line, they deserve our gratitude and no limit of credit for taking on that job. It will not be a walk in the park. Thanks a million, keep your heads down and stay safe. Les Morrison, Burlington Congratulations to the Star’s Bruce Campion-Smith and CTV’s Lisa LaFlamme for the excellent three-part series highlighting the plight of the Yazidis in northern Iraq.

Their distressing situation has not gotten the level of public attention it deserves. Far too many people are unaware of who these people are and the dangers they face.

Amongst other atrocities, their sons as young as 12 years of age have been forced to become fighters. Their daughters and wives have been raped and forced into “marriage” by the terrorist group Daesh. Some 300,000 people have been forced to flee.

This series provided much information but omitted a link to the crowd funding source dedicated to helping bring these people to Canada through private sponsorship. To learn how you can help, visit gogetfunding.com/-save-yazidis-fromgenocide. Paulette Volgyesi, Toronto