A Block in Baghdad Mourns Its Own

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At 8:30 p.m. his father bled to death.

The ambulance arrived at 9:30 p.m., after U.S. troops had withdrawn, and took Tabarik to a head trauma unit at a nearby hospital, Abbas said.

At 10:30 p.m. the girl died.

"I was angry when she died," her father said. "I was beating my chest."

Inside the funeral tent on Monday, Abu Nader, one of Abbas's relatives, spoke about life's hurdles in this fragile nation. "If the ambulance had been allowed to come here, the grandfather and his granddaughter would be alive today," he said.

When asked if anyone had confronted the U.S. military and demanded an investigation, there was silence. Abdul Salaam spoke up: "No one dares to go and ask them why they did that."

Lying on the floor of his living room under a red-and-white checkered blanket, Abdul Qader refused to blame the U.S. forces. As long as U.S. troops continue to secure his neighborhood, he said, he feels safe.

"Every day they patrol here. They never opened fire. This is the first time," he said with a faint smile. "I love Americans and I respect them. I never expected they would do this."

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