Clinging To Life In A Baghdad Orphanage

Lara Logan Reflects On The Bagdad Orphanage Where Boys Where Malnourished And Abused

(CBS)  What I discovered when I visited the unit involved was that the soldiers thought the media was ignoring the story because we're only interested in explosions and firefights and "bad news," an understanding I worked hard to change since I do not believe it is true and have four years of work in this country to support my case.

For these soldiers, being able to help Iraqi children and save them from certain death gave meaning to their presence here. It is an example of the good that U.S. soldiers are able to do, without a single shot being fired. It is something to be proud of.

Captain Ben Morales is the commander of Bravo Company who was alerted to the crisis by the U.S. military advisors that discovered the boys' bodies during a joint-patrol with the Iraqi Army on a Sunday afternoon. He reacted immediately, sending in a quick reaction force and a team from the civil affairs unit serving with his unit.

Before the soldiers left the base, he said he had to prepare them for what they were about to see. And most important of all, he had to remind them of their training and discipline, so they did not bring the name of their unit into disrepute by taking out their anger at those responsible for hurting these boys so badly.

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Find out how to help the orphans.
See the photos given to CBS News.
Watch extended video of Logan’s interviews with the soldiers who rescued the orphans.
Read Lara Logan's reporter's notebook on this story.

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Captain Morales knew the rage they were feeling because he felt it himself. But they did the right thing, he assured me, and handed this over to the Iraqi authorities to deal with as they saw fit.

He also told me about one soldier in particular that had been especially good with the children.

"Lieutenant Smith was amazing," he said, as we poured over photographs that showed Jason Smith brushing some of the children's teeth. He really was very good with the children.

When I interviewed Lt. Smith, I found out why: he is trained as a special education teacher. His wife is a special education teacher and her brother is a special needs boy.

So when faced with this terrible situation, Lt. Smith was happy to do the things for these boys that he already does at home for his brother-in-law. This quietly strong and gentle young man knew exactly what these boys needed – a human touch.

And that is what struck me as I watched the soldiers interacting with the boys at the orphanage. They were desperate for that human touch, just a moment of love and attention.

As I was standing there in the crowded room, soldiers and boys and Iraqi social workers all around us, one of the boys came up to me and reached out with both his arms. I leaned over and met his embrace and before I knew it he had lifted his legs off the ground and wrapped them around my waist. As suddenly as he had presented himself before me, he was wrapped in my arms, and I just surrendered. I let him snuggle into my neck, and breathe in the smell of my perfume which he really seemed to like.

As I stood there holding him, watching these boys with various levels of disability, some of their wrists scarred by the marks of the roles that held them, I was overcome by how forgiving they were. I had the feeling that anyone could have beaten them with one hand, embraced them with the other, and they would have welcomed the embrace.

Here we were only a week later, many with sores not yet healed – and who knew what scars that weren't visible – and they were laughing and playing and doing so much better you could hardly match them with their emaciated photographs.

I don't know what trauma they suffered, what lingers. I don't know anything about special needs children.

I know that I witnessed something terrible and something remarkable and something that should not be forgotten, should not be hidden.

I imagine the Iraqi people will react with anger and shame. Many will blame the United States for bringing this on them, because they brought the war and these leaders and the destruction of the Iraqi society they knew. For many Americans, that will be hard to comprehend, especially since American soldiers carried these boys in their arms and saved their lives.

It is one more contradiction in the chaos of Iraq today, a society seeped in blood and betrayal as its people battle for survival and power. But even in the midst of so much human tragedy, the story of these boys stands apart — from the image of a dying boy covered in flies, to a small young man crouching in his crib with a newfound strength, sores healing and skin clean, his soft dark eyes watching the soldiers who saved him as they laugh and joke with the other boys.

A hand reaches out and softly, gently touches his crumpled legs. Almost without moving, he withdraws, just slightly. Not ready, it seems, not able to bear a human touch.

[cutgrs]

CBS News has become my favorite news broadcasting company because of this story. No other major news company has made this story public, but CBS has, & it needs to be made public. For once, an uplifting story has come out of Iraq that not only shows the true heroism of our troops, but also shows the innocence of some Iraqi citizens, specifically children. Rather you are against the war or not, this story goes to show that our troops are making a difference in parts of the country.

Good job, All Americans.

[kim3photos]

Thank you so much for doing this story. I have 2 special needs sons of my own and this story is breaking my heart but I want to learn more about these children. I hope and pray that someone with resources and power can do something to prevent further abuse happening to them. I applaud our soldiers who rescued them and gave them the much needed attention and hugs that they deserve.

[dukeudevil]

Brokenspurs, you have every right to be exceptionally proud of your son. He did good.

Tessab1, how can one not cry? I cry each time I read something new about this story.

As an American, I take no pride in knowing my country started this war. Might things have been different for these boys had it not? I do not know, but I do take great pride in the quick actions and shocked reactions of our soldiers who found these boys.

Ms. Logan, thank you for pursuing this story. I have seen a great deal of your reporting from Afghanistan and Iraq, and it is invariably superb.

May our American daughters grow up to be as brave as Ms. Logan and our sons as compassionate as these soldiers from the 82nd. And above all, may Iraq soon find peace.

[agreenpig]

"All that is necessary for the triumph of evil is that good men do nothing." Edmund Burke
So much of the history of the struggle between good and evil can be explained by Edmund Burke's observation. Time and again those who profess to be good seem to clearly outnumber those who are evil, yet those who are evil seem to prevail far too often. Seldom is it the numbers that determine the outcome, but whether those who claim to be good men are willing to stand up and fight for what they know to be right.

Too many citizens of the world do nothing. They are standing idly by, they are mere spectators. They sit on the sidelines instead of actively participating and working for the good. If good wins, they join in the celebration though they did nothing to produce the victory. If evil wins, they will complain long and loud, though their own apathy helped produce the undesirable result.

Do not allow evil to triumph. Do not do sit by and do nothing. Stand up and be counted, speak up against evil and speak out against evil men and their sinful deeds.

[twinkie1cat]

As a special educator of multihandicapped children much like many of these, I cried. For these are my babies. The little boy Lara mentioned wrapping around her, My little Greg did that too.

One thing we need to remember, though, is that conditions in American institutions for the disabled were not much better than this only about 35 years ago. Geraldo Rivera did an expose called Willowbrook. It lead to the deinstitutionalization movement and PL 94.142 which said that the states had to educate children with disabilities.

Even today handicapped people are denied adequate housing, education, employment opportunities and care. They are still cloistered in nursing homes and treated as less than human. America has come a long way, but until people with disabilities are truly welcomed in our schools and are taught only by REAL special ed teachers, and community groups stop fighting against group homes in their neighborhoods, we still have a long way to go.

[mphagemann]

Thank you for bringing this story to the attention of the American Public. It is sickening to think that there are people out there that could treat children in such a reprehensible manner. The people who are guilty of this extreme cruelty should be taken out and shot like rabid dogs.

Mary

[christine621]

Thank God for leading these soldiers to these poor young boys. My son is just finishing his AIT as an MP in the Army. Since he enlisted I have struggled with his decision to join. I read about things like this and I realize that he is needed...to make a difference.... Just as these fine soldiers did rescuing these children. I have to believe that God will use my one and only child to make a difference, just as these brave soldiers have done.

[ksdave58]

Ms Logan:

I have cerebral palsy and epilepsy. In this country, parents have starved kids with c.p. So I'm not shocked.

I am grateful, though, to the 82nd Airbourne for rescuing my little brothers. I call them that because I know what it's like to feel disabled and helpless and even abused and hated as a child for a very brief time.

Anyway, thank God for the men of the 82nd. I was anti-war because thank Vgod thoes guys were there.

[brokenspurs]

Thank you so much Lara Logan for this story. My son was part of this rescue and I am so proud of these guys. I am so proud to be his mom. I have always said that GOD puts us where he needs us and these children definately needed our guys to save them! God bless these guys!

[talatmukhtar]

As an Iraqi citizen, I can tell that no body knows about this horrific crime that just add one to the hundreds of crimes in Iraq, the US backed Iraqi government is standing helpless and hopeless in front of these challenges. the culprit in this case if would ve been known will go in impunity just the same as many previous.

[m2j8]

thank you for doing this story. thankyou for showing the courage and dedication of our troops. they all have such big hearts and are only trying to complete the mission that has been given to them. my son was also involved iin the rescue we are just so proud of him and his team. (the civil affairs team). just as middle551 we didn't know all the facts of the mission. he said only that they had rescued some children who were in a real bad way. and that hopefully they will get the care they need.we are so proud of all our men & women serving. may GOD put a blanket of protection over all of them.

[tessab1]

I am sitting at my desk and crying uncontrollably. The absolute hooror of this story is sickening. Thank you to the wonderful soldiers who did not ignore a boy on the ground. I'm sure that there were people nearby that must have known this was going on and ignored it. Shame on those. I can not wrap my brain around the fact that the Iraqi's will blame us. The food was there, the beds were there the Iraqi's were there. Find out who was responsible and punish them.period.

[evanttseven]

Ms. Logan, Excellent piece, THANK YOU! Kudos to those courageous soldiers, this was a call to grace and they responded with a tenderness and mercy that will touch all who hear of it and generate much good. Do a follow-up please!

[rugrats122]

I am disappointed that CBS News has not included the footage of Lara Logan's interview with the extremely good-looking soldier in the internet video for this story. This footage was shown on the TV broadcast.

Tricia

[bradblauser]

Ms. Logan:

If there were any disabled boys in the group, I'm here in Iraq and offer free high quality pediatric rugged terrain wheelchairs for disabled children.

Could you contact me regarding whether or not any of these boys would benefit from such a gift? I could deliver it to them personally with the escort of this Civilian Afffairs team.

[e-mail]

[lilpappy45]

Ms. Logan
I am a retired soldier and watch CBS news every night. I see the bad that has been caused by this War (mind yiou I don't disagree with it) but for someone like yourself (a highly respected news reporter) to bring us a story of such caliber and finally showing how our troops are doing some good is amazing. The American public needs to see more good then bad, and this capped it off. Thank you for your hard work and dedication not only to the way you bring us the news but the way you handle yourself with our soldiers.

[middle551]

Ms. Logan,

I don't know if you read your notebook blog, but I wanted to thank you for your report. My son was on the QRF that went with CPT Morales to the orphanage. He won't talk about what he saw other than to say that it was the worst thing he has ever seen. Your notebook entry and story last night has given us details of which we were unaware. Thank you for your reporting and I hope AP and Reuters picks this up.

[marizahofer]

:,( Thoose people over there are primitive, how come to do something like that with thoose children..... :(... American people are not could like that! soldiers still have family and heart... i'm so desapointed to some human beings, thoose primitive people don't deserve the earth where they're steping, nor the air wich they breath :'(....

[mom2three2]

I hope you are not implying it is US fault that the scumbags mistreated these poor little ones?
The responsibility for this horror lies with the ones who committed it!

[fredhetz]

I fully admit that I haven't read this blog en toto yet but I'm astonished that this was going on in a city that is supposedly under US and allied forces control. How was this not discovered earlier?