Miracle Baby In Iraq

Young Survivor Captures The Hearts Of U.S. Troops

(CBS)  Her name is Fatima and the nurses caring for her guess she's about nine months old. No one knows for sure because both her parents are dead. In fact, it's a small miracle that Fatima herself isn't dead as well.

Nearly three weeks ago, she arrived at the U.S. hospital in the Green Zone emaciated and dangerously close to death. Lt. Hattie McDowell gave the underweight, weak little girl her first bath.

"When she first got here, she was so skinny. Her arms and legs were just bones, and we could see her ribs," she tells CBS News chief foreign correspondent Lara Logan.

Fatima's life was saved by her 7-year-old brother, who led Iraqi and U.S. soldiers to their home, where they discovered her mother and uncle had been shot at close range to the head. Fatima lay helpless and dying in the sweltering sun.

Lt. Eric Laflin of the 1st Infantry Division, who Logan managed to reach by phone at a combat outpost, described his horror at the scene.

"Personally, this is one of the hardest things I've seen," he said. "I've been in Iraq 12 months now. I've seen a lot of things, but this is one of the worst."

With constant love and attention from the hospital staff, Fatima has already put on three pounds and is doing much better, for now.

It's been nearly three weeks and no one has visited little Fatima except for the soldiers who rescued her. The hospital staff members know she can't stay here forever, and they're desperately worried about her future.

[alinmn]

I think people are forgetting that Iraq was controlled by terrorists and that murder, genocide, beatings and punishment was a way of life over there.
The current war on terror DID NOT "turn a wonderful way of life to a bad one", as people seem to be suggesting.
We just weren't there to pull babies out of the rubble and save them before the war. How many children died before the war? Have any of you seen the pictures of the Kurds laying murdered on the ground??????? Many, many children in those pictures.
The brother came to American and Iraq soldiers for help. He trusted them and knew he would get help from them.
I think maybe the media should show more of what is really going on over there - like huge humanitarian efforts by our own soldiers on their own time - like distributing all the items good Americans are sending over there !! I am in contact with some of them (including one working at the hosp where Fatima is being cared for) and see the pics of the Iraq people they are helping.
You guys want to help? Send some cloths, toys, food, etc to Iraq !! It's going to do more good than sitting around bad mouthing our President (our duly elected President)

[toldyouso21]

so don't tell me about America's "starving children". The Parents did it to them, not the American people. You "DO GOODERS" that never did any good make me sick.. I put my time and money where my heart 'and mouth' is...
Posted by ToolMangler at 06:32 PM : Aug 14, 2007

..and now...THE FLiP SIDE OF THIS gesture:
Uhmmm yeah--so tell us what Fatima's parents did to her to leave her orphaned? Were they just unfortunate enough to live in a country AMERICAN PEOPLE decided to invade and bomb based on lies? Were they negligent in getting pregnant in war time? There are lots of circumstances that lead to children being placed in homes or foster care and yes, I have taken care of children AND adults that were not my own.

The facts here is that as the root cause of Fatima's circumstance, it is the ultimate perversion and tragedy that we dare to offer anything. Our hands are bloodied, psychologically, there is something perverted for any child or person to have to be grateful to the cause/country of their misery and destruction of their people.

[toldyouso21]

by annia1233 at 02:17 AM : Aug 14, 2007

While you are having an "Awwww Gee" moment, think on this: In ancient wars...part of warfare was to steal the children of the enemy to raise either as slaves or to 'adopt' and raise as members of the other tribe or group. The idea was to destroy the racial/ethnic identity of the conquered people. It was considered the ultimate and final atrocity in 'raping' a people. Real raping of young girls and women often nets the same results and has been done in Serbia, Sudan and elesewhere. (AND STILL GOES ON) In the aftermath, there are lots of kids for the "caompassionate conquerors" to take in and suckle and try to cloak the horror of what they wrought in supposedly a 'good deed'

There is great shame here. Fatima's story is our shame. She might have had parents and a family if we did not start this war---and some people's reponse: "Oh, how sweet, when can we adopt those cute little babies" How demented. No American should be allowed near any Iraqi kid--no matter what we think you can offer--becaue we will always be the reason behind why they do not have their own family and lives in their own country. Adopt one of the many kids in our own country--as the invaders, bombers and war starters in Iraq--we deserve NONE of theirs.

The more things change....the more they stay the same. Hope Fatima can find someone of the same ethnicity and culture from the same region to take her in--she should NOT be American war booty.

[toldyouso21]

You are so far off the mark it isn't funny at all, we have gone out of our way and taken severe losses ourselves just to avoid killing Iraq children and their parients. Posted by obiwan234 at 01:18 PM : Aug 14, 2007


Yep. Just think how many more 'babies, children and Iraqi people would be alive today, if we had gone out of our way and not started this war and carnage based on lies. Now...SPIN THAT, you little fvcker.

[bareemperor]

With Bu$h, the Iraqi government and the US Congress all on on vacation, the troops need something to keep them in the news...

[toolmangler-2009]

Posted by krenz4 at 01:03 PM : Aug 14, 2007


This was not an attack on you per se'. but an open condemnation of rhetoric without substance.

[toolmangler-2009]

Can just ask why it Americans are so anxious to adopt anything but American kids?

Posted by krenz4 at 01:03 PM : Aug 14, 2007

America has a way to take care of 'any' baby that has been abandoned or orphaned. All this "***" about Babies found in trash cans and such has "NOTHING" to do with the available help for these children. If the "STUPID" mothers (black, white, Hispanic or otherwise would bring their children to the Hospitals and leave them there, 'they' would be helped. The Babies from war or starvation zones that do not live in America need the people to 'go' find them and help them since their 'own' country does not care for them. I raised two of my own and 12 foster children (and Adopted one of them myself) so don't tell me about America's "starving children". The Parents did it to them, not the American people. You "DO GOODERS" that never did any good make me sick.. I put my time and money where my heart 'and mouth' is...

[j-whitman]

Dennis Hastert is leaving now,, Who's next from the GOP ???

[clarkssuppor]

What a wonderful name, "Fatima". May Our Lady watch out for her and pray for her.

[j-whitman]

obiwan234,,,,, Listen closely to Defense Secretary Gates --- He wants American troop withdrawal.

[j-whitman]

gslinger3,,,
, In medicine the solution is either preventive medicine or cutting out the problem or treating it with drugs --- BUSH DYSFUNCTINAL SYDROME is a cancer on our country --- Eliminate the problem by surgically removing the cause of the syndrom ----- Eliminate Bush

[obiwan234]

"What a joke; we slaughter hundreds of thousands of Iraqi children."

You are so far off the mark it isn't funny at all, we have gone out of our way and taken severe losses ourselves just to avoid killing Iraq children and their parients. This just shows again the hatred of our American soldiers, frankly you don't deserve to call yourselves Americans. Suck on THIS!

[tcoleman12]

I am waiting for the Murtha camp to issue statements about how our soldiers shot up the house, killed the parents, then waited weeks to come back and save the baby for the PR.

I don't think it is beneath him, or any of them for that matter.

[agnim]

What a joke; we slaughter hundreds of thousands of Iraqi children, and then go ape over one who is luck to survive our onslaught?

How freaking diabolical and macabre!
This nation has finally lost its sick soul.

[gslinger3]

WARNING! WARNING! YOU ARE IN DANGER OF BEING EXPOSED TO BUSH DYSFUNCTINAL SYDROME. PLEASE EXERCISE EXTREME CAUTION WHEN POSTING IN THIS COMMENT SECTION LEST YOU BE EXPOSED TO THIS HIDEOUS AND DREADFUL AFFLICTION!

[krenz4]

Can just ask why it Americans are so anxious to adopt anything but American kids? There are literally thousands of unwanted babies and children right here in our own country that deserve love and attention and a family too. Why must Americans spend hundreds of thousands of their own money, traveling the world to find a child to love when our own lost and unwanted babies are being ignored. Maybe if they put the sad stories of these babies found in the garbage in America in the news, Americans hearts would break for them and they would give all the American 'Fatimas" a home.

[obiwan234]

Just have to bring a little joy where ever I go and some time that means telling the truth. It doesn't matter if you like the way I say it or not.

This baby could be the one child that one day saves Iraq. BTW it was her brother and American soldiers who went to get her at the risk of their lives. What have you done in Iraq lately to bring a little light?

Blaming President Bush for what we are doing in the world today reminds me what we should have been doing for the previous 8 years under Presidient [I'll bomb an asprin factory] Clinton, he did nothing, evert time we were attacked, he was playing "hide the cigar: with an intern. Gotta love the guy though.

[sy2502]

This little girl was saved for a reason
Posted by ozone-baby at 11:57 AM : Aug 14, 2007

Right, so by the same logic, the other thousands of babies that have died, then, have died for a reason too. Would you like to share with us what that might be?
The truth is that little girl was extremely lucky. Good for her, I hope she is adopted by a loving and caring family and has a long and happy life.

[susieq_13]

Amen to what you said ozone- baby. I couldn't have said it better myself.

[ozone-baby]

whomever saves just one life, saves the world entire.

This little girl was saved for a reason, maybe to bring hope to so many others, or maybe for a greater reason. Whichever it is, may she be blessed by those around her and may she in return bless.
And to the soldiers who saved her, You are truely what America stands for. Helping the innocent and defensless. God Bless you and Bring you home safe.