Misplaced sympathy

There is a serious need in the United States and in the West in general of a sea change in public consciousness about this whole Iraq debacle. Of course, I'm referring to the US primarily...I am sick of anti-war and pro-war voices alike taking a tone that prioritizes US interests above all others in references to Iraq.

It seems to be that even criticisms of this disgusting, genocidal and illegal war tend to take a tone that laments what such a debacle means for America and Americans. As of now, I couldn't care less - from my standpoint I know for a fact that, no matter what, American people will always be better off than Iraqi people in suffering the repercussions of this thing.

Why is there not more of a sympathetic and concerned public conscience for the Iraqi people, for the 1 million dead (violence + war-related deaths - see the Lancet study) and 4 million fled from the country, for the widowed wives, fatherless children, and traumatized public that suffers more and more each day that the violence continued? Why is it SUCH a stretch for the American public specifically and the West in general to be voice a serious concern for the disintegration of a society that resides in the birthplace of one of the oldest civilizations known to mankind? Why aren't news stories on Frace 24, or TV5 or Euronews or on any given network in the United States SHOWING the extent to which the bloodshed and violence has lead to malnutrition, widespread sickness, and rampant poverty. And why is there no coverage of the massive amount of refugees that are now poor, homeless, and displaced in surrounding countries?

It's a humanitarian crisis and it's high time that people begin to see it this way. Especially in the US, but more importantly also in the West, as these are the most influential voices of the international community and are crucial in turning the tide of international attention (not against the US - it happened long ago) to the crisis on the ground in Iraq. So much attention is given to military manoeuvres and how US politics handles the situation - why so little on how Iraqi civilians are handling the situation and how everyday life has been shattered?

I am ANGRY, OUTRAGED and UPSET by the extent to which public opinion shows such a lack of sympathy for those who are suffering the effects of this war, and on my own end my heart breaks everytime I think of what the war really means for the majority of people involved - the iraqi people.