One mother is taking a stand against the war in Iraq as her son is laid to rest. Friends, family and other military stood somberly and watched, some though tears, as Army Specialist Omar Albrak was brought home to MCAS Miramar on Friday. Albrak was killed in a motor vehicle accident in Iraq on May 9, just days before his 21st birthday.
Susan Atooli allowed cameras to be present when her son's casket was flown home. News media don't normally have access to such an event, however, a recent military policy change allowed the media to be present with the family's permission.
His mother is using his death to call attention to the toll the war is taking on families. Atooli said she wanted to show people the agonizing cost of war.
"Our lives are so detached from this war," Atooli told the Union Tribune. "We should care. These are our children coming back in these coffins."
Atooli also told the paper that she is not upset with the military, but the politicians who started this war. She's proud of what it does and she's proud of her son's service.
"If every politician, every president out there had to send one of their children out to die they wouldn't be apt to starting a war," said Atooli. "They would try to settle their differences a lot more diplomatically."
The private burial for Army Specialist Omar Albrak will be at Fort Rosecrans National Cemetery Monday afternoon.
