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They've expressed mixed feeling about the presence of US forces at times, questioning whether it things better or worse, though on the whole they've remained somewhat apolitical--just trying to lead as normal life as possible amidst the chaos of Baghdad.
As filming for the series was winding to a close, tragedy struck Ausama's family--US forces shot his uncle Ni'met while he was driving through central Baghdad on his way to the market. Ausama's family allowed Hometown Baghdad's crew to continue filming as they struggled to cope with the tragedy.
The heartbreaking seven-minute film that resulted possibly represents one of the most vivid and relevant documentations of the profoundly negative effect collateral damage can have on the US mission in Iraq.
The US Army and Marine Corps Counterinsurgency Manual recognizes the potential damage that can result from angering a population by using excessive force: "Killing every insurgent is normally impossible. Attempting to do so can also be counterproductive in some cases; it risks generating popular resentment, creating martyrs that motivate new recruits, and producing cycles of revenge."
Ausama's family, even with everything that has happened in the past four years of the occupation, had remained fairly positive attitude about what the US was trying to do in Iraq. But after the unnecessary shooting death of their beloved, everything they have endured becomes too much to bear.
As Ausama's mother says: "We used to like the American people. We used to believe they are good people. But by force, by military action, not the best will come....Maybe with Ni'met we can say that some mistake happens, but if it happens more than that, then I have to consider them my enemy."
Hometown Baghdad: "One of Thousands"
As he mentioned in this video, in an earlier episode Ausama started to become disillusioned after American forces raided his grandmother's house, blowing up the door so it couldn't be secured anymore, and causing extensive damage to the home and furnishings.
