Posted on 12/15/2003 5:51:26 AM PST by Brilliant
BAGHDAD (Reuters) - Joy at the capture of Saddam Hussein gave way to resentment toward Washington Monday as Iraqis confronted afresh the bloodshed, shortages and soaring prices of life under U.S. occupation.
The morning after Iraq's U.S. governor revealed the ousted strongman was a disheveled prisoner, Iraqis flooded the streets to snatch up newspapers emblazoned with photos of the man who ruled them by fear, now humbled and captive.
Many were ecstatic to see Saddam captured and hoped he would answer for his deeds but said they would not rush to thank America -- in their eyes the source of their problems since a U.S.-led coalition toppled Saddam in April.
"I hope that we get the chance to try him our way, to let everyone who suffered make him taste what he had made us taste," said Ali Hussein, 29, a stationery shop owner who said he was still dizzy with joy.
"But whether he's in a hole or in jail, it does nothing for me today, it won't feed me or protect me or send my children to school," he said.
Even as news of Saddam's capture sank in, car bombs ripped through two police stations in the capital, the latest in a series of attacks U.S. forces blame on loyalists of Saddam and on foreign "terrorists" infiltrating Iraq.
President Bush warned that catching Saddam would not end attacks by people who do not "accept the rise of liberty in the heart of the Middle East," implying a pledge of a better life many Iraqis said Bush was failing to keep.
"It's great that he's caught, but it wasn't him who screwed up the petrol and the electricity and everything else so badly, so now a canister of gas that was 250 dinars costs 4,000, if you can get one," said Ghazi, a 52-year-old dentist, from his car as he queued with hundreds of other drivers waiting for petrol.
"This is an oil country and it should be rich. It should not be Afghanistan."
Other drivers echoed the complaints of chronic fuel shortages in a country with the world's second-largest oil reserves, as well as of their treatment at the hands of troops who have killed civilians while hunting suspected Saddam partisans or pursuing criminals with Iraqi police.
"The Americans promised freedom and prosperity; what's this? Go up to their headquarters, at one of those checkpoints where they point their guns at you, and tell them that you hate them as much as Saddam, and see what they do to you," said Mohammad Saleh, 39, a building contractor.
"The only difference is that Saddam would kill you in private, where the Americans will kill you in public," he said.
"A lot of things -- safety, freedom, prosperity -- that we were supposed to have are gone. They promised many things, and now that they have caught Saddam maybe they kept one."
"the capture of Saddam Hussein, while a positive note in the Iraq war, does not change the fact that this war was little more than an expensive distraction from the real war on terror, hiding the fact that Osama bin Laden, who attacked the US on 9/11, is still at large."
Many people value the brutal certainty of a dictatorship over the relative uncertainty of personal liberty.
Yes and most live in Berkeley California.
Such transparent attempts to put a bad face on a very positive event only serves to expose their agenda.
BAGHDAD (Bonkers) - Iraqi anger and resentment at Washington quickly faded into joy after the arrest of Saddam Hussein, as news spread that the bloodshed, shortages and soaring prices of life under U.S. occupation had, in fact, not existed since May.
"It was all in the news", said Ali Hussein, 29, a stationery shop owner who said he was still dizzy with joy.
"Every day we read the paper, the articles from Reuters," said Ali, "and all we read about is death, failure and shortages. But look around you. No fighting. There are no shortages. Shops are full of food. Our children are back in school. All of the bad news was a lie, a terrible lie."
"Also what is this quagmire?" continued Ali. "I keep reading about quagmire. Is this good? Please ask Reuters man where is my quagmire he promised us!".
Reuters correspondent Joseph Logan could not be reached for comment.
Are these freeking people not the essence of born democRATS? What the left might give to get these folks over here as new voters.
What a joke.
Note the "quotes" around "terrorists" -- as if they're not *really* terrorists, but the U.S. calls them that. Sheesh.
And these people claim "Citizenship" in Earth's greatest nation ever? This is far, far beyond shame!!!
No, Omar, you are doing that yourselves.2030 Saddam Hussein has been captured.
They are convinced their own nation is GUILTY!!!
They're not sure WHAT it's guilty of... BUT IT'S GOT TO BE SOMETHING!!!
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.