Once hostile Iraqis turn hospitable

STLtoday.com ^ | 4-23-04 | Ron Harris

[FairWitness]

HUSAYBAH, Iraq - As Marines commemorated the lives of five of their fallen comrades Thursday, some say that they may have turned a corner in their relationship with residents of the troublesome city of Husaybah.

Marines say formerly truculent residents have begun waving and greeting them cordially, just days after some of the fiercest fighting and after Marines conducted harsh door-to-door searches of homes.

[FairWitness]

"One thing that I do know is that the Iraqi people respond to who they think is the strongest," said Neal, 29, of San Francisco. "They saw the velvet glove when we first came in, and then we took off the glove and showed them the iron fist."

Works for me!

[AlbertWang]

Once we have convinced folks that there is a new Sheriff in town named G W Bush, things will change. You can not kick Uncle Sam around anymore.


I Thank God that Algore is unemployed. W has saved more lives, both foreign and domestic, than we will ever know.

[rface]

glad to see something like this written for the record. I hope there is more than just a a kernel of truth here.

[FairWitness]

I hope there is more than just a a kernel of truth here.

The story caught my eye as being relatively good news, compared to the bulk of stories coming out of Iraq. We need to hear more of this kind of news to counter the "Vietnam/quagmire" stories.

[Doug Loss]

It's always important to remember the old saying: "The Arabs are either at you feet or at your throat."

[Doug Loss]

(Well Churchill said it about the Germans, but it still applies...)

[ellery]

Great article. I think the real explanation here is that people who would have been friendly before were too scared to show support for us -- because they didn't know whether we were going to stick around. The enemies we're fighting are the enemies of most Iraqis -- and I think most Iraqis know it.

[sheik yerbouty]

Absolutely.

[FairWitness]

I think the real explanation here is that people who would have been friendly before were too scared to show support for us -- because they didn't know whether we were going to stick around.

Makes sense to me.

[I_dmc]

From what I've been hearing, it goes like this: 1. Remove/kil bad guys. 2. Natives can afford to be friendly again.