Ordinary Iraqi families getting ready to fight They're stockpiling weapons, food and fuel

San Francisco Chronicle ^ | Wednesday, March 15, 2006 | Charles Levinson

[hawkiye]

Baghdad -- Om Hussein, wrapped in her black abaya, lists the contents of the family's walk-in storage closet: three 175-pound cases of rice, two 33-pound cases of cooking fat, six cases of canned tomatoes, three crates of assorted legumes, a one-month supply of drinking water, frozen chicken livers in the freezer. And in the garage, jerry cans filled with fuel are piled floor to ceiling.

Om Hussein, who was reluctant to give her full name, and her Shiite family are preparing for war. They've stocked up on food. They bought a Kalashnikov rifle and a second car -- so that there is space for all 13 members of their extended family should they need to flee in a hurry.

"We are afraid of what will happen in the coming days," she says. "Maybe there will be a monthlong curfew, or maybe fighting in the streets will force my family to stay in the house for days at a time."

In the past week, President Bush has tried to assure Americans that Iraq has stepped back from the brink of civil war. "Iraqis have shown the world they want a future of freedom and peace," he told the Foundation for Defense of Democracies on Monday.

Few Iraqis, however, share Bush's view that the crisis has been averted. They are readying themselves for the worst, fleeing likely flash points, stockpiling weapons and basic foodstuffs, barricading their neighborhoods, and drawing lines in the sand delineating Sunni and Shiite territory.

[StarCMC]

Oh!! You picked your name when you were in Kindergarten?? What was that? 3 years ago??

[Allegra]

Oh yeah, you know all about every corner of Iraq from your comfortable location in "beautiful, downtown Baghdad." Give me a break. *rolls eyes*

I clearly know a lot more about it than you do. And I've been quite a few more places than Baghdad. I've been in country quite a while, Skippy.

Get over it. You made an a$$ of yourself. Don't try to cover it with snide remarks. We can all see right through you.

And you're pretty amusing. ;-)

[txhurl]

Lookit this lejes character.

[StarCMC]

Yeesh!

[Allegra]

You still don't have a clue what you are talking about troll. Who are you? Dan Rather?

LOL! That's what I was thinking. Some embittered MSM creep or a DU troll.

He sounds like a cross between a DUer and a French person.

[Poser]

It's time for the Iraqis to do their own fighting.

[eyespysomething]

Peach and I argued with lejes rimus the other day on a thread where it stated there never were any ties between Al-Qaida and the secular Iraqi Hussein regime until we went in and made poor wittle Saddam leave office.

[MikefromOhio]

You're so desperate to portray this entire misadventure as a success that you're willing to do anything to overlook the obvious. Tell the mullahs I said "Hi" when Iran inherits Iraq.

Just admit that you are too chickenshit to go over to Iraq yourself and get off of this thread troll....

[Allegra]

"Attack in Samarra kills innocent Children and cats"

LOL!

And camel spiders! Please!

[Old Sarge]

All right. I am in Ramadi. You want to berate people on this thread? Talk to me.

All I see from you is hatred of the war and those who are serving in it, soldiers and contractors alike.

[InterceptPoint]

Consider the source:

The San Francisco Chronicle would consider a civil war in Iraq as a dream come true.

[bnelson44]

Are camel spiders out this time of year?

[Allegra]

It's time for the Iraqis to do their own fighting.

There are lots of Iraqi forces participating in Operation Swarm right now.

They are not ready to do it on their own yet, but they are progressing very well. Remember, this was an army who had their asses handed to them twice by the U.S. It's going to take patience.

It is not time to pull out yet, Mr. Murtha.

[Allegra]

Are camel spiders out this time of year?

Haven't seen any yet. And I'm in the city now. I hope I don't.

I used to see plenty of the horrid things when I was on the desert in Taji in '04.

[StarCMC]

Lejes Rimul (Demon): A power-hungry demon. Sly, manipulative, and unapologetically evil, Lejes wants the power of the runes in order to rule the world. Lejes hits hard and has strong attack magic, but is quite weak defensively.

Gamer. And an obnoxious one at that. I'm thinking his name fits -- agressive, but with no good defense.

[Lejes Rimul]

Just admit that you are too chickenshit to go over to Iraq yourself and get off of this thread troll....

Boo-freaking hoo, I went to University to study Engineering and Math instead. Turning to personal attacks because you can't dispute the facts?

[Lejes Rimul]

Hey, you discovered Google. Congratulations.

[King Prout]

StarCMC, your link pulled up a post-a-reply box.
txflake, are you the troll i am here to slaughter with ridicule?

[Allegra]

You're so desperate to portray this entire misadventure as a success that you're willing to do anything to overlook the obvious. Tell the mullahs I said "Hi" when Iran inherits Iraq.

Mike said: "Just admit that you are too chickenshit to go over to Iraq yourself and get off of this thread troll...."

Mike's right. You just make an a$$ of yourself when you trash people who are doing something you're too scared to do. You've got to be French.

Hey, Sarge, I don't know about you, but I'm off to bed. You're up kind of late, eh? ;-) Take care and be safe, OK? And if you decide to stay up, I know you'll kick some troll butt.

[Old Sarge]

Memories....