Baghdad Ready To Take Up Arms

Washington Post ^ | March 18, 2003 | Anthony Shadid

[Stavka2]

BAGHDAD, March 17 -- With a crash, Nahad Shukur slammed down a plastic bag stuffed with rounds for an AK-47 assault rifle on the display case of his gun shop. There are 50 in here, he said, but more are available if you need them.

Shukur pointed to a row of eight bags behind the counter and ticked off the offerings: 100 rounds in this plastic bag and 200 in that one. In the rainbow-colored bag were 500 rounds and in the other one, 1,000. He paused, then, with a knowing glance, waved a visitor to a back room.

[stuartcr]

I thought they wanted to be liberated by foreign military personnel?

[Chummy]

Tick

Tock

 

You might want to step up your pace a little there, Sparky. Think laying down your life for Saddam and his Boys is worth more than laying down your arms for your family?

[Stavka2]

Yeah, just sheep waiting to be freed, to blow away anyone they don't like or have a vendieta...hope the US troops know local customs because these buggers have trigger fingers. Worst case will come if they get it into their heads that its a macho and ego building thing to get a yankee...then the real problems start. This on top of all the clan and ethnic/religious rivelries....last 3 times the US CIA did regime change (as a matter of fact, putting the Baath (?sp) party in power and then replacing its leadership several times till they got Saddam) it was followed by mass bloodlettings and executions.

[Paul Atreides]

Baghdad Ready To Take Up Arms

Blasted off of human shields? What about the legs?

[gaucho]

I thought they wanted to be liberated by foreign military personnel?

I bet they are just worried of what will happen if the goverment collapses and anarchy rules the communities. They are buying weapons to protect themselves, not from coalition troops but from other Iraqi's. Especially in regard to the settleling of old feuds and from the Iraqi military.

[What Is Ain't]

At the moment they threaten coalition forces with their guns they are no longer civilians but armed combatants, thereby forfeiting their protected status.

[Stavka2]

So how do you tell the combatents, armed to the teeth, from the civilians, armed to the teeth, from the suicide bombers, while on patrol and trying to win hearts and minds?

[wretchard]

They are buying these weapons to protect themselves against looters. The 'we are buying it to fight America' is a good alibi to use in public.

[Snowy]

Misprint. I think it should read, "Baghdad Ready To Put Up Arms", as in surrender.

[DTA]

it's easy. Using the same ol' traditional "kill 'em all and let Allah sort them out'.

Only, it will take quite a skill to spin this to unsympathetic world public opinion.

Lies from Kosovo War will not pass. This is not even Afghanistan. America is playing on hostile media ground.

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[stuartcr]

I was trying to remember how many regime changes we have been part of, that actually worked out in our favor...not short term, but long term. I need my memory refreshed.