Iraqi civilians feed hungry US marines

AFP/Yahoo ^ | 3-29-03

[baylorbaylor]

Iraqi civilians fleeing heavy fighting have stunned and delighted hungry US marines in central Iraq by giving them food, as guerrilla attacks continue to disrupt coalition supply lines to the rear.

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CENTRAL IRAQ (AFP) - Iraqi civilians fleeing heavy fighting have stunned and delighted hungry US marines in central Iraq by giving them food, as guerrilla attacks continue to disrupt coalition supply lines to the rear.

Sergeant Kenneth Wilson said Arabic-speaking US troops made contact with two busloads of Iraqis fleeing south along Route Seven towards Rafit, one of the first friendly meetings with local people for the marines around here.

"They had slaughtered lambs and chickens and boiled eggs and potatoes for their journey out of the frontlines," Wilson said.

At one camp, the buses stopped and women passed out food to the troops, who have had to ration their army-issue packets of ready-to-eat meals due to disruptions to supply lines by fierce fighting further south.

Civilians have remained largely out of sight since the invasion began 10 days ago. Towns and villages are virtually deserted, prompting speculation that most had shifted to safer ground before the fighting began.

Corpsman Tony Garcia said the food donation was an act of appreciation for the American effort to topple the brutal regime of Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein.

"They gave us eggs and potatoes to feed our marines and corpsmen. I feel the local population are grateful and they want to see an end to Saddam Hussein," he said.

"It was a lovely, beautiful gesture."

Khairi Ilrekibi, 35, a passenger on one of the buses, which broke down near the marine position, said he could speak for the 20 others on board.

In broken English he told a correspondent travelling with the marines: "We like Americans," adding that no one liked Saddam Hussein because "he was not kind."

He said Iraqi civilians living near him were opposed to Saddam Hussein and that most were hiding in their homes and were extremely tired.

Lance Corporal David Polikowsky stood guard over 70 POWS near the broken down bus, saying how grateful he was for food cooked and donated by locals, which included oranges.

Looking on warily at the POWS he was guarding, who included two Jordanians, as well as an Iraqi colonel, captain, major and second lieutenant from special forces and the regular army, he said he had been moved by comments from local civilians.

He said they told him: "We welcome you. What is your name? We will pray for you."

He said another group of POWS, largely conscripts, had been moved south.

"They told me they wanted to go to America after the war. I said where. They said California. I said why? They said the song Hotel California and they left singing Hotel California."

Soldiers with this marine division -- on the east of a two-pronged thrust toward Baghdad -- have seen some of the fiercest fighting of the war so far.

They battled their way through heavy fire at Nasiriyah, Sharat and Rafit before pausing to resupply within 250 kilometres (180 miles) of Baghdad on Thursday.

Prisoners have been taken and pockets of displaced people carrying white flags have been seen along the way. Some have waved, others have asked the marines for cigarettes and water.

But US troops have been keeping a wary distance from civilians, mindful of reports that some Iraqi forces were mingling with civilians in order to drift through American lines and launch surprise attacks.

Ambushes and harassing fire along the massive communications lines to Kuwait in the south have caused casualties and disrupted supplies of water, food and fuel to the frontline troops.

Garcia and Wilson are attached to a Shock Trauma Platoon with the Marine Expeditionary Force and have treated about 20 civilians for war-related wounds in the past five days.

As troops munched on their feast, one medic warned the food could have been deliberately contaminated.

He was quickly disregarded as the hungry marines forged ahead to make a fondue out of a donated tin of Australian processed cheese, but the potatoes were eaten before the cheese could melt.

"Man I never thought a boiled egg could taste so damn good," one burly marine observed.

[MonroeDNA]

"the most disturbing fact is the supply issue - how can this country, so rich, so powerful, allow our troops go hungry and thirsty in the front lines...the brasses and rumsfeld have a lot to answer...pentagon insists there is no supply shortage problem, tell this to the marine who thought bioled eggs taste so good!"

Welcome, newbie disruptor.

[gcruse]

First of all, our forces aren't going hungry.

Fox talked to soldiers who are having to make do on two MREs a day.
Try not to talk out your ass constantly.

[Mister Baredog]

"They told me they wanted to go to America after the war. I said where. They said California. I said why? They said the song Hotel California and they left singing Hotel California."

After they find out how hard many on the LEFT coast fought FOR Saddam, they may want to consider Texas.

[Mister Baredog]

run clips of Dasshole back and forth with those of the beret wearing Iraqi Disinformation Minister.

Yea and you can throw in Monica and Helen Thomas. What is it with demoncrats and berets, oh I amost forgot berets are FRENCH.

[Lady Jag]

I have a feeling Iraqis would to fine in California.

[anymouse]

Frankly, I'm sure Dubya wishes x42 had taken the sink. Some stains just don't come out, no matter how much Ajax and elbow grease you use. :)

[Double Tap]

Never heard of that. Are you sure you are not mistaking the anti-war protester in Moscow, Idaho that gave a pro-freedom activist a cup of hot chocolate that made him very sick?

[sweetliberty]

Eeeewwwwwwwwwwwww!!!!!!!

[ohioWfan]

Hellllooooooo, oh mr. I-have-no-sense-of-humor!

It was a joke. A little levity from the mother of a soldier. Get it?

[Eastbound]

Hannibal Lector was quoted on MSNBC just a minute ago by Michael Savage. Savage was asked what he thought of the French. Savage quipped, "I love the French. They taste like chicken,' attributing the quote to Hannibal.

[justshutupandtakeit]

Nice? Oh, you must mean the NICE implication that the US command has done something wrong. The NICE implication that the US is not kicking ass on schedule. Or maybe the NICE implication that we should believe the lying PoS in the networks who concoct this "hungry gi" crap.

It is crap through and through to cast aspersions on one of the most effective military movements in history. This is a blitzkreig of the most devastating type.

But you prefer to listen to the networks desparate to diminish Bush's accomplishment. Why is that?

[anymouse]

"They told me they wanted to go to America after the war. I said where. They said California. I said why? They said the song Hotel California and they left singing Hotel California."

Oh, oh. Leftist Don Henley is going to be mad about this. :)

[Starstruck]

The French taste more like frogs. Which strangely enough taste like chicken. Savage is right.

[ohioWfan]

We haven't heard from him, but we've heard from our Family Support Group that they're all doing fine.

We aren't exactly sure where they are, but don't think all their equipment has arrived yet, so they probably aren't in theater yet. BUT....we don't know.

I very much appreciate your prayers, lizbet. These are difficult days for a Mom (and Dad, and siblings!).

[JoeSchem]

If the Republicans don't run clips of that speech interspersed with shots of celebration in Iraq althoughout his re-election campaign next year, then they are a bunch of wussies.

George W. Bush didn't get through the Florida Election Flap by being a wussie.

[MHGinTN]

I had not realized you were so gullible. Interesting insight on you.

[gcruse]

Gullibly watching a live interview on the Fox News Channel?
If I can't believe anything coming out of there, then neither can you, which makes your blustering that much more offensive.

[MHGinTN]

But see we have certain political type lifer Generals who had to make this the fastest this or that for brownie points, just to have them waiting and wanting in the desert for their trains to catch up. Uh, when the enemy gives up 200+ miles of strategic territory to our forces, you take it and hold it, then move onward. Securing the supply lines is a far different operation in today's theater due to total air superiority and command of the skies. Your armchair quipping is vacuous.

[AAABEST]

OK now I get it, thanks for telling me.

[AAABEST]

Your armchair quipping is vacuous.

Your cranium is "vacuous".