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| Centre of attraction ... gun-toting Sharon seen yesterday in Safwan |
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One in kisser for SaddamFrom NICK PARKER
in Southern Iraq THE British Army unleashed its secret weapon in the battle to win over the Iraqi people yesterday — a blonde squaddie called Sharon. Corporal Sharon Astor joined one of the first British patrols to take off their helmets in the town of Safwan. And her stunning looks and sunny smile won her an army of admirers. Sharon, 25, from the Wirral, Cheshire, said: “I can’t believe the reception I’ve had — it must be my long blonde hair. “The kids and some of their dads have been queuing up to give me a kiss — it’s totally unexpected.” She was the centre of attention as she handed out water, sweets and biscuits to children in the rundown town near the Kuwaiti border. She even allowed the smiling kids to try on her camouflaged desert helmet in return for a peck on the cheek. A crowd of 100 gathered around her Land Rover and she struggled to make an exit as watchful colleagues scanned the dangerous streets for snipers. Sharon, who is married to military intelligence corporal Alex Astor, 25, said: “It’s nice to get my helmet off and show the locals that we’re human. “It’s a risk I’m prepared to take. It’s important for us to be as outgoing and friendly as possible to reassure locals. “Safwan might still be a dangerous place but we have to balance the risks with what we’re trying to achieve. “The place still has its problems — the people seem desperate for water — but we have to let them know that we’re trying to put things right.” Sharon, who is with the Adjutant Generals Corps, was with troops from the Duke of Wellington’s Regiment and the Queen’s Lancashire Regiment. But while the corporal brought a smile to the faces of the townspeople, troops still have a mountain to climb to win vital trust. There has been no water or power in Safwan since the start of the war and British officers fear local support will crumble unless supplies are restored.
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| Mobbed ... Sharon is surrounded by Iraqis |
Safwan is now relying on daily supplies of water from British forces. But there are already reports of local people having to buy water at inflated prices in a cruel black market run by remnants of Saddam’s loyal factions. Children in the sand-blown town cry out the only English word they know when British troops appear: “Water!” Their thirst is made worse by temperatures nearing 90°F and forecasts of a 110°F heatwave by the weekend. One local man said: “We have had no water or power since the British came. When Saddam was in charge our children were not thirsty. “We are proud and it is hard to see our young people begging for water. Something has to be done to help us.” Captain Dan Pawson, 25, of the Duke of Wellington’s Regiment, said: “We’re doing our best to win over the people here — it’s one of the things that the Brits are particularly good at. “But having seen the situation first hand, I can appreciate that our position will improve a thousandfold once we get the water and power back on. “It’s still a dangerous place and we are having to stay vigilant. It may be a long haul to win everyone over — but if anyone can do it, we can.” Meanwhile, north-west of Safwan in Al Zubayr, British troops found thousands of boxes of medical supplies hidden by Saddam’s regime. The tyrant claimed for years that sick children were dying in hospitals from a lack of medicines because of tough UN sanctions against Iraq. But yesterday soldiers of the 1st Battalion Black Watch exposed his lies after raiding a Ba’ath Party HQ. They found enough medicine for 10,000 kids, including vital antibiotics and pneumonia and tapeworm treatments, in a locked storeroom. The supplies have now been handed to Army doctors to treat local patients properly for the first time in months. |