[KriegerGeist]

This was a complete 180 degrees from what the Fedayeen did to them. I think this commander and his troops showing the Iraqis respect and for their holy shrine did more to cement our "goodwill" towards the Iraqi citizens than any food or water ever can. Too bad Al Jazeera won't show the Arabs of the world this side of us.

[byrdy]

They will likely do a spin job, showing it as a successful civilian resistance to the 'great satan" army.

[bvw]

I suspect the reality is 180 degrees from that opinion. This was a bad way to defuze. May produce some bad stuff in future.

[Saundra Duffy]

I think this commander and his troops showing the Iraqis respect and for their holy shrine did more to cement our "goodwill" towards the Iraqi citizens than any food or water ever can. Too bad Al Jazeera won't show the Arabs of the world this side of us.

Right on.

[bvw]

After consideration I humbly withdraw my prior comment on your comment.

[willyboyishere]

You're 100% right---I saw footage of this incident and the soldiers looked baffled, and the entire situation looked like it wouldn't take much for it to get totally out of hand. The soldiers started stepping backwards, "retreating", in confusion, but none of them let their emotions get the better of them. To learn now that their commander had them prostrate themselves out of respect has an odd kind of beauty, and a shrewdness of anticipated effect that is
extraordinarily restrained and mature. "A small price to pay...." as the saying has it.