Iraqis Vow Revenge As Hatred Of US Grows

The Telegraph (UK) ^ | 5-2-2003 | Alan Philps

[blam]

Iraqis vow revenge as hatred of US grows

By Alan Philps in Falluja
(Filed: 02/05/2003)

Hatred of the Americans is boiling on the streets of Falluja, where Iraqis lobbed grenades into the US military compound yesterday, wounding seven and damaging vehicles.

All over the town were banners calling on the Americans to go, while local people shook their fists at foreigners, vowing to take revenge.

Outside the mayor's office, which is next to the American compound, staff had hung an uncompromising banner: "Sooner or later, US killers, we will kick you out."

According to the mayor, Taha Bedeiwi, who is recognised by the US forces, 20 people have been shot dead by the Americans so far - 16 in a late-night incident on Monday and four more when a US convoy clashed with stone-throwing demonstrators on Wednesday.

The Americans insist that gunmen among the demonstrators fired first both times. Iraqis support this in the first incident but all the evidence for Wednesday's shooting is that it came in response only to some stone throwing. Witnesses said that the gunner of a Humvee fired his machinegun at the crowd, while ducking down inside the vehicle.

The Americans now find themselves in a blood feud with much of the city, which under Islamic law can be ended only by the payment of compensation.

"We demand compensation from the Americans, but we also demand our town back," said Sheikh Khalaf Abed el-Shebib, leader of one of the 35 clans that make up the town.

Searching for the ugliest comparison he could find, he said: "Even in Israel they do not shoot children in such numbers when they throw stones in a demonstration."

After appeals from the US military, the tribal and religious leaders ordered a break from demonstrations yesterday, but the town was braced for more trouble after Friday prayers today.

The town has offered peace with the Americans if they pull out of the centre and set up a post at the railway station from where they can mount patrols.

But the crisis seems beyond such a simple solution, now that religious and social passions have been inflamed.

The soldiers, in their helmets, body armour and gadgetry slung from neck, belt and thigh, look like warriors from a video game. Unlike the British troops in Basra, they have made no attempt to establish eye contact with the local people or talk to anyone except the mayor and his officials.

The 82nd Airborne - one of the toughest elements in the US military - is ill-equipped to control crowds. The soldiers have no tear gas, and to disperse the first demonstration outside a school they were occupying they fired smoke grenades - a dangerous weapon in a country where everyone knows that the Saddam regime used poison gas.

The 82nd Airborne is now moving out, to be replaced by other units.

It is a deeply confusing situation and nowhere is the split personality of the Iraqis after the fall of Saddam more visible than in the mayor's office.

During a news conference the mayor admitted that there were "bad elements" in the crowds, a phrase his interpreter chose to translate as "patriots". After the mayor had finished speaking, an aide emerged to tell journalists to ignore everything the interpreter had said.

The mayor is a mystery to the Americans. He was chosen by the local tribal and religious leaders after the fall of the Saddam regime, claiming he had been persecuted and driven into exile.

However, local people say that he is a rich man who spent five months in the United Arab Emirates, not a political exile. Getting to the bottom of this will be a learning experience for the Americans.

A British officer commented: "They rely too much on technology and hide behind their defences. They have to get out and meet the people and really find out what is going on."

[Mr. Mojo]

I didn't say I wanted to mow down entire crowds of protestors; just the grenade lobbers, in full view of the crowds.

But I agree with you; I think we've taken the right approach thusfar. ...A (semi) perfect balance.

[Jorge]

This is the current mantra of the liberal press. They'll insist that there was an alternative to combat action, that the country hates the U.S.A., children have no food, people had "jobs" under Saddam, Yada yada. However each liberal pinko must be engaged in this battle over the truth. So far our side is gaining ground and the liberal commie community has not made anything stick.

When things settle down and the majority of Iraqis who want freedom work with the US to establish a representative Govt...the liberals who were upset that we won the war, and are hoping we will "lose the peace" will be proven wrong once again.

The great majority of Iraqis are grateful to Bush and the allies for overthrowing Saddam...and are excited about the prospect of a free Iraq.

[snooker]

Pull the troops out, send in the snipers and SOF. Eliminate the trouble makers, put the troops back.

Problem solved.

These Baathists are hiding under the women skirts. Need to be killed or taken prisoner.

Makes you wonder what is in the village that is so important.

snooker

[Travis McGee]

Pull out at midnight, drop a series of daisy cutters at 0100.

[Travis McGee]

Makes you wonder what is in the village that is so important.

Me too.

[pierrem15]

Or whom?

[Travis McGee]

Exactamundo.

[Irish Eyes]

Bump

[timestax]

Sooner or later, US killers, we will kick you out."

Ha! We don't want to stay in your God -forsaken desert dump, or should I have said Allah -forsaken desert dump! All you lazy people want to do is go down to the Market Place and compare your rocket propelled grenade launchers.

[timestax]

ping