[Imal]

'The generals were traitors and sold our country to the Americans for money. Otherwise we would have won,' said one former Iraqi soldier. He admitted, however, that he had thrown away his weapon and deserted when he heard that Baghdad had fallen.

Typical. They are great at talking smack, but when it's time to throw down, they run. The only fight they can win is against women and children, and even then they use them for human shields.

Call the Orkin Man.

[BenR2]

One accusation that surfaces regularly is that the Americans are stealing money during the searches, which occur almost daily in the city. In fact, what happens is that all large sums of cash that are found are seized for fear they will be used to buy guns.

/////////////
Can we really be this stupid?

Stealing poor people's hard-earned cash simply because they "might" use it to "buy guns."

We deserve to be thrown out of Iraq if use such iron-fisted methods. It will only serve to inspire sympathy with the guerilla resistance.

Catch the culprits and kill them; don't punish the general populace!

[ReaganCowboy]

The reporter got at least one major fact wrong: the 124th Infantry (Army National Guard) comes from Florida, not Puerto Rico.

Makes me wonder what else he got wrong...

[Prodigal Son]

A makeshift sign - 'Mortars. High Angle Hell. Demons of Destruction' - leans against a carved pillar.

11 Charlie bump.

[McGavin999]

One accusation that surfaces regularly is that the Americans are stealing money during the searches, which occur almost daily in the city. In fact, what happens is that all large sums of cash that are found are seized for fear they will be used to buy guns.

They can easily get past this by giving a receipt to the "mayor" of the town. The receipt will tell them that the money will be deposited in an account for the use of the town community projects. That will do two things. Stop the rumors of theft, and make the town more willing to turn these bad guys in since it will benefit them directly.

[SuziQ]

But in the past two months [the Americans] have destroyed us,' said Mohammed Ahmed, 40, who is unemployed.

Did this reporter ask what this man did when Sadaam WAS still in power? Is this man a Fedayeen Sadaam, or a member of the Baath party? There are so many quotes from people like this who are eager to put the Americans down, but they never give any background on any of them. Until they do, I'm suspicious of anyone who is talking to reporters.