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Leave Iraq, Tribesmen and Sacked Troops Tell U.S.
EFLThousands of sacked Iraqi soldiers threatened Monday to launch suicide attacks against U.S. troops as leaders of the country's squabbling tribes told the Americans they could face war if they did not leave soon. "All of us will become suicide bombers," said Khairi Jassim, a former warrant officer. "I will turn my six daughters into bombs to kill the Americans." How nice of you to think about your children's future. Paul Bremer, the U.S. civil administrator for Iraq, dissolved Saddam's armed forces, several security bodies and the defense ministry last month, firing 400,000 people. Many protesters said they could no longer feed their families. The bigshot Baathists have their Swiss Bank accounts and French passports. The underlings are hurting. The only skills they probably possess are mendacity, greed, and cruelty. Hmm, maybe we could ship them to the US and they could run for Congress! U.S. plans to appoint a political council of Iraqi leaders, rather than have it selected by a national conference as previously expected, also fueled anger among some Iraqis. The tribal chieftains, members of a council of clans they say represents 80 percent of Iraq's 26 million people, criticized the United States for failing to restore law and order and essential services to Iraqis after the war. Leaders of the heavily armed clans also disagreed with a recent U.S. decision to strip Iraqis of heavy weapons. What kind of clan leader would be seen in public without an 82mm mortar and a few RPGs? Americans are so culturally insensitive. "We thank the coalition for liberating Iraq... but are we occupied or liberated? I swear to God, if this is occupation, all our children, women and men, young and old, will die rather than accept occupation," Sheikh Fsal al-Kaoud told Horan. Just like they died fighting Saddam? Yawn. Enough bluster, buster. The first distribution of food rations since the war also drew complaints from Iraqis Monday. Many said they had expected much more food and were bitterly disappointed. "I was expecting more and better things. Where is all this aid they are talking about? I will still have to go out into the market and buy food so we don't go hungry," said Nuralhuda Mohammed, heaving a sack of 21 kg (46 pounds) of rice. If you've ever haggled in a middle eastern market, then you know most of this is just the way folks do business in this part of the world. Still bad guys will try to exploit the sentiments. I hope that the CIA and SF are doing their jobs. Posted by: 11A5S 2003-06-02 |
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