[Marxism] Iraqi public opinion

[Louis Proyect <lnp3@xxxxxxxxx>]

NY Times, March 27, 2004
Up to 16 Die in Gun Battles in Sunni Areas of Iraq
By DEXTER FILKINS

FALLUJA, Iraq, March 26 ? As many as 16 people, including a United States 
marine, were killed in a series of gun battles on Friday, as guerrilla 
violence swept the Sunni-dominated areas north and west of Baghdad in the 
latest show of strength by the insurgency here.

Among the Iraqis killed was a cameraman for ABC News, who a witness said 
was shot by American troops when he stepped into the middle of a skirmish...

In the fighting on Friday, the attackers showed sophistication and ease of 
movement, despite the assertions of American officers that they are close 
to defeating the insurgency led by members of Saddam Hussein's fallen 
government and are dealing with a smaller number of foreign-led Islamic 
terrorists.

(clip)

Lt. Ross Schellhaas, of the First Marine Expeditionary Force, said that his 
men had encountered sporadic attacks through much of the day but that the 
guerrillas had been easily dispersed.

He said his deeper concern was the attitude of the Iraqis civilians, in 
whom he sensed ambivalence about the American presence.

"Every one of us is waving to the Iraqis, even the guys who got shot at," 
the lieutenant said as his men moved through the neighborhood. "We're 
trying to let them know that we are here to help them."

"I don't know if they believe it or not," he said.

The renewed fighting seemed to generate anti-American antipathy here. At 
Falluja's main hospital, where the dead and wounded were taken, a group of 
angry Iraqis waved away an American reporter who tried to go inside.

"If you go inside, you'll be shot," said Abdul Nasir, a security guard. "I 
can't protect you. The families are crazy, and they are armed."

full: http://www.nytimes.com/2004/03/27/international/middleeast/27IRAQ.html

Louis Proyect
Marxism list: www.marxmail.org 


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