-Caveat Lector- http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/allnews/page.cfm?objectid=12783765 &method=full&siteid=50143 GULF WAR 2: BRITISH IRAQI TELLS WHY BATTLE WILL BE SO BITTER: WELCOME TO IRAQ?
Dr Shatha Besarani Co-Ordinator Of The British Iraqi Community Association Who Left Her Home In Baghdad In 1980 THE fact that British and American troops have been met with stiff resistance in their bid to topple Saddam Hussein seems to have caught military planners off-guard - but is it really so surprising? Did George Bush and Tony Blair really expect ordinary Iraqis to greet their troops by sprinkling rose petals in their path? No matter how much Saddam is hated by his own people, the Americans are sorely mistaken if they think the country will simply roll over, even in the face of such overwhelming odds. Resistance has come not just from a few hardliners, but from rank-and- file Iraqi soldiers who despise Saddam's rule as much as anyone. As someone who was born and raised in Iraq, and who still has family living there, I think the Coalition forces will face a bitter fight all the way to Baghdad. There is a myriad of explanations, but the main one is simply that the people think they are being invaded. Iraqis are very, very patriotic and many see the US and UK forces not as liberators but as invaders coming for their oil, to set up their own Government, to control the Middle East and give more freedom to Israel. But Iraqis have plenty of other reasons to be mistrustful. They have had to contend with high cancer rates and a big percentage of deformed children thanks to the depleted uranium shells left by the British and Americans after the last Gulf War. Every time an Iraqi eats or drinks, they know they could be slowly killing themselves. It's no wonder they are suspicious when the same troops come back 12 years later with the same weapons. And where were the British and Americans when the people tried to rise against Saddam in 1991 and 1996? There are also people living in Iraq who are still old enough to remember how Britain gassed hundreds of Kurds in Iraq in the 1920s. Don't forget that the ordinary Iraqis we see on our TV screens are broken people who have had to live under Saddam's regime and struggle for against crippling sanctions imposed by Britain and America. But it is not only distrust of Bush and Blair which makes the Iraqis fight, it is also a fear of Saddam. When you watch the battles on TV, remember that every Iraqi soldier has another soldier behind him making sure he is not about to surrender. They fear Iraqi bullets just as much as those of the Americans. But if they were 100 per cent sure that this time they were going to be freed of Saddam's reign, many of them wouldn't be fighting at all. There are many who welcome the British and American forces but dare not say so because they would be killed by Saddam. My feeling is that the Iraqi people will not give up until Saddam is dead or the head of his army surrenders - only then will they be sure he can not hurt them again. For all these years the Iraqi people haven't been helped by America or Britain. For all these years it has been ordinary Iraqis who have been punished They don't want to repeat the mistake this time around. Top Forwarded for your information. The text and intent of the article have to stand on their own merits. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ In accordance with Title 17 U.S.C. section 107, this material is distributed without charge or profit to those who have expressed a prior interest in receiving this type of information for non-profit research and educational purposes only. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ "Do not believe in anything simply because you have heard it. Do not believe simply because it has been handed down for many genera- tions. Do not believe in anything simply because it is spoken and rumoured by many. Do not believe in anything simply because it is written in Holy Scriptures. Do not believe in anything merely on the authority of teachers, elders or wise men. Believe only after careful observation and analysis, when you find that it agrees with reason and is conducive to the good and benefit of one and all. Then accept it and live up to it." The Buddha on Belief, from the Kalama Sutra <A HREF="http://www.ctrl.org/";>www.ctrl.org</A> DECLARATION & DISCLAIMER ========== CTRL is a discussion & informational exchange list. Proselytizing propagandic screeds are unwelcomed. Substance—not soap-boxing—please! These are sordid matters and 'conspiracy theory'—with its many half-truths, mis- directions and outright frauds—is used politically by different groups with major and minor effects spread throughout the spectrum of time and thought. That being said, CTRLgives no endorsement to the validity of posts, and always suggests to readers; be wary of what you read. CTRL gives no credence to Holocaust denial and nazi's need not apply. Let us please be civil and as always, Caveat Lector. ======================================================================== Archives Available at: http://peach.ease.lsoft.com/archives/ctrl.html <A HREF="http://peach.ease.lsoft.com/archives/ctrl.html";>Archives of [EMAIL PROTECTED]</A> http://archive.jab.org/[EMAIL PROTECTED]/ <A HREF="http://archive.jab.org/[EMAIL PROTECTED]/">ctrl</A> ======================================================================== To subscribe to Conspiracy Theory Research List[CTRL] send email: SUBSCRIBE CTRL [to:] [EMAIL PROTECTED] To UNsubscribe to Conspiracy Theory Research List[CTRL] send email: SIGNOFF CTRL [to:] [EMAIL PROTECTED] Om
