BAGHDAD, Iraq
(Army News Service, April 21, 2004) – Engineers from Fort Hood avert a possible
riot after taking down posters of anti-coalition cleric Muqtada al-Sadr.
1st Lt. Brian Schonfeld, from the 91st Engineer Battalion, is confronted
with resistance when he attempts to persuade a shop owner to remove framed
images of anti-coalition leader Muqtada al-Sadr from his shop.
Spc. Jan
Critchfield
While on patrol in the Washash district of Baghdad, 1st Lt. Brian
Schonfeld, a platoon leader with 1st Platoon, Company C, 91st Engineer
Battalion, and his troopers found something a little surprising: posters and
photographs promoting al-Sadr.
Schonfeld found these posters in
apartments and some shop windows. He said he hadn’t noticed anything to suggest
al-Sadr’s influence in the neighborhood prior to this patrol.
After the
initial dismounted patrol discovered the propaganda, Schonfeld received orders
to re-enter Washash and remove the posters. These posters are considered illegal
because of al-Sadr’s extremist anti-coalition stance.
The first few
posters were confiscated with great ease. On public display, they did not appear
to belong to any one in particular and no resistance was given.
However,
a few yards down the crowded market road, Schonfeld and his platoon came upon a
shop selling framed prints. The lieutenant tried to explain to the owner of the
shop that anti-coalition propaganda is illegal, and that the prints could not be
displayed.
The man refused to remove them.
“We explained the
best we could without an interpreter,” said Cpl. Mark Steir, a team leader in
1st Platoon. “They started to get angry once they realized why we were taking
them down. The further along we got, the community became more upset.”
To make the situation more tension-filled, the loudspeakers of a local
mosque addressed the neighborhood, drawing ecstatic shouts from the growing
crowd of onlookers.
“There was a lot more finger-jabbing going on than
usual,” said Schonfeld. “A couple [people] even tried to grab our hands away
from taking the pictures down.”
After several minutes of negotiation,
Schonfeld was able to persuade the owner of the shop to remove the pictures,
thanks to the help of a few English-speaking locals.
Moving along, 1st
Platoon removed one more poster before a sizeable crowd formed and started
throwing rocks.
“We’ve got a riot down here, sir,” one Soldier yelled to
Schonfeld, who promptly moved his platoon from the area to avoid an escalation
of force.
The discovery of anti-coalition propaganda is a negative
development for coalition efforts in this neighborhood. The coalition has
several such as a playing field, a refuse disposal plan, and a communal textile
shop in the works, hoping to make Washash a better place to live.
“It
was a significant event for us because there is not a very heavy presence of
supporters of Muqtada al-Sadr in Washash. The people that we know in Washash
have been supporters of [Grand Ayatollah al-Husseini al-Sistani],” said Capt.
Ronald Hayward, commander of Company C, who gave the order to remove the
posters.
“I think it was important [to remove the posters] because
al-Sadr currently stands for all things that are anti-coalition,” he said. “It’s
important to show [the people of Washash] that we can deal with the propaganda
in a non-threatening way, rather than coming in hard and forcefully.”
(Editor’s note: Spc. Jan Critchfield is a staff writer for the 122nd
Mobile Public Affairs Detachment.)
shez
writes: "Thats right, it is ilegal in Iraq to have any pictures of anyone
who is anti-coalition.
Quote:
The lieutenant tried to explain to the owner of the shop that anti-coalition
propaganda is illegal
Seriously the whole American thinking is so messed up, who
the f/k do they think they are to tell people who they can and can not have
hanging on there walls..
A clear sign of refusing democracy and it is
not by Iraqis but by Americans..Weird to think that they are prepared to risk so
much grief and battles that could cost many lives all for photos..How would the
Admin explain to a mother about her son being killed for taking down a photo
from an Iraqi home.?
Army to Mrs Smith = "Your son died a brave man, he
was sent on an overt mission into hostile terrotory to take a photo down of a
man we do do not like because he refuses to accept America rule"
Exactly
f/kn pathetic.
And then American forces have the cheek to say well we
could of went in hard to remove the photos but we shown them we can do it in a
none forcefull way. Gee those Iraqis they are so lucky that American forces
decided to let them live over having pictures on there walls. I hope they are
greatfull. [rolleyes]
Quote:
It’s important to show [the people of Washash] that we can deal with the
propaganda in a non-threatening way, rather than coming in hard and
forcefully.
”
America policies in Iraq are so pathetic so messed up, so
unorganized. They have no idea of culture of tribal loyaltys. Of how important
it isi for Iraqis to show there respect for Iraqi leaders by hanging there
pictures on walls.
America has gone into Iraq but forgot to ship there
brains with them.
War crimes, i look forward to the documented evidence
after the war. America may have the power to not be punished for its genocide of
Iraqis, but the people of the world have saw American power in the 21st century
and now know America is a rogue state that is a dangour to the world.
