US troops seek cooperation against rebels from terrified locals

[leftchick]

http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/afp/20041127/wl_mideast_afp/iraq_us_ramadi_041127185217

~snip~


"Going into people's houses at two or three in the morning isn't exactly the best way to be popular, so behave correctly with them, there's no need to have everybody's hands up," says the 503rd Infantry Regiment's Lieutenant Tad Tsuneyoshi.


The troops cautiously venture into the mean streets of this conservative Sunni bastion in the moonlightt, with only the barking of stray dogs breaking the eery silence shrouding this city of 400,000 souls.


~snip~

One of his sons, Ahmed, admits that "everybody is afraid to cooperate, because we risk being killed by the mujahedin afterwards, nothing can be kept secret in this town."


Being perceived as a collaborator is close to a death sentence, something the Iraqi contractor working as a translator for the American unit is well aware of, even though he is from a different part of the country. His face is masked by a balaklava every time he leaves the base.

[wtmusic]

1. "Behave correctly with them, be a good little invader...

let them keep their self-respect as long as they realize we own them, body and soul..."

[amber dog democrat]

2. Until we are defeated

that is essential. We can't win this war, all we can do is perpetuate it while we go after the oil reserves.

[0007]

3. The Germans did the same thing in France in the 40's

The French were not qualmish of killing another Frenchman that was helping the Germans.

[Ima]

4. They are in a lose, lose situation.

"One of his sons, Ahmed, admits that "everybody is afraid to cooperate, because we risk being killed by the mujahedin afterwards, nothing can be kept secret in this town."

[0007]

6. Don't ya think that fighting for their country is the ethical

thing to do?

I'd fight like hell to defend my country.

[wtmusic]

9. It's not their country anymore

or so the story goes

[Name removed]

11. Deleted message

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[Nordic]

5. what a shitty time to be an Iraqi

out of the frying pan, into the fire.

[dbt]

7. What a shitty time to be an American!

This country used to stand against tyranny. Now it IS one.

:freak:
dbt

[daleo]

8. It used to have honest elections too

Well, fairly honest anyway. Now it practices world class hypocrisy on the subject of elections.

[Name removed]

10. Deleted message

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[Nordic]

13. yeah, but much worse to be an Iraqi

there aren't soldiers breaking into my house in the middle of the night. Yet.

[Javaman]

12. So NOW the military wants to play nice????

Holy shit! The ultimate irony of military intelligence is finally trying to wrap it's collective brain around the concept that the Iraqi civilians are terrified of us. It's only 18 months too late.
This is a case of supreme jackass-ness.

[struggle4progress]

14. The Ownership Society: coming soon to a community near you.