Iraqis Pelt British Troops With Stones

[Tom Yossarian Joad]

By NADIA ABOU EL-MAGD

AMARAH, Iraq - Impatience with Iraq's occupying forces boiled over Sunday as unemployed Iraqis pelted British troops with stones and a top Shiite Muslim cleric demanded the country's next parliament be elected _ a position at odds with American plans.

Also Sunday, a U.S.-backed Iraqi politician said an ongoing purge of members of Saddam Hussein's Baath party had pushed 28,000 Iraqis from their jobs, with a similar number expected to follow.

In the southern city of Amarah, waves of protesters _ some armed with sticks and shovels _ rushed British troops guarding the city hall, a day after clashes here killed six protesters and wounded at least 11.

The British drove the crowd back from the compound, which also houses the U.S.-led occupation force and the 1st Battalion of Britain's Light Infantry. Homemade bombs exploded during the melee, but not injuries were reported.

more: http://www.appeal-democrat.com/articles/2004/01/11/ap/Headlines/d8011avg0.txt

[mbperrin]

1. Obvious typo - should read "with flowers"

Right?

[rooboy]

4. You read my mind.. n/t

[grytpype]

2. SMD - Stones of Mass Destruction

Some of those Iraqis can throw those stones real, real far, as far as the East Coast!!!!!!!

[TolstoyAndy]

3. BBC TV reported several dead on Saturday

Apparently this was the second day of protests. BBC had footage of troops shooting and chasing a screaming crowd.

[Snappy]

5. Winning the hearts and minds.

The Occupation doesn't seem to be popular with many Iraqis.

Doh.

I wonder if the people of Iraq will have a three way civil war?

The Kurds want their own state, The Sunnis have organized their own govt. body. The Shi'ites rule in the South.

Will the US and UK be able to hold Iraq together?

[Art_from_Ark]

6. Seems like Iraq was holding together pretty well

before March 2003.

[yellowcanine]

7. It's official. Iraq is now Gaza.

And the "coalition" forces are now the Israelis. Way to go, shrubbie.

[jpak]

8. Don't they know Haliburton is hiring truckers at $80-125K (US) per year??

and construction workers too (paying up to $200 per hour).

There's plenty of jobs in I-raq - for everyone but the I-raqis who need them the most.